Man City Rolls Out Stadium Wifi

Manchester City has become the first Premier League club to roll-out high-density wi-fi throughout its stadium, reportedly supplying up to 30mb download speed, the large capacity network marks the culmination of the recent digital drive at the club. 

The free wi-fi technology enables fans to take advantage of the club’s apps, designed to enhance match-day engagement, after recently launching the interactive mobile game City Connect, as well as the travel guide app CityHome.

The upgrade to the Etihad Stadium facilities allows home and away fans to connect through their phone or tablet devices. Designed and delivered by O2 in conjunction with Cisco, the wi-fi is now available throughout the 48,000 capacity stadium.

Commenting on the launch, Diego Gigliani, Director of Marketing, Media & Fan Development for Manchester City, said: ‘The launch of high-density wi-fi allows us to offer free, high speed Internet access to all our fans, marking an important step forward in Manchester City’s drive to become the most technologically and digitally advanced football club in the world.’

Gigliani added: ‘Mobile technology and social media in particular, play a key role in our fans’ match-day experience. It was therefore important for us to embrace this growing trend and enable our fans to share their passion for the club with fellow City supporters around the world, in real time, free of charge, all from the comfort of their seat.’

Sanjeev Katwa, IT Director for City Football Group, added: ‘This was a technically challenging project, due to the size and scale of the installation process. The dedicated Stadium Wireless network with significant download speeds allows us to continually innovate at the Etihad Stadium. We are now able to integrate our social media and newly installed IPTV and ePOS solutions, enhancing match-day experience for both home and away fans.’