Why is this important? Because it’s more than it’s been seen on Verizon’s network at this race and one of the highest data usage events the carrier has ever recorded. To support the claim, Verizon released some data for everyone to see, so here we go:
- Explosive 5G Growth: A staggering 74.6% leap in 5G UW volume of 61 TB inside the track over last year’s race (43 TB), revealing how fans are embracing the speed and capacity of 5G.
- Surging Overall Traffic: A massive 48.5% increase in total combined 4G and 5G UW data volume inside IMS, proving the network’s capability to handle the intense demand.
- High fan engagement: 15 TB of the 61 TB used inside the track was uploaded data, highlighting the high levels of fans sharing in real time.
- Surrounding Network Impact: Outside the track, more than 111 TB of data volume was used on the network, showing the event’s broader impact.
- Combined Volume Growth: The combined data volume inside and outside the venue was nearly 172 TB – a 35% increase from last year’s race day, demonstrating substantial year-over-year growth.
Team Peske | Image credit: Verizon
We had more data running on our network than any previous NFL draft, and nearly twice the data of any Super Bowl in recorded history. The work and skill that goes into setting up a network to keep hundreds of thousands of people connected in one place is an incredible achievement. It’s the dedication from our teams that ensures our customers don’t have to worry about their phones during this event, no matter the scope.
– Andy Brady, President of Verizon Great Lakes, May 2025
The fact that Verizon’s network experienced a massive surge at the 2025 Indy 500, with 5G Ultrawideband (UW) right and center, and still managed to remain stable (or rather we hoped it did) is quite remarkable. For the sake of comparison, 172TB is the equivalent to more than 57 million digital photos (3 MB average).
