Like other indoor and outdoor stadiums where high-density coverage is critical, Ellis Park will be able to deliver reliable, consistent Wi-Fi performance to thousands of mobile device-toting spectators, once the full implementation has been completed by the end of this year.
To deliver the capacity, performance, and reliability needed to cope with the expected numbers of visitors, Ruckus worked closely with WirelessG and their client Ellis Park to understand their requirements and challenges and develop a high-density solution for initial deployment in a short period of time.
"The nature of high-density environments, where thousands of simultaneous users must be supported in a confined space, presents a unique set of challenges that conventional, enterprise Wi-Fi systems simply aren't able to handle," said Michael Fletcher, sales director of Ruckus Wireless sub-Saharan Africa.
Adaptive antenna technology
Furthermore, when large numbers of access points (APs) are deployed in close proximity, it creates the potential for interference. Ruckus BeamFlex adaptive antenna technology is ideally suited to this kind of environment as it enables RF energy to be focused at the user. This increases the signal gain, which provides for a much better user experience. For the installation, Ruckus provided over 80 ZoneFlex 7782 outdoor APs with narrow beam antennas, which are especially effective in stadia when APs are mounted high above the crowd, as the narrow beam limits the coverage area.
Additionally, dual-band Ruckus ZoneFlex 7363 indoor APs will provide coverage in the hospitality suites, press boxes, and business offices when the full deployment is complete.
What makes this deployment exceptional is the way that the various technologies throughout the network are combined in order to facilitate the capacity requirements of this very high density site.
"Wi-Fi deployments in stadia are a first for South Africa and an initiative that we hope to expand to other stadiums with WirelessG and their stadium clients throughout the country. Reliable, high-performance Wi-Fi access is required for content-rich onsite broadcasting to mobile devices - which is what stadia are moving towards to make the user experience that much more attractive - and Wi-Fi is the perfect platform to do this," concluded Fletcher.
