The NFL season kicks-off on Thursday evening as the Green Bay Packers line up against the Chicago Bears. And a few select fans at Solider Field will be able to take 5G mobile data speeds for a spin during one of those endless breaks in play.
US mobile titan Verizon has announced has installed 5G Ultra Wideband network at 13 NFL stadiums, allowing those with compatible handsets to enjoy super fast mobile data speeds and avoid the usual log jam of the 4G networks and in-stadium Wi-Fi.
The network is promising higher capacity, faster download speeds and lower latency while using 5G-enabled devices within the stadium; which will undoubtedly make it easier for spectators to access replays, social media commentary and, of course, check-in on the progress of their fantasy teams.
Related: What is 5G
Let’s face it, NFL fans have loads of time to spare during the marathon games, and there’s only so many times you can watch a cheerleader performance or go to the bar, so we’re pretty happy with this development.
Right now Verizon sells the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10+ 5G and the LG ThinQ V50 5G, as well as phones compatible with Moto’s 5G Moto Mod. So you’ll need one of those if you’re to sample 5G at the gridiron.
Most of the stadiums included in the roll-out are in cities that don’t yet have access to a 5G network. They are as follows:
Bank of America Stadium (Carolina Panthers)
Empower Field at Mile High (Denver Broncos)
CenturyLink Field (Seattle Seahawks)
Ford Field (Detroit Lions)
Gillette Stadium (New England Patriots)
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Dolphins)
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis Colts)
MetLife Stadium (New York Giants and New York Jets)
M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore Ravens)
NRG Stadium (Houston Texans)
Soldier Field (Chicago Bears)
U.S. Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings)
Verizon is promising more stadiums will be added during the season.
Speaking without being booed for once, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says: “As we celebrate the NFL’s 100th season we look forward to the day when Verizon will have their 5G Ultra Wideband service in the stadiums for all 32 NFL Clubs. Having this cutting-edge technology in our stadiums will greatly enhance the game-day experience and bring a multitude of benefits to our fans and Clubs in a number of different ways.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
