Verizon launches private 5G network for Oklahoma music festival

Verizon Business is deploying a Celona-based private 5G local-area network (LAN) for Pryor Creek Music Festivals ahead of a three-day music festival this Labor Day weekend.

The private 5G network will provide secure connectivity to employees, sponsors and vendors at the 975,000 square foot Oklahoma event space for the Rocklahoma outdoor music festival.

Verizon Business said the 5G LAN, based on Celona's technology, will support applications such as point-of-sale devices, laptops and ticket/barcode scanners utilized by festival employees, sponsors and vendors. Celona's private wireless system includes RAN access, a converged 4G/5G core, subscriber SIMs/eSIMs and cloud-based orchestration.

The network coverage area includes parking, admission gates, vendor locations, stages and backstage facilities.

Verizon Business SVP Jennifer Artley said concerts and festivals are a top use case for private 5G networks.

"Organizers need dedicated connectivity to run connected point-of-sale and event equipment, and it has to be simple to set up and use," Artley said in a statement. "Private wireless networks from Verizon fill these needs and help ensure event attendees, vendors and organizers alike have a smooth experience."

In June, Verizon also launched 5G Ultra Wideband across Oklahoma.

Verizon has equipped sports leagues and venues with private 5G, such as the NFL and Miami Grand Prix. Andrea Caldini, VP of product engineering and development at Verizon, joined the Light Reading podcast earlier this summer to explain how the service provider is delivering private 5G as a managed service.

On this episode of the Light Reading Podcast, Verizon's Andrea Caldini discussed private 5G networks for sports venues.

"We're focusing on customer outcomes – that's our key focus. We're looking at manufacturing for sure. There's a lot of opportunity in the venue space, ports, mining and retail," said Caldini. "As we move into more deployments for private 5G, we're seeing an increasing number of opportunities."

Caldini explained how private 5G supports sports use cases such as coach-to-coach communication in the NFL without radio interference. She also shared how Verizon keeps its network signal clear in stadiums despite the presence of multiple carriers by using a different spectrum from the macro network.

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— Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, Senior Editor, Light Reading