Verizon 4G LTE network enhancements will help keep Cooper River Bridge Run participants, spectators and race officials connected
March 30, 2016
Additional network capacity accommodates extra demand for calls, text messages and data usage
With as many as 40,000 participants expected, the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, S.C., is the third-largest 10K and the fifth-largest road race in the United States. Months ahead of this event, the network engineers at Verizon Wireless have been working diligently to prepare its 4G LTE network to handle the flood of data usage from thousands of participants, spectators and race officials accessing the Internet, sending text and video messages and making phone calls at the race on April 2.
Verizon’s network team has increased capacity for data on cell towers serving the race route and will deploy a Cell on Wheels (COW), which is a self-contained, generator-powered mobile cell site capable of processing thousands of calls and data transmissions simultaneously. To put this into perspective, Verizon’s network managed approximately 250,000 calls and 15 million data sessions during last year’s event.
“We have been working for months to identify the race needs and adjust our network so our wireless infrastructure will be capable of providing critical information to race attendees and organizers,” said Sergei Mislevy, executive director of network for Verizon Wireless. “The safety of race participants, volunteers and spectators depends on it.”
About Verizon Communications Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) employs a diverse workforce of 177,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide. Headquartered in New York, the company also provides communications and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.
