High-capacity coverage for the Stadium Industry

Background

In 1966, at a time when the number of televisions was still measured per street rather than per household, more people heard England winning the World Cup on the radio than actually watched the Final. By the 2000s, television had replaced radio as the favoured medium for experiencing sport. In today’s digital world, smartphones, laptops and tablets have not only overtaken traditional tv by enabling multi-screen consumption of live sports action, but they have also enabled multi-device participation, engagement and involvement in sport in an ever-increasing number of ways. And this digital evolution has brought about a revolution in the ways sporting stadium owners and operators cater for – and profit from – the mobile coverage demands of all their stakeholders, too. Our high-capacity wireless solutions for stadiums provide a reliable modern way to keep up with customer demands.

Challenges and considerations

Historically, it was enough of a challenge to ensure sufficient coverage throughout a stadium’s offices and executive areas for the cellular phones and wi-fi laptops of permanent admin staff, players, coaching staff and VIP guests. This challenge was then further complicated on the few dozen calendar dates when the venue hosted match days by the massive upsurge in stadium mobile coverage demand, especially across ‘open’ areas, generated by the addition of several thousand sports fans, plus visiting teams and entourage, plus attendant police and emergency service personnel.

Now, with the advent of smartphones, not only has the ownership of devices skyrocketed, but the patterns of usage have also fundamentally changed, driving up demand ever higher on match days. No longer is the fan’s mobile phone used simply in the hour before the match to organise meeting up with friends, and then immediately after the event to co-ordinate travel (and pub!) arrangements. Therefore it is vital that you have the right cellular solution in your stadium to meet up with the demands of your customers, our 5g smart stadium technology can help to do just that.

Today’s smartphone is always-on, configured to automatically update, download, and manage information in the background, thereby:

• using up capacity on the network before the owner even starts to operate the device in earnest
• always-busy hub, as it’s the hub for social-media-obsessed supporters who want to…
• ‘graze’ on their phones during quiet times
• post photos, stream live footage, share opinions and commentary in forums
• manage their betting accounts in real time
• and, yes, still co-ordinate post-match pub arrangements!

For today’s stadium owner, the provision of ‘a decent phone signal’ is more than just a reputational issue for the venue. Uninterrupted access to the internet is vital as:

• a key advertising channel for the stadium and the home team’s web presence
• a key channel for sponsors and associated partner organisations to…
• monetise their social media
• manage online transactions
• and pursue targeted advertising opportunities

Hence the increased focus placed by owners on the cellular coverage within their own stadium, each of which is different in design, situation and location, and each of which presents a range of unique technical challenges.

As a specialist network design firm, Vilicom brings the worlds of Mobile Operators and Infrastructure owners together to improve capacity.

Solutions and delivery

As a specialist network design firm, Vilicom has an unrivalled breadth of experience in bringing the worlds of Mobile Operators and infrastructure owners together to ensure uninterrupted, reliable high-capacity wireless coverage for sports and entertainment stadia, in particular, when it comes to:

• delivering ultra-high-capacity mobile coverage for the world’s biggest, highest-profile grounds, such as Old Trafford
• tailoring bespoke solutions for the specific needs of an individual stadium, such as Craven Cottage
• and delivering flexible, expandable solutions that not only meet today’s requirements but can also adapt to a stadium’s future levels of demand, such as Croke Park

Contact

For further information or to discuss further technical specs, please contact Gearoid Collins at gearoid.collins@vilicom.com

About Vilicom

Vilicom is an expert provider of wireless services with over seventeen years of experience in the analysis, design, test and implementation of wireless networks. Vilicom’s strengths lie in technology strategy consulting, the design of wireless networks, transmission network design, implementation of specialised coverage solutions and network benchmarking and testing. Vilicom has delivered its trademark end-to-end services in over 20 countries for network operators, network equipment vendors, industry regulators and investors. It delivers value for its customers by adopting a flexible, customer-focused approach, retaining cutting-edge expertise and maintaining its independence.