Exchange Improves Connectivity at Ramstein with Temporary Cell Tower

In a significant milestone for the overseas military communities, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service put into service a new temporary cell tower while installation of four new permanent cellular towers at Ramstein Air Base are completed this year, marking a major step in improving mobile connectivity for service members and their families.

The new 5G-capable towers on Ramstein Air Base will represent the initial phase of a broader telecommunications infrastructure upgrade across Europe. Developed with the Exchange, longtime telecommunications partner TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH (TKS) and Vantage Towers AG, the project improves cell service, a longstanding concern within the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC).

“For service members, families and personnel on post, connectivity is an absolute priority and is vital to their readiness,” said Denise Hunter, Exchange vice president of Services Operations. “The community spoke, leaders listened, and the Exchange is honored to help deliver the best to our heroes.”

The new cell towers will provide immediate relief for connectivity gaps on base. These towers, part of a joint effort involving TKS and Vantage Towers, will support Vodafone service initially, with the infrastructure available to additional mobile providers in the future.

TKS, responsible for project planning and coordination, will link the towers to its high-speed fiber-optic network, enabling comprehensive 5G coverage throughout and around the installation. This infrastructure upgrade is expected to benefit more than 30,000 TKS mobile customers, alongside the broader community of more than 50,000 service members, family members, and personnel at Ramstein.

“Cellphones are an organic part of what we do to stay connected with people that we care about, stay dialed in to what’s happening in the world and support mission-related communications,” said Col. Everett (Bud) Lacroix, Exchange Europe, Southwest Asia and Africa Region commander. “This has been a very long time coming and we are deeply grateful to everybody who made this happen.”

This project also underscores the Exchange’s commitment to enhancing Quality of Life for military communities overseas. Ramstein is not only a critical hub for U.S. Air Forces in Europe but also hosts NATO’s Allied Air Command, underscoring the strategic importance of robust and reliable communication infrastructure.

The Ramstein installation is the first of several Exchange-supported cell tower projects planned across Europe. Construction of additional towers is expected to begin in the coming months as part of a wider OCONUS rollout aimed at bringing stateside-quality mobile coverage to overseas bases.

As connectivity becomes increasingly vital to mission readiness and daily life, the Exchange, together with its partners, is proud to deliver the first step in a long-awaited upgrade that will keep service members, and their families connected–wherever duty calls.

Leaders from the Exchange, TKS and Vantage Towers cut a ribbon during an opening ceremony, commissioning a new temporary  cell tower that will provide cell coverage for personnel on Ramstein Air Base while other permanent towers are constructed. From left: Steffen Stueckmann, TKS Head of Sales Region North; Dennis Rueckert, TKS Director of Operations; Carla McDowell, Exchange General Manager; Tim McNichol, Europe, Telecom Business Manager; Patrick Abram, TKS CEO; Denise Hunter, Exchange Vice President of Services Operations; Krystal McLaurin,  Exchange Services Business Manager; Yuka Hamaguchi, Vantage Towers Key Account Manager; Alexander Kroell, TKS Director Sales & Marketing; John Jennings, Exchange Services Program Specialist; and Racquel Hinso, Exchange Chief Regional Business Officer.