Verizon has the answer to just how much data fans burned through at the Super Bowl
Verizon, the NFL's official 5G network partner, had its tech powering the Super Bowl experience in New Orleans this year. Now, the carrier's giving us a peek behind the scenes, sharing some interesting numbers on how its network was put to work during the big game.
As fans packed in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs, Verizon users racked up a massive 93.5 TB of data. Thanks to major network upgrades throughout the city, people were able to stream game highlights, check player stats, and go live with friends to capture the moment.
Meanwhile, inside Caesars Superdome, things were just as busy on the network, with 38.1 TB of data used in and around the stadium. About 53% of the 65,719 attendees were on Verizon's network, so yeah, plenty of screen time happening during the game. Just saying.
The carrier claims it delivered 2.4x faster median download speeds and 4.8x faster median upload speeds compared to the competition during the event. Sounds impressive, right? Well, that may have been the case for the Super Bowl, but in the bigger picture, T-Mobile still holds the crown for the fastest 5G download speeds overall, according to latest reports, at least.
Back to the numbers – Verizon reported a peak download speed of 4,161 Mbps and an upload speed of 1,067 Mbps. As for the median speeds, downloads hit 1,775 Mbps, while uploads came in at 159 Mbps.
That's some serious prep work, right? Plus, Verizon says it boosted its network with high-capacity connections all over New Orleans, focusing on the busiest spots like Bourbon Street, the New Orleans Convention Center, Louis Armstrong International Airport, Smoothie King Arena, Woldenberg Park, and Jackson Square. The goal? Making sure that even with massive crowds – like on Super Bowl Sunday – customers can stay connected without interruptions.
As fans packed in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs, Verizon users racked up a massive 93.5 TB of data. Thanks to major network upgrades throughout the city, people were able to stream game highlights, check player stats, and go live with friends to capture the moment.
The carrier claims it delivered 2.4x faster median download speeds and 4.8x faster median upload speeds compared to the competition during the event. Sounds impressive, right? Well, that may have been the case for the Super Bowl, but in the bigger picture, T-Mobile still holds the crown for the fastest 5G download speeds overall, according to latest reports, at least.
Of course, coverage plays a huge role here. Verizon's 5G can be lightning-fast, but it's not as widely available as T-Mobile's. And at the end of the day, what's the point of having super-fast, ultra-reliable 5G if a lot of users can't even access it consistently?
Back to the numbers – Verizon reported a peak download speed of 4,161 Mbps and an upload speed of 1,067 Mbps. As for the median speeds, downloads hit 1,775 Mbps, while uploads came in at 159 Mbps.
At Caesars Superdome, Verizon delivered an exceptional network experience so fans could capture and share every moment. Verizon's engineers worked tirelessly to add enough coverage and capacity to cover a small city, deploying 511 5G UltraWideband and 155 C-band radios covering the stadium's seating areas, back of the house, suites, lounges, press box, concourse areas and entry ways.
– Verizon, February 2025
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