Verizon is deploying C-band spectrum at the MetLife Stadium, adding to the millimeter wave spectrum already available
Verizon this week announced that it will install major network upgrades at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants, beginning in 2024. The upgrades, according to the carrier, are meant to support the “exponential increase” in data being used by fans while inside the stadium. The development represents an extension of the already established partnership between Verizon and the Giants, Jets and MetLife Stadium.
This summer, more than 1.2 million guests filed into the MetLife Stadium for sporting events and concerts, and with the NFL season right around the corner, the crowds are expected to continue. “Verizon was a founding Cornerstone partner when the stadium opened in 2010 and we are excited to extend and expand on that partnership with this renewal,” commented Ron VanDeVeen, president and CEO of MetLife Stadium. “The Verizon upgrades will enhance the overall fan experience and our stadium operations, and are integral to attracting future major events such as FIFA World Cup 26.”
Specifically, MetLife is pursuing an “unprecedented” investment in network improvements, which includes Verizon’s new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to provide better performance and greater capacity. The system will provide 4G LTE service and the carrier’s 5G C-band spectrum, adding to the millimeter wave spectrum already available in the stadium. The field, bowl, concourse, entrances, all clubs/suites and the ticketing areas will be covered. Like it has in other stadiums, Verizon will design the network so that the crowd can be divided into sections “like slices of a pie,” allowing engineers to adjust each slice individually to curate the network performance based on where stadium attendees move and how they use data.
Verizon is also increasing the capacity on the fiber connections in and out of MetLife to allow for the transfer of 10 times the amount of data.
“As technology evolves, customers want to do more with their wireless technology at games, concerts and other events,” said Lynn Cox, SVP of access engineering and operations for Verizon. “When large crowds of people gather in a place like a football stadium, network resources can be strained. So we are very intentional about upgrading technology and infrastructure in places like MetLife Stadium to accommodate our customers’ needs.”
