Not playing around
Cisco is hoping to convert a few sports fans in to Wi-Fi fans, with its Connected Sports solutions, which the company says are the industry's first to be specifically designed for densely packed venues, such as stadiums and areas.
Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi , to use its full name, purports to deliver secure wireless networking to large numbers of devices, giving venue operators the opportunity to offer Wi-Fi powered services to their visitors. Its stadium Wi-fi set-ups are powered by Cisco's Aironet 3500p access point, which offers features including high-powered directional antennae, flat-panel design intended to help the device blend in to its surroundings, and and 'CleanAir' technology, which monitors surrounding Wi-Fi signals and adjusts its own accordingly to reduce interference.
According to Ray Smets, vice president and general manager, Wireless Networking business unit, Cisco: "Cisco continues its industry leadership in wireless networking technology with the Aironet 3500p Access Point with CleanAir technology, which was created with the intent to provide the unique performance and aesthetic needs of high-density environments. We are excited to work with world-class venues and service providers to create secure and reliable Wi-Fi experiences."
Cisco believes that by using its Stadium wireless, venues can exploit the prolific numbers of visitors who own Wi-Fi enabled devices - from tablets, to mobile phones - to offer additional services, and even increase revenue, making up for the additional cost of Cisco's solutions over alternatives.
