With Taylor Swift’s mega-band hitting the UK and kicking off a string of sold-out stadium shows, venue communities across the country are celebrating the prospect of big revenues, while fans’ mobile connectivity expectations across venues are pushing providers to reach new heights.
The three-day concert at Stockholm’s Friends Arena attracted around 150,000 fans from 130 countries, and the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce expects visitors to spend more than 40 million euros during the Swedish leg of the Eras Tour, scheduled for May 2024.
Additionally, research from communications technology provider Ericsson reveals that arena venues are seeing a 67% increase in data usage year-over-year, with fans in stadiums demanding high-performance, robust and reliable mobile coverage to share, interact and stream content. This presents a huge opportunity for service providers to offer enhanced networks to ensure subscriber connectivity. In fact, Ericsson research predicts that the smart stadium market will grow in value from €13.1 billion in 2023 to €31.7 billion by 2028.
Ericsson research also found that the 5G experience in key locations such as stadiums and arenas is having a significant impact on consumers’ decisions to switch service providers, with fans who experienced issues at an event venue being three times more likely to switch within six months.
Ericsson further said that stakeholders across the stadium ecosystem, including infrastructure managers, sports teams and athletes, can benefit from increased connectivity in addition to supporting consumer services such as mobile ticketing, travel itineraries and taxi booking.
The company also pointed out that the Eras Tour was a good example of how huge numbers of people gathered in a relatively small physical area, creating a surge in demand for mobile connectivity. Ericsson believes 5G can meet this demand and provide the platform to transform traditional live events into a richer fan experience.
Local telecommunications operator Tele2 announced that it was able to provide fans with the perfect opportunity to experience the difference 5G connectivity can make, timed to one of Sweden’s biggest concerts ever, at Stockholm National Stadium, in what the company calls a groundbreaking rollout for a Swedish stadium. To provide subscribers with the high-performance connectivity they need to effectively share videos, photos and other multimedia, Tele2 upgraded the Swedish National Stadium with a mobile infrastructure based on Ericsson 5G technology.
The ongoing 5G upgrade consists of Ericsson’s 5G technology in new frequency bands, including the 3.5GHz 5G mid-band. The network used Massive MIMO AIR 6419 with optimal multi-user MIMO technology, enabling Tele2 to deliver maximum network performance during the event.
“By extending 5G to the arena, we advance our quest to deliver the best 5G, increasing connectivity and opening up new possibilities for everyone, including concerts with audiences of over 50,000,” said Yogesh Malik, executive vice president and chief technology and innovation officer at Tele2. “This strategic move is another step towards our mission to deliver the best 5G experience with the most energy efficiency and we remain steadfast in our commitment to continue pushing the boundaries.”
Ericsson said the introduction of 5G at Friends Arena represents a “major step forward” in enhancing fan experiences and opening up new opportunities for innovation in the entertainment and sports industries.
“Upgrading arenas with 5G will enhance the fan experience and enable new capabilities that have yet to be fully explored: sharing and co-creating live entertainment, blending the physical and digital worlds,” said Nora Waby, head of Customer Division, Nordic and Central Europe, Ericsson. “Not only will the high-speed, low-latency capacity enhance the live fan experience, it can also support the entire entertainment infrastructure, including cost-effective TV broadcasting and live streaming, and instant control of sound and lighting.”
Tele2 and Ericsson said they remain committed to delivering 5G services that will redefine how fans attend live events and set new standards for immersive connected experiences.
