MadStad Wi-Fi

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Since it was last discussed on here a few years ago, the technology of wi-fi has moved on, and it's now more technically feasible to provide wi-fi to crowds in a stadium. It was done at the Olympic Stadium and Man City are rolling it out at the Etihad : http://news.techworld.com/networking/3446243/manchester-city-fc-rolls-out-high-density-wifi-at-etihad-stadium/

It'd be expensive, and I can't see them doing it for free (i.e. they'd need to get you to pay for the connectivity one way or another) but Reading pride themselves on being innovative and forward thinking, and being based in the heart of the UK's Silicon Valley perhaps this is something they ought to be thinking about. There are some significant benefits for marketing to subscribers, too, so I'm sure a business case could be made for this.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Nothing like creating even more sterile and plastic atmospheres is there, I mean you're there to watch a game and support your team not tune into BBC iPlayer or get the latest online news from DebbyDoesDorking or whatever takes your interest - and anyway for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

[maffff]

for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

I can barely ever get any signal / data. So I'd welcome that..

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Nothing like creating even more sterile and plastic atmospheres is there, I mean you're there to watch a game and support your team not tune into BBC iPlayer or get the latest online news from DebbyDoesDorking or whatever takes your interest - and anyway for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

But they won;t have web connectivity via their phones - because the local masts can't handle the bandwidth at the times when everyone wants to use wi-fi - before and after the game and at half-time.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Nothing like creating even more sterile and plastic atmospheres is there, I mean you're there to watch a game and support your team not tune into BBC iPlayer or get the latest online news from DebbyDoesDorking or whatever takes your interest - and anyway for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

But they won;t have web connectivity via their phones - because the local masts can't handle the bandwidth at the times when everyone wants to use wi-fi - before and after the game and at half-time.

Fair enough I hadn't thought about the general crapness of phone signals.

Guarantee the plastics would be using it during games though. Also wi-fi brings in security issues plus there's bound to be the comedians who start bringing laptops to games. Honestly what is it with people they can't bear to be out of touch with something electronic for a couple of hours?

Just as a general aside on this, you know no-one has a clue what toll all this electronic activity flying about will have on people medically as yet......

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Just as a general aside on this, you know no-one has a clue what toll all this electronic activity flying about will have on people medically as yet......

Every subscription to the service would come with a free set of these :

[Maguire]

Guarantee the plastics would be using it during games though

Beats the hell out of watching the game.

[Pepe the Horseman]

It's a necessity for judas betting.

[SPARTA]

I've never understood the fuss made about wifi at the stadium. What's wrong with using some of your own 3G/4G data usage? My phone works fine at the stadium, though just a little slower.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

I've never understood the fuss made about wifi at the stadium. What's wrong with using some of your own 3G/4G data usage? My phone works fine at the stadium, though just a little slower.

The more people who try to use it the slower it gets - until you get to a point where the local mast can't maintain enough simultaneous connections. And even when it can the share of bandwidth between all those connected users means that so many network requests time out.

And the more people who have connected devices then the worse this gets. I find it;'s already impossible to get a worthwhile connection from between 2.40 and 3pm, at half-time or until about 20 minutes after the final whistle.

[ZacNaloen]

On match day my phone never works at the stadium, even last year with 14,000 crowds the masts were overloaded.

[paultheroyal]

I'd welcome this.

Considering Green Park is an international business park the telecommunications around the place is shocking.

O2 and Vodafone never appear to work.

[mr_number]

Lords has introduced free wifi this year via The Cloud (think it's the Sky one)... slightly more people so it must be feasible (although the more expensive tickets may enable them to subsidise it)

[Silver Fox]

If I'm going to check my twatter during a game the first thing I'll need to do is unfollow @readingfc, as they totally fooking spam my timeling during the game

[PieEater]

Given the number of people there I'm not sure wifi is the way to go, that gets as saturated. They need a picocell 3G or 4G solution like at the Olympic stadium.

[peterroyal76]

If I was able to live stream iPlayer or something reliably while at a game it would make me much, much more likely to attend.

[St. Brynjar]

for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

I can barely ever get any signal / data. So I'd welcome that..

Same here. It's nice to be able to keep up with results elsewhere.

[West Stand Man]

Nothing like creating even more sterile and plastic atmospheres is there, I mean you're there to watch a game and support your team not tune into BBC iPlayer or get the latest online news from DebbyDoesDorking or whatever takes your interest - and anyway for those that really give a toss they'll already have web connectivity via their phones.

But they won;t have web connectivity via their phones - because the local masts can't handle the bandwidth at the times when everyone wants to use wi-fi - before and after the game and at half-time.

Or even during the game when something interesting happens.

[RoyalTank]

I seem to get full signal in the stadium but I can never actually access the interwebs for some reason.

Every game I go to I have been having one guess at the WIFI code that you can pick up from media/exec boxes, if everyone did this I am sure we would have it cracked in no time

[RFCSPACE]

I'd welcome this.

Considering Green Park is an international business park the telecommunications around the place is shocking.

O2 and Vodafone never appear to work.

3 Mobile works fine