• Samsung and Verizon used a virtualised 5G network and 40MHz of CBRS spectrum to produce a near-real-time crowd-density heatmap
  • The Dallas trial showed that mobile infrastructure can support sensing as well as communications, but no accuracy or commercial-deployment figures were published

The fact

Samsung Electronics and Verizon have completed an integrated sensing and communication, or ISAC, trial during a major international football fan event in Dallas. The test used a Verizon cell-on-wheels operating 40MHz of Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum.

ISAC uses radio signals for communications while also analysing how those signals change in the surrounding environment. In Dallas, Samsung software processed changes in signals involving a commercial 5G device and produced a near-real-time heatmap showing crowd density.

Samsung said its virtualised radio-access network, core network and sensing application ran on a single edge server. The trial therefore used the mobile network itself for sensing rather than adding a separate radar system for the task. The companies did not publish crowd-counting accuracy, coverage limits, false-positive rates, or a commercial deployment timetable, and they did not say the system replaced existing venue monitoring.

The assessment

For a venue operator, the attraction is straightforward: infrastructure already carrying mobile traffic could also provide another view of where people are gathering. If the readings are reliable enough, staff could use them alongside cameras, ticketing data and observations on the ground without installing a separate radar system for the same area.

What is still unclear is how dependable that picture remains as conditions change. Crowd size, radio conditions, device activity and the position of the network equipment can all affect the signals being analysed. Samsung and Verizon have not published enough performance data to show how closely the heatmap matched the actual number or location of people.

For BTW readers, the Dallas trial shows a possible second use for venue 5G infrastructure, but not yet a finished crowd-management system. Before operators rely on it for decisions such as redirecting people or closing an entrance, they will need evidence that the readings are accurate enough and clear rules for how the sensing data is handled.

What to watch

Watch for further trials that compare ISAC estimates with known crowd counts and publish accuracy, coverage and performance under changing radio conditions. Privacy and data-retention details will also matter. A deployment where venue staff use an ISAC alert during a real operating decision would provide stronger evidence than another demonstration alone.