Verizon powers NORAD Tracks Santa for the 19th consecutive year
Verizon elves have deployed more fiber and 5G cell sites to help NORAD track Santa Claus’ whereabouts on Christmas Eve
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BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - The stockings are hung by the chimney with care as children around the world eagerly await the arrival of Jolly Old Saint Nick from the North Pole on Dec. 24. The elves at Verizon will partner with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) as they have for the past 19 years to provide a toll-free hotline for children to track Santa’s whereabouts as he and his reindeer travel across the globe to spread holiday cheer.
While Santa's bag gets a little heavier each year with the latest gadgets and toys, the Verizon elves have lightened his load when it comes to how children from around the world are connected with NORAD volunteers. This year, Verizon has added more than 14,000 new enhancements to allow NORAD volunteers to take more calls from good boys and girls more quickly, including: 5G cell sites using mmWave, adding virtualization throughout the network, and deploying lots more fiber, while using artificial intelligence throughout the network.
“There is no greater joy at this time of year than to join our partners at NORAD to bring the magical Santa tracking tradition to life," said Jennifer Chronis, senior vice president, Public Sector at Verizon. "The Verizon elves are honored to provide the nation’s most reliable network on which NORAD can track Santa for millions of children again this year.”
In addition to connecting and supporting the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline and operations center, nearly 600 volunteers, including Verizon employees and other government and corporate partners, will come together to make the magic of NORAD Tracks Santa possible again this year. Thousands of children will be able to contact NORAD on December 24 for answers to important questions such as:
Where is Santa?
When will Santa come to my house?
Where is Mrs. Claus during the journey?
What are Santa's favorite cookies?
How many elves are helping Santa?
Which reindeer is helping to lead the journey this year?
Tools to help track St. Nick
Volunteers will be onsite in NORAD's call center. Here is information on the hotline along with other methods children and their families are encouraged to utilize to track Santa:
Phone: The toll-free hotline – 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) – will be in operation for calls beginning at 6AM (Eastern Standard Time) on Dec. 24. Program the hotline number into your Verizon phone as “NORAD Call Center.” On Christmas Eve, have your child use the voice command to call the NORAD Call Center, and enjoy NORAD’s Santa Tracker as volunteers do their best to answer your child’s pressing questions.
Online: On Dec. 24, families can also visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website with links to several ‘SantaCams’ on NORAD Tracks Santa’s social media pages that capture Santa’s flight through various locations around the world. To experience the magic throughout the day, visit the website www.noradsanta.org on desktop or mobile for more fun activities. While Santa is in flight, children can see his whereabouts, play games, learn about holiday traditions around the world and dive deeper on how NORAD tracks Santa.
For more information on Santa’s whereabouts, visit https://www.noradsanta.org/ or track via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Be sure to also download the NORAD Tracks Santa mobile app (Apple or Google Play).