Why you can’t get a signal at festivals and sports matches

Ben Jones accepts a certain amount of frustration is part and parcel of being a football fan. But that should be because of the action on the pitch, not because he can’t use his mobile phone to call a friend in the stadium, or check the progress of other critical games. "It’s going to affect things so much, if this team wins, if that team draws…," says the creative director from North London. "So, to then go on your phone and find that you can’t even get a bar? It’s crazy." Connectivity, over mobile and fixed networks, is critical when people come together at sports tournaments, cultural festivals, or business events. When it fails, venue operators and fans suffer.

One of the UK’s newest sports stadia is Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, where connectivity was developed with HPE Aruba. On a matchday, it handles a staggering 11Gb inbound and outbound bandwidth, and a data transfer of 205TB. This robust setup can support an impressive 18,000 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections, while a distributed antenna system (DAS) actively boosts mobile phone coverage throughout the stadium. "So, you know your phone will work," assures Phil Davies, IT Director at Everton Football Club. This advanced infrastructure ensures Everton can meet the demanding needs of broadcasters, photographers, and crucially, emergency services and security personnel. Beyond critical functions, the network significantly enhances the fan experience, facilitating everything from digital ticketing and stadium navigation to seamless cashless payments for food, drinks, and merchandise.

In the hyper-competitive world of professional football, governing bodies like the Premier League, UEFA, and FIFA impose stringent connectivity requirements. These demands are largely driven by the massive bandwidth needs of broadcasters covering elite events. Peter Coppens, VP of product at telecom provider Colt Technology Services, estimates that an event as significant as the Champions League final will deploy upwards of 40 cameras, each requiring a substantial 1.5Gbps of bandwidth. To accommodate such demands, venues typically require two high-capacity fibre connections for both inbound and outbound data flow. In stark contrast, Ofcom defines "decent" domestic broadband as 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload – a mere fraction, approximately 150 times less bandwidth, than what is needed for a single Champions League game.

While newer venues like Everton’s stadium are designed with integrated connectivity for both operational efficiency and fan services, including enhanced Wi-Fi and mobile coverage, attendees at other sites continue to face significant challenges. Elliot Townsend, senior director at HPE Networking, explains that the fundamental physics of a steel and concrete structure packed with thousands of people creates an inherently challenging network environment. Sports events, in particular, trigger sharp spikes in demand, often concentrated during intervals like half-time. Concerts, on the other hand, generate "relentless, sustained pressure from start to finish." This intense local demand can even extend beyond the venue’s perimeter.

Gareth Elliott, director of policy and communications at trade association Mobile UK, highlights that "mass crowds at stadiums and cultural sites place immense strain on mobile networks, often exceeding local capacity as thousands share limited bandwidth simultaneously." Mobile operators are actively deploying advanced technologies such as 5G and 5G Standalone (5GSA), which promise to significantly increase the number of customers that can be connected in and around venues. However, the rollout of these crucial infrastructure upgrades is frequently impeded by local objections, a point that Elliott emphasizes. "To have that signal, you need that infrastructure, and that’s where the planning system comes into play," he states. He predicts that "We will see those service levels and speeds and experience improve, and we’re already seeing some of that playing out."

Connecting temporary events, such as a major golf tournament or a sprawling music festival, presents a unique set of challenges, according to Simon Wilson, chief technology solutions leader at HPE Aruba Networking. Often, the necessary infrastructure is erected just weeks before the event commences. However, for sports events, failure is not an option. Wilson aptly illustrates this point: "It’s obviously unacceptable if you’re five seconds late for the 100 metres."

The need for robust connectivity extends far beyond broadcasters. Fans attending stadiums or festival grounds rely heavily on their mobile devices for a multitude of purposes: communicating with friends, storing and presenting digital tickets, navigating the venue’s layout, and making cashless payments. Simultaneously, the complex back-end systems that power venue operations – from cashless sales of merchandise and food to ticketing management and crowd control for safety – are also intrinsically interconnected. Jess Scott, a key member of the team behind Guilfest, an annual two-day music festival held in Surrey, underscores the critical importance of connectivity for both ticket holders and organizers, regardless of the event’s scale.

"We have Wi-Fi in the box office, Wi-Fi in the production office," she explains. This year, Guilfest will operate its own bar, necessitating the use of connected payment terminals. Scott’s past experiences have taught her a valuable lesson: if the Wi-Fi fails, "You can’t take payment for anything." However, a pertinent question arises: is there a limit to how connected crowds truly desire to be? Jess Scott suggests that some music enthusiasts might view disconnecting from their phones as an integral part of the "festival experience."

Everton’s Phil Davies acknowledges that while technology can empower fans to share their "experience" from their seats, the club also prioritizes "generating an atmosphere in the stadium." A scenario where large segments of the crowd are engrossed in their phones rather than observing the action on the pitch could, he concedes, undermine this crucial element. He believes that "there’s a balance to be struck." Meanwhile, for football fan Ben Jones, the ongoing frustration lies in the inconsistent functionality of his phone at events. He can perform some tasks, such as presenting his ticket or making payments for food, but is unable to execute others, like making a phone call. "You kind of sit and think, ‘Oh, isn’t technology great’, until you have to do the traditional old thing of actually phoning somebody," he laments.