Smart City Networks, an event technology provider for convention centers and hospitality venues, is constructing a distributed antenna system (DAS) at the Phoenix Convention Center. The new DAS will be in place in time for the venue to host the 2015 NFL Super Bowl media headquarters.
Construction of the DAS has already begun under the direction of Todd Zuccato, Smart City’s general manager at the Phoenix Convention Center, and is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2014. The DAS will boost mobile broadband coverage, improve reliability in heavily trafficked areas and enhance network capacity. To process the abundance of mobile data, Smart City has signed carrier agreements with both Verizon and AT&T.
“Smart City is dedicated to addressing the evolving needs of our venue partners,” said Mark Haley, president, Smart City Networks. “The new DAS will transform the Phoenix Convention Center into a state-of-the-art facility that will meet the technological demands of the 2015 NFL championship game’s media center and all other highly attended events hosted by the venue in the coming years.”
The DAS will accommodate the exponential increase in network traffic when the Phoenix Convention Center hosts the media headquarters for the 2015 Super Bowl, allowing several major networks including NBC and the NFL Network to broadcast from the facility. The Phoenix Convention Center will provide working facilities for approximately 5,000 members of the media from 30 countries while the championship game will be held at the nearby University of Phoenix Stadium.
To facilitate the build out of the DAS, Smart City has partnered with DAS integrator Connectivity Wireless Solutions to assist in the design, installation and ongoing support of the system.
The DAS services are in addition to Smart City’s current agreement to provide comprehensive telecommunications and Internet services for the venue’s wide range of international events and tradeshows. The DAS will address the significant network traffic often seen at highly attended events. The new system is designed to boost mobile broadband coverage throughout the facility, increasing cellphone reception and wireless Internet capabilities.
For more information about the Phoenix Convention Center, visit phoenixconventioncenter.com.
