Game Changer: Verizon Gets Ready for the First Super Bowl Featuring 5G

By Verizon

 

Super Bowl LIV is just around the corner and we can’t wait for fans to see how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband can enhance the way fans experience live sports.

This is the first year Super Bowl attendees can access Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband in parts of the stadium and experience its super-fast speeds, massive bandwidth and low latency. And, Verizon’s 5G coverage isn’t just inside Hard Rock Stadium. In Miami, fans can access 5G Ultra Wideband service around Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports, in parts of Downtown, and in Miami Bayfront Park, home to the Verizon 5G Stadium at Super Bowl Live.

So what type of cool things will 5G enable at the Big Game?

Together with the NFL, we’ve developed several new features for the official NFL OnePass app- including the first 5G feature. Fans who download the NFL OnePass app onto their Verizon 5G-compatible phones can access a new multi-camera angle streaming feature when connected to the Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband network in the stadium. Fans will be able to see five simultaneous streams or select a view for full screen to get the best angle of the action on the field, with the ability to rewind and replay.  The NFL OnePass app is a great resource for fans throughout Super Bowl week and on game day. It brings fans specialized content in a user interface specifically developed for the game. The multi-camera, live stream of the action on the field is the first consumer app specifically designed for fans with a Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband compatible device. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service is available in parts of Hard Rock Stadium. Verizon Media’s RYOT and Visual-Intelligence developed the AR experience within the NFL OnePass app that enables all fans across wireless networks to view AR stats. These NFL OnePass app features provide fans an enhanced experience only available within the stadium.

If you swing by the Verizon 5G Stadium located at Super Bowl Live, you’ll also be able to see some more 5G demos and we’ll be showing off 5G-powered games created by the winners of the 5G NFL Mobile Gaming Challenge. The challenge is part of the two-year innovation partnership we have with the NFL to co-develop new products and services that use 5G and other future technology to enhance NFL games and the fan experience.

We also had a 5G first for select Pro Bowl fans. At Verizon’s 5G Stadium at Super Bowl Live, viewers watched the game live streamed in Miami over 5G and projected in 8K onto our Verizon 5G Stadium at Super Bowl Live in Bayfront Park, the first time an NFL game has been live-streamed like this. Similar to the experience you get at a planetarium, fans had an immersive experience, allowing them to see the game on this gigantic screen.

All this 5G magic in Miami didn’t happen overnight. Our network team has been preparing Miami for this event for a while boosting network performance and capacity both at the stadium and around the city. We’ve invested more than $80 million dollars to enhance the network in order to support the city of Miami during Super Bowl week this year and the network enhancements we made will continue to benefit Miami residents and visitors in the years to come.

If you weren’t lucky enough to score tickets to the big game, no need to fret. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service is currently available in parts of  31 cities, 17 NFL stadiums and four indoor athletic arenas. We’re deploying our 5G Ultra Wideband network in these large public spaces where people gather and demand connectivity. Verizon is exploring future solutions that 5G could bring to stadiums to enhance the fan experience in what is already the best environment to watch a live NFL game. Hold onto your hats sports fans, 5G’s going to be a game changer.