A distributed antenna system is a go-to solution for bringing multicarrier cellular connectivity throughout a large venue like a stadium, but the same refined deployment also works for outdoor spaces.
At Soldier Field in Chicago – home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears – AT&T and Boingo Wireless co-designed an outdoor DAS designed to provide coverage near the campus, inside the stadium and in the areas back to the venue’s parking lots.
The distributed antennas that comprise a DAS are strategically located to optimize coverage and capacity based on the geography of the deployment, and are connected via fiber optic to a base station. The Soldier Field upgrade is host neutral.
“When our customers head out to the stadium to cheer on their favorite team, we want them to have a great network experience throughout the game no matter what they’re doing – making a call, sharing pictures on social media, downloading apps or surfing the Internet,” Paul La Schiazza, president of AT&T Illinois, said. “We’re continuing to invest in our wireless network to help customers at Soldier Field stay connected from end zone to end zone.”
Boingo, perhaps best known for providing Wi-Fi in large venues like airports, also provides other heterogeneous network components for deployments.
“As one of the leading providers of connectivity at sports and entertainment venues, we understand that the game-day experience starts outside the stadium, the minute fans arrive to ‘pre-game’ with their friends,” Boingo President Nick Hulse said.
“We designed the new outdoor DAS network with AT&T at Soldier Field to provide comprehensive coverage from the moment fans park their cars to the post-game celebrations on the stadium campus,” Hulse continued. “Our neutral host network approach ensures that all fans can enjoy fast, reliable connectivity. We’re proud to continually improve the connected experience at the stadium in partnership with [venue management group] SMG.”
