Verizon and Samsung detailed an integrated sensing and communication trial at a fan event tied to the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The test took place at a major international soccer fan event in Dallas, Texas in July 2026.
The companies are describing it as one of the first practical, real-world implementations of integrated sensing and communication. In this setup, ISAC adds spatial awareness to a cell site and can track static and moving objects, including people.
How the trial was built
An ISAC application was integrated with Samsung’s virtualized RAN and vCore solution and deployed on its network-in-a-server edge platform. Verizon used a radio on a 40 MHz channel of 3.5 GHz CBRS spectrum, mounted on one of its Cell-On-Wheels towable base stations.
The radio acted as a sensing receiver, capturing variations in transmissions from a commercial 5G device. Samsung’s network-in-a-server analyzed the data in real time and displayed the near-real-time movement of people within the cell site as a heatmap.
The technology cannot identify individual people.
What the setup is meant to show
Verizon and Samsung said wireless signals could be used to identify crowded areas within a venue and improve the visitor experience. They said the technology could direct attendees to less crowded facilities such as food outlets and reduce wait times.
The companies also said event organizers could use ISAC to monitor crowd distribution and facility usage, while security and public agencies could use it to detect overcrowding risks and intervene before incidents occur.
Verizon’s vRAN pitch
Verizon said the trial was only made possible by its adoption of a software-driven, AI-native virtualized RAN. Yago Tenorio, Verizon’s chief technology officer and senior vice president of technology development, said Verizon’s early investments in flexible, software-driven virtualized RAN architecture are enabling it to trial 6G concepts like ISAC over existing infrastructure.
Charlie Zhang, executive vice president at Samsung Research America, said the trial demonstrated the practical application of ISAC in a real-world scenario to enhance safety, efficiency, and user experience.
Read for mobile network teams
The disclosure gives a concrete reference point for operators testing ISAC on existing mobile infrastructure rather than waiting for a future air interface. It also shows how Verizon is pairing the trial with its vRAN stack and CBRS-based deployment, which will be the detail most network teams compare against.
Earlier ISAC work has already surfaced at Vodafone’s R&D lab in Spain, through InterDigital and Turk Telekom across cellular and Wi-Fi infrastructure, and in drone-detection trials involving Verizon and Lockheed Martin.