#MakeitMemorable: A grand adventure at the European Mega Event
Head of Marketing & Communication Ericsson Western Europe
Head of Marketing & Communication Ericsson Western Europe
Head of Marketing & Communication Ericsson Western Europe
It’s always exciting when a major international sporting event takes place in your home country and I remember well how impactful the summer of 2006 was for me working as a volunteer in and around stadiums. Growing up with three brothers, I had no choice but to become a lifelong sports fan, and I can’t wait to enjoy the matches this summer with my friends and family. When travelling around my home city Frankfurt, I see the streets being adorned with a vibrant mosaic of team colours, fan zones being constructed in front of the Old Opera, at the Main and public squares, and massive crews preparing the stadium and surrounding areas for the thousands of fans that will travel here for the big event.
In the background, away from public view, there are teams working just as tirelessly to prepare the mobile infrastructure for the large influx of fans arriving for the event. For major events, the importance of robust 5G connectivity cannot be understated. As users’ consumption of data through social media and HD video streaming continues increasing, so do their expectations for seamless and uninterrupted access to connectivity, posing a challenge for operators in dense traffic environments like stadiums and city centres. At the same time, enterprise offerings surrounding events from television broadcasting to security and commerce are increasingly reliant on 5G infrastructure to provide critical services for fans.
Let’s dive into how, together with our customers, we are enhancing the experience of fans at the European Mega Event and sending the 5G networks to training camp.
Imagine this: a grand sporting adventure
Join me in imagining a fan, whose passion for the game is matched only by their zest for sharing experiences with the world. From roaming the vibrant streets of Düsseldorf, to electric fan zones in Cologne and a roaring stadium in Munich, let me take you on this fan’s journey to the European Mega Event. It will be a story not just about witnessing the games but creating and sharing once-in-a-lifetime experiences spanning the physical and digital planes.
A connected kickoff in Düsseldorf
Our story kicks off with our endearing fan arriving in picturesque Düsseldorf, which is teeming with a hum of anticipation for the weeks ahead. Despite the influx of countless fans into the city, their social feeds flow as smoothly as a midfielder's dribble, and their call quality is as solid as a centre back.
This is thanks to the robust rollout of 5G infrastructure from mobile operators, with a special focus on dense traffic locations like city centres. An innovative approach to boosting 5G access in city environments are Vodafone's 5G advertising pillars. These 5G beacons are equipped with Ericsson's advanced antennas, ensuring a hyper-connected radius of 400-meters where users are guaranteed a high quality, uninterrupted connection. Each day a single 5G pillar will support around 6,000 connections, transferring around 200 gigabytes of data over the course of a week.
As our fan meets up with friends in the city, searches for the best restaurants, and shares their favourite moments on social media, they are benefitting from the enhanced experience that 5G provides. In this context, the network does not just serve as a utility, but the digital lifeblood of the city, sustaining the building pulse of excitement for the big event.
Fan zone fiesta in Cologne
In the heart of a dedicated fan zone in Cologne, our fan chants and cheers to the rhythm of the live match. On-site interviews with fans are transmitted via a private 5G network in crystal-clear HD – as crisp as a freshly printed match ticket. The private network powered by Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson, which spans an area of 35,000-square-meters around RTL Deutschland’s production studios ensures uninterrupted coverage both indoors and outdoors and a flawless live broadcast, allowing every fan to immerse themselves in the thrilling experience of the event.
Connected stadium symphony in Munich
Today is a day our fan knows they will never forget. With their pulse racing, our fan streams their entrance into the packed Munich stadium, surrounded by a sea of thousands of fans eagerly anticipating the start of the match. Despite the massive density of mobile devices, they are able to share live with the world the roar of the crowd as goals are netted, and the victory dances that immediately follow – all without lags or interruption.
5G standalone (SA) networks, like O2 Telefónica's which has Ericsson's dual-mode core network at its heart, are perfectly suited to handle these most taxing environments. These venues are where 5G SA can really stretch its legs, outpacing 4G infrastructure and delivering the winning goal for fans when it matters most. From streaming live action to sharing instant reactions, 5G SA ensures thousands of fans enjoy a seamless and instantaneous digital experience that matches the high-energy atmosphere of the live event.
Fan experience, transformed by 5G
Thousands of fans are about to embark on their own grand adventures just like this one, ready to create and share their memorable moments. We are witnessing an unmistakable shift where fans are no longer spectators, but active participants, where every moment is captured, shared, and relived across the globe. By working closely with our customers, we are at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring our 5G solutions not only meet but exceed the expectations of today's digitally savvy fans.
The upcoming European Mega Event will be an event made memorable by the power of connectivity. Our collaborations with Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and O2 Telefónica will ensure that fans at the stadium and across the globe can experience the games like never before. As we send our 5G networks to the ‘training camp’, we are not just preparing for a one-off event; we are setting the stage for a future where connectivity is seamless, reliable, and truly unforgettable.
I can't wait to see the excitement in the fan zones and around the globe online. At the end we are all winners because together we celebrate and #MakeItMemorable!
