- As the exclusive 5G partner of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, T-Mobile is showing off what its 5G standalone network can do for fans and event staff
- Network slicing and first-responder priority services are part of the connectivity solutions on tap next week
- More than 120 extra radios are deployed across eight locations across the circuit for coverage and back-up purposes
The Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP) is a chance for T-Mobile to show off its 5G network prowess and as the “exclusive 5G partner” of the LVGP, you can bet it’s all revved up to strut its stuff.
Toward that end, T-Mobile put out a press release today that calls out some of the “5G horsepower” that it’s bringing to the Nov. 20-22 event.
That includes some new solutions that it didn’t have last year, like the SuperMobile 5G slicing plan for LVGP staff and race photographers. T-Priority for first responders is also new this year, giving the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and other agencies up to five times more network resources for critical communications.
Another first is a 5G drone, deployed in partnership with LVMPD, that will provide real-time aerial overwatch and HD video streaming so first responders can identify and respond to incidents across the circuit.
The drone should come in handy, as the circuit is more than three miles long and runs next to many of the city’s most famous casinos, including a mile straight down the Las Vegas Strip. T-Mobile 5G is also powering a 360-degree camera to deliver immersive views from the track and the sky above the strip.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the LVGP without some massive entertainment alongside the race cars.
T-Mobile is hosting the T-Mobile Zone next to the Sphere with performances from T-Pain, mgk, Zedd and more for grandstand ticket holders. Last year, the T-Mobile Zone hosted 25,000 visitors.
T-Mobile’s network tests, back-up plans
Clearly, T-Mobile is pulling out all the stops to make this an exciting – and safe – experience for a lot of big spenders. Fierce asked what kind of network testing goes into staging an event of this magnitude.
A spokesperson said T-Mobile is deploying more than 120 additional radios at eight different locations – on top of the macro network infrastructure already in place. The network team relies on multiple layers of test procedures and real-time monitoring of all its cell sites to ensure everything’s operating as expected.
If something bad happens – and we all know outages are an unfortunate fact of life – different types of failures call for different responses. For example, if a temporary cell on wheels (COW) goes down, that COW will remain offline until it can be safely brought back online, according to the spokesperson.
If it’s something bigger, T-Mobile has a comprehensive plan with spare equipment and resources strategically staged to respond in case of an incident or outage, the spokesperson said.
In sum, an event like the LVGP gives T-Mobile the chance to demonstrate how its 5G standalone network performs when the stakes are at their highest – and all the phones, drones and automobiles are going full throttle.