Verizon has upgraded its 5G network for the upcoming Indy 500 race, expecting to handle massive data demands as nearly 350,000 fans gather at the 559-acre track. Last year, attendees shared 61TB of mobile data, prompting Verizon's extensive infrastructure upgrades ahead of this Sunday's event.

The carrier installed 240 5G mmWave nodes across the venue and added 219 high-capacity antennas, resulting in a 400% bandwidth increase. Specialized small cells at the main gates will help fans load digital tickets amid the crowds, eliminating potential entry bottlenecks.

Real-world testing confirms the network can deliver over 1 Gbps download speeds, reaching up to 2.5Gbps in optimal conditions. These upgrades demonstrate how carriers prepare for large-scale events where connectivity is as essential as the race itself.