Spark has become the official technology partner of Wellington’s Westpac Stadium and will install a high density WiFi network throughout the stadium in partnership with technology supplier, Huawei to improve mobile communications for visitors and to support a network of display screens for advertising and information.
Spark’s GM enterprise commercial trans-Tasman, Vanessa Sorenson, said Spark had competed against global companies to be Westpac Stadium’s official technology partner.
Spark said the upgrades would provide the foundation for a full-fledged fan experience, which Westpac Stadium plans to deliver later this year. “In the meantime, as official technology partner Spark is developing a mobile site that will make immediate use of the upgraded network with some initial experience features,” it said.
According to Westpac Stadium, the communications upgrade is part of a larger revamp in which it is redesigning the spaces visitors enter and the broader experiences they have before, during and after attending an event.
“The Westpac Stadium upgrade will see 24km of new cabling laid, along with the installation of around 300 access points,” Spark said. “The entire seating area is being covered by 350 directional antennas, allowing around 20,000 people to connect to the WiFi concurrently, supported by a 20Gbps fibre backbone running around the stadium.” The rollout is expected to be completed in July.
Spark will also be deliver, in partnership with NZ based outdoor signage company Eyemagnet, internet protocol television (IPTV) and content management over the WiFi network. “The upgrades will provide the foundation for a more fully-fledged fan experience, which Westpac Stadium plans to deliver over the next year,” it said.