Gillette Stadium Is Wired For Wi-Fi
BOSTON (CBS) - Enterasys Networks of Andover has designed and built a series of Wi-Fi networks across Gillette Stadium for easy access to Patriots apps, stats and NFL Red Zone content.
Enterasys CEO Chris Crowell tells me a cellular connection is fine in sparse areas, but in a dense area, like a stadium, you have 70,000 people, a small city, looking to connect wirelessly to the Internet. Crowell says you just can't do that with cellular technology.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Anthony Silva reports
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This is very different from NASCAR events, where fans can rent a wireless video unit for $50 to receive dedicated race programming. Crowell says fans bring their own smartphones, iPads, whatever devices they have.
The number of people trying to use the network at once is a problem. Crowell says while he doesn't expect all 70,000 fans to use the Wi-Fi system, Enterasys had to build a system that was capable of handling that many.
Crowell says delivering any wireless signal is done through radio waves, something that's difficult in a stadium. He says radio waves don't work well when they're colliding with each other. But Enterasys has come up with a system so that each section of the stadium carries its own individual signal.
Crowell says the NFL plans to roll out more applications for live content during games.
