AT&T is rolling out “Turbo Live,” a paid service designed to guarantee reliable cellular connectivity at crowded stadiums and arenas. The service will be available to customers of Verizon and T-Mobile alongside AT&T subscribers, offering priority performance during major events like concerts and sporting competitions.
How Turbo Live Works
Turbo Live functions as a secondary eSIM, activated on a per-event basis. Unlike standard cellular service, this feature is purchased separately for each event, ensuring that paying customers get better signal strength when thousands of others are trying to use the same network.
Pricing varies: Access during the 2026 Super Bowl will cost $15, while events like a Backstreet Boys concert at the Las Vegas Sphere or a Chicago Bulls game are priced at $10 and $7 respectively. For Verizon and T-Mobile customers, a 5G-capable (potentially unlocked) phone and an open eSIM slot are required.
eSIM Activation and Expansion
The service activates through a “Connect on Demand” app, requiring a one-time payment. AT&T confirmed that Turbo Live leverages its existing 5G network, currently covering ten stadiums:
- Alabama (Bryant Denny Stadium)
- Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
- Chicago (United Center)
- Houston (NRG Stadium)
- Las Vegas (Sphere)
- Los Angeles (Intuit Dome)
- Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)
- New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)
- San Antonio (Alamodome)
- San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium)
- Seattle (Lumen Field)
AT&T plans to expand coverage to include Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Foxborough (Gillette Stadium), and Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium) in the future.
Why This Matters
The rise of services like Turbo Live highlights a growing trend: cellular networks struggling to keep up with demand at large events. The strategy of selling priority access via eSIM is a workaround, similar to how T-Mobile offers satellite connectivity for non-customers. While convenient for those willing to pay, it also reveals the limitations of current infrastructure and raises questions about fair access to reliable service in densely populated spaces.
The move suggests that seamless connectivity in crowded venues is no longer a given and will increasingly be a premium service.
