During Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, Verizon customers broke the company’s data use record. On game day, 60% of the 67,827 spectators used Verizon’s cellular network, consuming 47.8TB of data in and around State Farm Stadium. This statistic reflects a 36% increase in data use over Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
The highest data use surges happened during the halftime performance and during kickoff. The network’s peak download rates reached 4,200Mbps, while the median download speeds were 2,300Mbps. A team of 100 Verizon engineers operated the Network Command Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a dependable network experience for spectators, first responders and public safety teams.
In preparation for the game, Verizon committed more than $100 million in network improvements and enhancements in and around State Farm Stadium and the surrounding Phoenix region. The company installed 5G Ultra-Wideband in various zones within the Valley, increasing coverage and capacity to serve clients in the area and nearby cities such as Tempe, Chandler and Scottsdale. In addition, there are 90 4G nodes and 180 5G nodes located around the stadium and in the Westgate Entertainment District to provide extra coverage and capacity.
Verizon customers were supplied with a sophisticated, cutting-edge in-building network throughout State Farm Stadium, providing game-changing performance for fans to capture and share every key moment of the game while connected. There are 490 5G nodes across the stadium, 1,400 4G and 5G antennae under the seats, and eight MatSing balls, four above the 50-yard line and four in the end zone.
Phillip French, Vice President of Network Engineering for Verizon, commented: “Verizon customers shared their in-game experiences like never before. The record amounts of data shared, with super-fast speeds, was made possible by the work of our engineers and technicians who worked to ensure our customers had the best possible network experience while at the game.”
