Jerome Cheatham, Area President, Verizon

In an interview with Invest:, Jerome Cheatham, area president at Verizon, addressed the role AI will play in shaping the region’s workforce and economy. “Businesses that don’t adapt will just be left behind,” Cheatham said.

What were Verizon’s most significant milestones in Central Florida in the past year, and how does Orlando’s growth compare to other Southeast markets?

Orlando is a city that never stops moving. From its quiet suburbs to the pulse-pounding heart of some of the world’s most iconic theme parks, the metro area has undergone a historic transformation, surging past 2 million residents in 2025. That makes it vital to the broader Southeast region because of its continued growth and the transformation it continues to undergo.

At Verizon, we spent 2025 ensuring that whether you’re a local professional working from home or one of the 75 million people who visit Central Florida every year, you have a world-class experience. We made multi-million dollar investments, deploying about 315 new 5G Ultra Wideband solutions to stay ahead of that growth. We also opened one new retail store in the area and have six more in development to help serve the residents and visitors of the greater Orlando area.

How does Verizon deliver seamless connectivity across high-demand venues like theme parks, airports, and major attractions?

For millions of people, the Orlando experience begins at the airport. Orlando International Airport is the 9th busiest in the U.S., serving 57 million passengers annually. In 2025, we completely renovated service levels across the entire airport, bringing 5G to terminal areas, all air sides, the tarmac, and even the parking garages. Our network is now fully primed to support travelers from the moment they land until they head to their destination.

Today’s theme park experience is also inherently digital. From virtual queues and mobile ordering to sharing moments with family and friends, a fast connection is part of the ticket. We completed a major 5G deployment at Universal Epic Universe before the May grand opening, and we added 5G Ultra Wideband to many of the queue lines at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney. So much of the theme park experience happens through your mobile phone today, and our network is the backbone of helping you capture every memory.

How are broadband needs evolving across Central Florida households, particularly with the rise of remote work?

The COVID pandemic accelerated a lot of this and changed how we operate. People need high-speed connectivity everywhere, whether that’s in their home or on the go. We’ve all seen photos of people working from baseball games and the beach, and people need that reliable connection everywhere. We’re constantly working on improving and expanding capacity for products like our 5G fixed wireless access, which delivers top speeds especially when multiple people in a household are working or learning remotely. But for us, it’s really about convergence — ensuring people have access to the full suite of products and solutions so they can work from anywhere, anytime, with the best experience in the industry.

What solutions is Verizon deploying to close connectivity gaps across the region?

It starts with commitment. You have to commit to using every tool in your technical toolkit. That means everything from new macro cell sites and small cell sites to adding high-speed spectrum to existing towers and installing distributed antenna system (DAS) technology in high-traffic venues. As we look to 2026, we’ll continue to proactively build those solutions across Orlando and the surrounding area. We are committed to providing an incredible connection to this growing region and ensuring that, at the end of the day, everyone has that gold standard, best-in-class, reliable connectivity for whatever they’re using it for.

What do Verizon’s partnerships in Central Florida look like, and how do they support the company’s broader mission?

There are a few dimensions, from sports to community and government. On the sports side, we’re the official 5G partner of the Orlando Magic through our Total Wireless brand, which leverages in-arena and social content assets to connect with the community. On the community side, our initiatives include supporting the Orlando Science Center’s Neighborhood Science Program and the Meet the Need Food Bank.

We’re also proud supporters of Four Roots Urban Farm and sponsors of University of Central Florida (UCF) Space Week. We’ve also partnered with the Seminole Kids House to provide advocacy for children facing abuse, as well as the Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program. On the government side, we’re constantly evaluating connectivity needs and working with state and local governments to get the appropriate approvals.

What are the biggest challenges Verizon faces in growing Southeast markets, and how are you navigating them?

A couple of things come to mind. First, as the population continues to grow, the challenge is keeping pace and providing the connectivity people desire with a best-in-class experience. Our investment in Orlando is always focused on staying ahead of that growth and using every tool in our toolkit to do so. Second, connectivity is paramount in times of severe weather. In the Southeast, where hurricanes and other natural disasters are a reality, our frontline team is always prepared to assist residents in those moments of need.

Where do you see AI fitting into Orlando’s future, and what is Verizon’s vision for the region over the next five to 10 years?

AI is impacting everything. It’s not just a tool, it’s changing how work gets done. The models we use today will be the worst models we ever use, and businesses that don’t adapt will be left behind. If you don’t embrace AI, you won’t be an employer of choice. We see it as our role to help communities prepare for that disruption. We’re committed to providing AI readiness and critical upskilling and reskilling to help people stay ahead of the curve, and we fundamentally believe that AI will be the bridge to opportunity for the communities we serve.

As we build our networks purposefully and intentionally, our goal is to be the connectivity solution for the best and most responsive AI platforms, making it easier for customers to do business with us and staying at the forefront of how we use AI to create better experiences for our customers and our employees alike. 

Our goal is to grow ahead of Orlando, so small businesses, public institutions, and consumers all have the connectivity they need to empower the way they live, work, and play.