AT&T says it has made good on its plan to bring 5G service to the venue that bears its name in Arlington, Texas. AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys and numerous major sporting and entertainment events, now has limited mobile 5G service, making it the first stadium in the country with 5G, according to AT&T.
The nation’s second-largest carrier, which recently started rebranding advanced LTE as “5G E” on Android and iOS devices, said the 5G network at AT&T Stadium is limited, but it plans to expand coverage during the coming weeks. AT&T also hinted at more 5G launches to come at other professional sports venues.
The new network at AT&T Stadium is 5G+, which is the carrier’s 5G network being deployed on its millimeter wave spectrum, an AT&T spokesperson told FierceWireless in response to a question via email.
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When AT&T first announced plans to bring 5G to AT&T Stadium it said customers used more than 155 TB of mobile data at the venue during 2018. “Some hear 5G and just think it means faster connection speeds. However, it goes beyond that. 5G is expected to alter the in-stadium experience in dramatic, exciting ways by blurring the physical and digital experience in ways that are simply not possible on today’s networks,” Igal Elbaz, SVP of wireless technology at AT&T, said in a prepared statement when plans were first announced last month.
AT&T has repeatedly used AT&T Stadium to showcase new wireless technologies including distributed antenna systems, Wi-Fi upgrades, macro cell sites and small cells. The stadium was considered state of the art when it opened 10 years ago and AT&T wants to continue using the venue to reveal and promote its latest technologies.
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“Since opening AT&T Stadium in 2009, our vision and focus was to remain on the cutting edge in every facet of our building,” Charlotte Jones Anderson, chief brand officer for the Dallas Cowboys, said in a prepared statement. “Together with our strong collaboration with AT&T producing the most innovative technology that the world has to offer, we believe this announcement only further enhances the fan experience that can only be offered at AT&T Stadium.”