Thousands of patriots enjoyed Irving’s Independence Day Celebration and fireworks show from the comfort of their electronic devices this year thanks to cutting-edge technology and a solid partnership between the city and Verizon Public Sector. For those celebrating at home or from an alternate viewing location, livestream options were made available in addition to the in-person event celebration at Levy Event Plaza July 4. The technology deployed for the city’s July 4 event is the first successful implementation of on-site broadband connectivity for public livestreams.
Through a collaborative effort with its wireless communication vendors, Irving’s Information Technology department installed a newly deployed, state-of-the-art hardware device at Levy Event Plaza that provided a line of site and allowed for a strong 5G Ultra-Wideband signal to broadcast the live celebration. Irving Community Television Network’s (ICTN) YouTube channel livestreamed the full event to approximately 3,000 viewers, as well as provided a livestream to the Toyota Music Factory Texas Lottery Plaza screens located blocks from the main event.
“We are fortunate to have sound vendor relationships that the city can leverage at any time to respond to the city’s wireless communication needs, which allows us to provide enhanced service for our residents and friends anywhere around the world,” said Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer.
The innovative solution involved weeks of planning among several City of Irving departments including Parks and Recreation, Information Technology, Communications, and the city’s wireless communication partners Verizon Public Sector, Cradlepoint and Sure Call. Leading up to the event, the team spent hours on-site testing equipment and conducting live tests to ensure a maximum signal was in place for the livestream of the event.
