Press release 2022-668
Aachen/Groningen, January 10 2022—LANCOM Systems, the German network and security specialist, supplied the FC Groningen stadium with a new Wi-Fi network in collaboration with Lumiad, a wireless network technology expert, and installers RSE telecom & ICT. The stadium “De Euroborg” accommodates up to 22,500 spectators and, thanks to 124 Wi-Fi 6 access points from LANCOM Systems, the entire stadium is now equipped with a robust wireless network. Along with the Wi-Fi, LANCOM also provided the high-availability switching infrastructure and the next-generation firewalls for the stadium, all of which can be managed via the LANCOM Management Cloud.
FC Groningen's own research showed that many supporters in the stadium had poor connections to the wireless network before, during and after matches. The club dealt with the criticism by updating the Wi-Fi network in cooperation with LANCOM Systems, Lumiad, and RSE Telecom & ICT. The Wi-Fi 6 network now provides coverage across the entire stadium, not only on match days but also during events, meetings, trade shows, or conventions being held there.
Wi-Fi 6 for busy environments with many clients
The strengths of Wi-Fi 6 over previous standards are most apparent in busy environments with a large number of clients trying to connect to the network. This can be at football stadiums, schools, universities or any environment with large numbers of clients, such as shopping malls, airports, and office environments. If multiple devices try to transmit simultaneously, the different data transmissions collide and the network connections deteriorate.
Wi-Fi 6 increases the network’s stability and reliability by making better use of the available bandwidths and channels. The reduced latency improves the user experience, which is a major advantage in view of the increasing use of data-hungry applications, such as streaming, video, AR & VR. For example, it is now possible for all visitors to the Euroborg to keep up to date with other sporting events during the match, to vote for the “Man of the Match”, or to look back at clips on social media.
Integration with the LANCOM Management Cloud
In addition to the Wi-Fi 6 access points, LANCOM Systems also addressed the switching infrastructure and firewalls at FC Groningen. The enhanced capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 require that the underlying LAN also offers equally high performance. Lumiad used the LANCOM Management Cloud (LMC) to roll-out the network at the stadium. It offers continuous monitoring of the network and ensures that the entire network infrastructure is managed effectively and easily from a single platform.
“This was a months-long project where everybody involved worked really hard to make it a success,” says Vincent Coljé, Finance and ICT Manager at FC Groningen. “The Wi-Fi was in action in the stadium for a number of recent home games, with good crowds in attendance. Lumiad experts were on site to identify and resolve any problems. The tests went well and we are very pleased to have made excellent progress in terms of accessibility and the user experience. Great Internet is taken for granted these days and we are happy that we can guarantee that on match day.”
“We look back on this successful project with pride,” says Wim Bos, owner of Lumiad. “A major factor was the good preparation and cooperation of everyone involved, including the consultants during the initial planning. We have been working with LANCOM for more than 15 years now, which makes us a well-coordinated team. The renewal of the network infrastructure at FC Groningen, with components from LANCOM and our expertise, demonstrates this once again. We are already looking forward to the next joint project.”
“We are delighted to have made a success of this exciting project so that FC Groningen fans can enjoy fast and efficient Wi-Fi while cheering on their team at the stadium,” said Ajin Ku, Benelux Country Manager at LANCOM Systems . “We are also extremely proud of our partnership with Lumiad, our long-standing and valued partner in the Benelux. Our cooperation has already provided many customers with high-performance, secure and reliable network solutions, and we look forward to realizing many more successful projects together.”
More information about the possibilities of Wi-Fi 6 and the LANCOM portfolio is available here: www.lancom-systems.com/technology/wi-fi-6/
About LANCOM Systems:
LANCOM Systems GmbH is a leading European manufacturer of network and security solutions for business and the public sector. The portfolio includes hardware (WAN, LAN, WLAN, Firewalls), virtual network components, and cloud-based software-defined networking (SDN). Software and hardware development as well as manufacturing take place mainly in Germany, as does the hosting of the network management. LANCOM has a strong focus on trustworthiness and security. The company is committed to products that are free from backdoors and is a holder of the trust mark “IT Security Made in Germany” as initiated by the German Ministry of Economics.
LANCOM was founded in 2002 and has its headquarters in Würselen near Aachen, Germany. Customers include SMEs, government agencies, institutions, and major corporations from all over the world. Since summer 2018, the company has been an independent subsidiary of the Munich-based technology group Rohde & Schwarz.
Press contact:
Caroline Rixen
LANCOM Systems GmbH
+49 2405 49936-398
caroline.rixen@lancom.de
www.lancom-systems.com