Cisco has deployed hundreds of microcells in Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium to bring high capacity Wi-Fi to more than 47,000 fans.
The High Density Wi-Fi network will be deployed at the Premier League team’s stadium in the coming weeks and has been delivered by O2. The network offloads 3G and 4G data usage onto Wi-Fi and uses highly directional antennas in order to deal with booming data usage. The solution also delivers management of RF power levels and channel assignments across hundreds of access points. O2 will also roll out technology to improve mobile reception despite the high demand in a small area.
Manchester City will use the technology to deliver live video and relevant information to users’ mobile devices in a short amount of time. The football club could also potentially offer a range of channels including replays, alternate angles and dynamic data.
The deal means Manchester City is the first Premier League team to roll out the service. Cisco has deployed the solution elsewhere in Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and the Brooklyn Nets Barclays Center.
Paul Lawton, General Manager of SMB at O2, said: “We are delighted to be working with Manchester City and Cisco to deliver a UK first in the form of High Density Wi-Fi at the Etihad. The underpinning ICT delivery is something we are really excited to be working on, and will result in the provision of high-speed connection anywhere in the stadium for fans, allowing them to capture and share their experience in a digital way – something we are passionate about as a business.”