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    HomeAccessCrowd-sourcing: operators have a huge opportunity in high-density venues

    Crowd-sourcing: operators have a huge opportunity in high-density venues

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    Ericsson’s research found that network stability and app performance is 10x more important to consumers than speed alone

    Record-breaking events like Taylor Swift’s World Tour and the Paris Olympics have made 2024 a landmark year, with impacts felt beyond entertainment. Taylor Swift’s Eras concert series (photo shows a Swift concert at the Wembley Stadium in north London) alone has fuelled economic activity, adding nearly £1 billion to the British economy. When the Eras tour moved to mainland Europe in May, there were fears it could cause inflation. And that’s just one example in this era of mega-events.

    Ericsson’s latest Consumer Lab Report reveals that it’s not only the economic impact that’s notable – connectivity has also become a defining feature of the fan experience. With more fans turning to social media to capture and share real-time moments, stable and reliable networks have shifted from a luxury to an expectation, setting new standards for live events that will only rise in the future.

    The report looks at four major issues around increased fan engagement at live events:

    Data demand & 5G advantage

    Major events saw more than 40% of fans streaming, uploading, and sharing, creating “intense data peaks”. According to Ericsson’s report, 5G provided a 20% higher satisfaction rate than 4G had 20% more satisfied users than 4G, underscoring its role as a critical asset for high-density environments.

    Reliability over speed 

    Fans rated network stability and app performance 10x more important than speed alone, underscoring the need for resilient infrastructure to support digital engagement at scale. This is something Mobile Europe feels very strongly about but too often regulators focus on speed and therefore operators are obliged to also.

    Revenue potential

    Some 40% of fans are interested in paying to have guaranteed connectivity during big events. Ericsson’s research found that event goers are ready go pay between 5% and 15% on top of the cost of the ticket for guaranteed, seamless connectivity. 

    Implications for market in future

    Ericsson concludes that with more high-profile events are on the horizon, telecom providers have “a window” in which “to set new standards in fan engagement and capture growth by partnering with venues to deliver premium 5G experiences”.

    How to do it

    It will be interesting to see how many operators cash in on it. Helpfully, Ericsson has published a technology paper alongside the ConsumerLab report, that delves into the technology needed to provide guaranteed, seamless connectivity at big events.

    The paper highlights the steps taken by operators with preparations beginning more than a year in advance to handle expected traffic spikes and avoid network interruptions. Increased capacity was provided by 5G, particularly using 5G mid-band time-division duplex (TDD) spectrum combined with Massive MIMO technology.

    This approach proved “cost-effective and efficient”, according to the Ericsson paper, boosting capacity and enhancing experiences for 4G and 5G users alike. For example, at the global sporting event in Paris, average throughputs for 5G users were up to six times higher than 4G under normal conditions and four times higher during peak times. On the other hand, mid-band 5G TDD delivered a 3.5-fold energy efficiency improvement per gigabyte compared to 4G.