RNS-News-Loftus Versfeld: South Africa’s first stadium to boast full broadband coverage

Loftus Versfeld: South Africa’s first stadium to boast full broadband coverage

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, home of the Vodacom Blue Bulls, is now also home of the latest technological upgrade that will allow seamless broadband connectivity throughout the complex. The 50,000-seat stadium, which hosts rugby matches, concerts, soccer games and many other national and international events annually, is now equipped with state-of-the-art technology, making them the first stadium in South Africa with full broadband coverage.

Radio Network Solutions (RNS) in partnership with Cisco have designed, supplied and installed a complete Wi Fi network for the Stadium that is capable of providing real-time data updates to individual seats. This allows location-based services as well as high speed connectivity.

“By enhancing the coverage and capacity of traditional wireless broadband technologies, we are able to improve our fans’ game day experience,” says Hugo Kemp, Operations Manager for the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd. “Access to high-speed connections will allow the media and visitors to effortlessly publish and broadcast material real-time during the game. The working environment of everyone involved behind the scenes will also be greatly improved.

” RNS installed the WiFi network along the perimetres of the pitch, office areas, suites and main seating areas to complement the existing 3G and LTE infrastructure. “This will allow fans and visitors to experience a superior data and voice service at the Stadium,” explains RNS sales director, Richard Hill.

Interesting facts and figures:

More than 38,000 metres of CAT5 cable installed and terminated
417 Coverage arrays installed throughout the stadium, comprising of patch, Galeroo and internal Omni directional antennas
417 Cisco Access points installed
1500 metres of 72 core fibre installed
2000 metres of 12 core fibre installed
16 Cisco switches installed

RNS prides itself as being one of Africa’s most innovative and leading communications solutions suppliers. With RNS’s combined expertise of over 60 years, their engineers have the capability to design, implement and support wireless networks in any environment.