KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Knoxville will see new redesigns to their Verizon network services on Wednesday, April 5.

Verizon says the upgrades are a part of the multi-year redesign of its network architecture to stay ahead of exponential data usage increases, upgrade the technology in the network and pave the way for personalized customer experiences.

Knoxville Verizon users will see developments of new cell sites to extend coverage and capacity in local communities. The service provider is including more capacity on fiber optic cables to move more data and add bandwidth to the cellular network to accommodate new services like wireless internet service for homes and businesses.

With the upgrades, Verizon said 66 percent of customers in Knoxville will have access to 5G Ultra Wideband service. Customers in West Town, Cedar Bluff, Market Square, Turkey Creek, Maryville and Oak Ridge also will be able to experience 5G Ultra Wideband service.

Other upgrades could be faster speeds, more fiber connections and third-party network testers. Customers will be able to use more data on Internet-of-Things services, mobile phones (smartphones), home and business internet and complex solutions that require massive computing capabilities.

“Today’s world calls for faster speeds, ultra-secure connections and improved coverage in more places. We’re dedicated to bringing the best and latest technologies to local communities, and to keeping our customers connected through 5G,” said Eric Lia, vice president of engineering and operations for Verizon.

Verizon provided results on the speeds in their service with the median download speed increasing 226 percent and media upload speeds increasing 39 percent since last year.

Verizon is hoping that in upcoming months additional enhancements will increase capacity in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg areas.