Massive deployment of public and private networks takes 5G coverage to a new level
Verizon’s private wireless solution, dubbed “coach-to-coach,” has played a vital role in every NFL game this season, and this year marks the first time the technology will be used during a Super Bowl game. . Super Bowl LVIII will continue his evolution of 5G integration across nearly every aspect of broadcast operations, including fan experience, venue operations, and even communications, cameras, and audio signal transmission.
Verizon has improved the permanent 5G infrastructure at Allegiant Stadium to provide a superior mobile experience for fans as well as the coaching staff.
“We are making great progress [in using 5G for broadcast applications] “But I feel like broadcasters still don’t fully understand the capabilities of wireless networks,” he says. Joe Russo, President of Global Networks and Technology, Verizon. “We have deployed wireless broadcast cameras with network slicing at events such as the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon to ensure the uplinks necessary for such environments. People are really starting to realize that networks can do that. And this is something that I’m really excited about in venues like Allegiant Stadium and events in public spaces like marathons and outdoor concerts. It’s a function.”
Verizon’s implementation at Allegiant Stadium is a multi-year project that will serve not only the coaching staffs of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, but also fans throughout the stadium and even areas like the parking lot. We will be holding an NFL trial session.
Installing more than 250 nodes throughout Allegiant Stadium also required adding racks of gear in the equipment room.
Russo said there are three aspects to 5G deployment. It’s about meeting the needs within the venue, introducing it into the surrounding environment like an NFL tailgate party, and introducing it throughout the city where other ancillary events are held. For example, some highways will be closed for the Super Bowl to allow fans to walk from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and parking lot to the stadium. With his 5G permanently installed in that parking lot, fans will be able to take photos and videos with the stadium in the background and share them with friends and family via social media.
“We’re also looking very closely at where our players practice, where they stay, and even media events like the NFL Experience,” Russo said. “We want to cover all of that and make sure our customers have a seamless experience that is second to none. Then we leave that infrastructure intact to serve the Las Vegas market.” I’ll keep it.”
One of Verizon’s goals is to address the challenge for fans at the venue, who are unable to obtain the type of wireless access they desire via cellular service, and are forced to seek out Wi-Fi service, which is also typically overwhelming. The aim is to solve the problem of Russo said the introduction of Verizon’s 5G service shows that the company can meet fan needs without the need for Wi-Fi.
“Using 5G mmWave technology across the 800 MHz and 28 GHz spectrum, 160 MHz of C-band spectrum, and the 4G spectrum we have always had in the bowl, we have installed more than 250 nodes within the stadium. ” he says. Russo.
This year, that in-bowl experience has been extended to the stadium with 5G transmission equipment mounted on mobile carts that provide a private wireless network.
“The NFL can deploy a private network wherever it needs to, including for games in Europe, providing not only flexibility but also dedicated, secure and reliable communications,” Russo said. Masu. “What we’ve found with private networks is that once you deploy it, users understand the flexibility and reliability of that private wireless network and want to use it for other use cases. ”
This year’s big game included communication between coaches, and Russo expects the technology to extend beyond back-office functions to sideline tablets and referees in the coming years.
“Things like online betting for fans is just one of the incredible use cases,” he added. “Currently, online betting is limited by latency and throughput, which we hope our network will resolve over time and enable us to deliver the stadium experience. We continue to look for more and more ways to leverage the capabilities of.”
Russo will travel to Las Vegas for the fight and help the network be used in creative ways. This includes considering how broadcasters can leverage their private networks to move signals around venues and cities.
“It’s definitely possible to take advantage of the ultra-wideband capabilities and network slicing capabilities that we need, but it’s just an evolution that happens over time,” he says. “This also represents an opportunity for industry-wide cost savings.”
