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The concert experience has evolved far beyond simply enjoying music, as technology and network connectivity have become integral components of the live music scene. A new study from Verizon and Morning Consult* reveals that concertgoers increasingly rely on mobile devices to enhance their experience, sharing their favorite moments with friends, family and fellow fans in real-time.

“Just a few years ago, using a cellphone at a concert was taboo. You might wave it as a flashlight or snap a few pictures to share the next day,” said Lynn Cox, Chief Network Officer at Verizon. “Now instant sharing is a core expectation for concertgoers. Verizon’s reliable network performance empowers concertgoers’ experience beyond the event, to connect with family, friends, and fellow fans around the world.”

Music lovers test our Networks at every concert and festival

Unlike the typical data usage for browsing and downloading, concert and festival attendees transform into individual content creators. They upload, live stream, and share content all while expecting near real-time connectivity. This shift underscores the need for robust network support to enhance the live music experience.

Verizon Ultra Wideband is available in the majority of the pro sports venues that host the country’s biggest music events, as well as the most popular festival venues, providing greater coverage and exponentially more capacity to better support high data traffic and the evolving needs of concertgoers.

It’s not just about adding capacity. “At every major event our teams actively monitor network health to address congestion and new demands in real-time,” said Cox. “This often involves continually making updates across our vast network to stay ahead of exponential data usage increases and pave the way for personalized customer experiences.”

Verizon network data supports the notion that concertgoer behavior is changing. Historically, download traffic has outpaced upload traffic, but a review of select live music events over the course of the last six months shows a shift, with upload traffic far surpassing download traffic. This data supports the idea that concertgoers are engaging in a much broader real time connection, sharing their experience with everyone, everywhere. And in the case of superfans, such as Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, that trend only intensifies.

Concertgoers’ connectivity demands are high

Morning Consult and Verizon polled Americans who attended at least one live music event in the past year. The data highlights a significant shift in behavior, with 85% of concertgoers expecting cell service at music venues to support calls and texts, 81% expecting to share photos or videos, and 80% wanting the ability to post to and browse social media from the event. Additionally, 19% of attendees are live-streaming the event, and 22% are video-chatting friends and family, demonstrating the importance of real-time connection.

Additional findings include:

• 4 in 5 concertgoers have used digital wallets to make purchases at live music events and half say their cell service’s ability to support this is more important now compared to 2 years ago.
• Over a third (36%) of concertgoers say the moment of a concert they are most excited to capture with a photo or video is the performance of their favorite song, but concertgoers are even more likely to cite poor or unreliable cell service (75%) as a source of stress for them during a concert or music festival than fear of missing their favorite song (63%).
• Self-described superfans of a musical artist or group – those who have post notifications turned on for them, run a social media account dedicated to keeping up with them, or have listened to their unreleased songs – are more likely to expect cell service to support live streaming and video-calling friends and family than concertgoers overall.
• Taking photos and videos (62%) is the most popular way concertgoers use their phones during a show, followed by texting and calling (46%), sharing photos or videos with friends and family (37%), and posting and browsing on social media (36%).
• More than 1 in 5 concert goers have reportedly waved their phones’ flashlights at a show in the last year.

The survey’s findings underscore the need for robust network infrastructure at music venues to meet the growing demands of tech-savvy fans. As technology continues to evolve, the live music experience will undoubtedly continue to transform, and the ability to connect and share will remain a key component of that evolution.

Methodology: This poll was conducted between July 17-18, 2024 among a sample of 2,202 US adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of U.S. adults based on various demographics. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, and results among concertgoers have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed in 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $134.0 billion in 2023. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, and security.

Media contact: Lauren Petersonlauren.peterson@verizon.com