The Value of Virtualized Architecture in High-Density Environments
Verizon (VZ) has announced significant progress in its network virtualization efforts, with over 170,000 O-RAN radios and 22,900 V-RAN site locations deployed across the country as of early 2025. The company's virtualized network infrastructure spans from rural areas to high-density city centers, including major metropolitan areas like NYC, Philadelphia, and Dallas.
The implementation showcased its effectiveness during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, where:
- 38.1 terabytes of data were utilized by fans in and around the stadium
- 53% of 65,719 attendees connected to Verizon's network
- Customers experienced peak download speeds of 4,161 Mbps and upload speeds of 1,067 Mbps
- Total data consumption reached 93.5 TB across New Orleans
The virtualized architecture provides enhanced scalability, rapid deployment capabilities, and improved cost efficiency by decoupling network functions from proprietary hardware.
Verizon (VZ) ha annunciato progressi significativi nei suoi sforzi di virtualizzazione della rete, con oltre 170.000 radio O-RAN e 22.900 siti V-RAN distribuiti in tutto il paese all'inizio del 2025. L'infrastruttura di rete virtualizzata dell'azienda si estende dalle aree rurali ai centri cittadini ad alta densità, comprese importanti aree metropolitane come NYC, Filadelfia e Dallas.
L'implementazione ha dimostrato la sua efficacia durante il Super Bowl LIX a New Orleans, dove:
- 38,1 terabyte di dati sono stati utilizzati dai fan dentro e intorno allo stadio
- Il 53% dei 65.719 partecipanti si è connesso alla rete di Verizon
- I clienti hanno sperimentato velocità di download di picco di 4.161 Mbps e velocità di upload di 1.067 Mbps
- Il consumo totale di dati ha raggiunto i 93,5 TB in tutta New Orleans
L'architettura virtualizzata offre una scalabilità migliorata, capacità di implementazione rapida e una maggiore efficienza dei costi separando le funzioni di rete dall'hardware proprietario.
Verizon (VZ) ha anunciado avances significativos en sus esfuerzos de virtualización de la red, con más de 170,000 radios O-RAN y 22,900 ubicaciones de V-RAN desplegadas en todo el país a principios de 2025. La infraestructura de red virtualizada de la compañía abarca desde áreas rurales hasta centros urbanos de alta densidad, incluyendo importantes áreas metropolitanas como NYC, Filadelfia y Dallas.
La implementación demostró su efectividad durante el Super Bowl LIX en Nueva Orleans, donde:
- Se utilizaron 38.1 terabytes de datos por parte de los aficionados dentro y alrededor del estadio
- El 53% de los 65,719 asistentes se conectó a la red de Verizon
- Los clientes experimentaron velocidades de descarga máximas de 4,161 Mbps y velocidades de carga de 1,067 Mbps
- El consumo total de datos alcanzó los 93.5 TB en Nueva Orleans
La arquitectura virtualizada proporciona una escalabilidad mejorada, capacidades de implementación rápida y una mayor eficiencia de costos al desacoplar las funciones de red del hardware propietario.
Verizon (VZ)는 2025년 초까지 전국에 170,000개 이상의 O-RAN 라디오와 22,900개의 V-RAN 사이트 위치를 배포하며 네트워크 가상화 노력에서 상당한 진전을 이루었다고 발표했습니다. 회사의 가상화된 네트워크 인프라는 농촌 지역에서 고밀도 도시 중심지까지 확장되며, NYC, 필라델피아 및 달라스와 같은 주요 대도시 지역을 포함합니다.
이 구현은 뉴올리언스에서 열린 슈퍼볼 LIX 동안 그 효과를 보여주었습니다. 여기서:
- 팬들이 경기장 내외에서 38.1테라바이트의 데이터를 사용했습니다
- 65,719명의 참석자 중 53%가 Verizon의 네트워크에 연결되었습니다
- 고객들은 4,161 Mbps의 최대 다운로드 속도와 1,067 Mbps의 업로드 속도를 경험했습니다
- 총 데이터 소비량은 뉴올리언스 전역에서 93.5 TB에 달했습니다
가상화된 아키텍처는 네트워크 기능을 독점 하드웨어와 분리함으로써 향상된 확장성, 신속한 배포 능력 및 개선된 비용 효율성을 제공합니다.
Verizon (VZ) a annoncé des progrès significatifs dans ses efforts de virtualisation du réseau, avec plus de 170 000 radios O-RAN et 22 900 sites V-RAN déployés à travers le pays début 2025. L'infrastructure de réseau virtualisé de l'entreprise s'étend des zones rurales aux centres urbains à forte densité, y compris des zones métropolitaines majeures comme NYC, Philadelphie et Dallas.
L'implémentation a démontré son efficacité lors du Super Bowl LIX à La Nouvelle-Orléans, où:
- 38,1 téraoctets de données ont été utilisés par les fans dans et autour du stade
- 53 % des 65 719 participants se sont connectés au réseau de Verizon
- Les clients ont connu des vitesses de téléchargement maximales de 4 161 Mbps et des vitesses de téléchargement de 1 067 Mbps
- La consommation totale de données a atteint 93,5 To à La Nouvelle-Orléans
L'architecture virtualisée offre une évolutivité améliorée, des capacités de déploiement rapide et une meilleure efficacité des coûts en dissociant les fonctions réseau du matériel propriétaire.
Verizon (VZ) hat bedeutende Fortschritte bei seinen Bemühungen um die Virtualisierung des Netzwerks angekündigt, mit über 170.000 O-RAN-Radios und 22.900 V-RAN-Standorten, die bis Anfang 2025 im ganzen Land eingesetzt wurden. Die virtualisierte Netzwerk-Infrastruktur des Unternehmens reicht von ländlichen Gebieten bis zu hochdichten Stadtzentren, einschließlich wichtiger Ballungsräume wie NYC, Philadelphia und Dallas.
Die Implementierung zeigte ihre Wirksamkeit während des Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, wo:
- 38,1 Terabyte Daten von Fans im und um das Stadion genutzt wurden
- 53% der 65.719 Teilnehmer mit dem Netzwerk von Verizon verbunden waren
- Kunden erlebten Spitzen-Downloadgeschwindigkeiten von 4.161 Mbps und Uploadgeschwindigkeiten von 1.067 Mbps
- Der gesamte Datenverbrauch erreichte 93,5 TB in ganz New Orleans
Die virtualisierte Architektur bietet verbesserte Skalierbarkeit, schnelle Bereitstellungsmöglichkeiten und verbesserte Kosteneffizienz, indem sie Netzwerkfunktionen von proprietärer Hardware entkoppelt.
- Largest virtualized network deployment worldwide
- Peak download speeds of 4,161 Mbps, 2.4x faster than competitors
- 170,000 O-RAN radios and 22,900 V-RAN sites deployed
- Lower capital and operational costs through reduced hardware dependency
- Demonstrated network reliability during high-density event (Super Bowl)
- None.
Joe Russo, EVP and Head of Global Networks and Technology for Verizon
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the ever-evolving landscape of telecommunications, Verizon has consistently been at the forefront, pioneering the deployment and operation of its award-winning network on a fully virtualized platform. Verizon has been aggressively deploying Virtualized Radio Access Network (V-RAN) technology across its network to enhance flexibility, efficiency, and performance. As of early 2025, Verizon has over 170,000 O-RAN radios and over 22,900 V-RAN site locations in service in markets across the country. These deployments are operational in cities coast to coast, providing service for rural areas such as Ellsworth ME, Amarillo, TX and Galveston, TX, and in high-density city centers such as NYC (Manhattan and across all boroughs), Philadelphia (the home of the Super Bowl champion Eagles), Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Columbus, and Cleveland. Verizon has also deployed virtualized RAN infrastructure in the most demanding environments such as NFL stadiums, Private Networks for Enterprise, and large events all over the country. Leveraging partnerships with key vendors like Samsung, Wind River, and Intel, the deployment is the largest in the industry worldwide.
Network virtualization involves decoupling network functions from proprietary hardware, allowing them to run as software on standardized hardware platforms. This transformation offers several key advantages:
- Scalability and Flexibility: Virtualized networks can dynamically allocate resources based on real-time demand, ensuring optimal performance during peak usage periods.
- Rapid Deployment: New services and applications can be introduced swiftly without the need for extensive hardware installations.
- Cost Efficiency: Reducing reliance on specialized hardware lowers capital expenditures and operational costs.
- Enhanced Reliability: Contrary to common beliefs, general-purpose compute hardware has proven to be more reliable than purpose-built hardware with a lower annual failure rate based on the last five years in production deployment. Software-based network functions can be updated and maintained with minimal disruption, improving overall network resilience.
Verizon's journey into network virtualization began several years ago, positioning the company as a trailblazer in the field. By embracing virtualization, Verizon has been able to respond swiftly to customer needs, laying the foundation to allocate precise resources to each network function at the exact time they are required. This proactive approach has not only enhanced customer experiences but has also set a precedent for other operators to follow. Verizon's virtualized network architecture has been instrumental in supporting emerging technologies and services, including the rollout of 5G and fixed wireless access solutions.
Virtualization in Action: The Super Bowl Experience
Nowhere is the need for and benefit of a virtualized architecture more evident than at the Super Bowl, one of the most dense environments operators must manage. The event attracts tens of thousands of attendees, all eager to share their experiences in real-time, leading to an unprecedented surge in data demand.
During Super Bowl LIX, held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Verizon's network showcased its robustness:
- Fans in and around the stadium utilized 38.1 terabytes (TB) of data, with approximately
53% of the 65,719 attendees connecting to Verizon's network. - Across New Orleans, Verizon customers consumed a total of 93.5 TB of data on Super Bowl Sunday.
- Verizon customers experienced peak download speeds of 4,161 Mbps (>4Gbps) and upload speeds of 1,067 Mbps, outperforming competitors with 2.4 times faster median download and 4.8 times faster median upload speeds.
- The Verizon virtualized network did not experience any congestion during the event.
These impressive statistics underscore the performance capabilities of a virtualized network in managing and optimizing data traffic during large-scale events. In today's digital age, the ability to share experiences instantaneously has become an integral part of major events. Attendees rely on robust network connectivity to upload photos, stream videos, and communicate with others in real-time.
Verizon's virtualized network architecture at the big game ensured that even under the immense pressure of high data usage with a heavy volume of uploading data, the network remained resilient and efficient. By implementing V-RAN and O-RAN capable radios (the first deployment of its kind at a Super Bowl), Verizon introduced a more agile and efficient network infrastructure capable of real-time adjustments. This flexibility allowed the network to dynamically allocate resources, prioritize traffic, maintain high-quality service, and effectively manage the high data demands typical of large-scale events like the Super Bowl. Using orchestration and automation platforms, Verizon engineers made multiple software-driven optimizations before and during the Super Bowl, ensuring peak performance. During the game, Verizon engineers made live changes to network parameters, load balancing, and capacity allocation—something much more challenging to do with traditional hardware-based infrastructure. As a result, Verizon customers benefited from superior network speeds and reliability throughout the stadium.
Verizon's leadership in adopting a fully virtualized network platform has redefined the capabilities of telecommunications infrastructure, especially in high-density scenarios like the Super Bowl. The benefits of virtualization are vividly demonstrated in such settings, ensuring that customers enjoy seamless and rapid connectivity. As the demand for real-time sharing and connectivity continues to grow, and as emerging applications evolve requiring faster upload speeds, real-time analytics and lower latency workloads, Verizon’s virtualized network architecture will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in meeting these expectations.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Karen Schulz
864.561.1527
Karen.schulz@verizonwireless.com
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