Behind the scenes with Verizon 5G at Super Bowl LVIII stadium

Event attendees likely don't think much about network connectivity at venues until they can't connect to social media or their family and friends. Verizon showed Light Reading what it takes to connect thousands of attendees and how the service provider has tested and deployed 4G and 5G wireless infrastructure at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

With Super Bowl LVIII coming up in Las Vegas on February 11, Verizon is ramping up testing its network at the venue. In December 2023, Light Reading met up with Vivencio Luna, senior manager of network performance for Verizon, on site at Allegiant Stadium for a behind-the-scenes tour of the permanent and temporary network infrastructure the carrier has deployed. Verizon supports over 75 large public venues in the US with 5G connectivity.

By Super Bowl Sunday, Verizon will have deployed nearly 250 mmWave radios to provide 5G coverage to seating areas, suites, lounges, the press box, concourse areas and entryways. Verizon's Test Force has also deployed additional fiber to the stadium. Attendees will also have access to C-band with 160MHz of spectrum.

In addition to providing connectivity to attendees, Verizon was selected in 2023 as the National Football League's (NFL) official private wireless network for coach-to-coach communications. As part of the five-year partnership deal with the NFL, Verizon will support coach-to-coach communications at the 30 US NFL stadiums.

Related:Partner Report - Monetizing Enterprise 5G in 2024: Strategies for Telcos to Maximize Slicing, Edge, and FWA Revenues

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