Wireless connectivity solutions provider, ExteNet Systems has announced a partnership with Forest City Ratner Companies to implement a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) network in the newly constructed Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Under the terms of the partnership, ExteNet will design, install, manage and maintain the DAS network at the center.
“We chose ExteNet Systems to help make Barclays Center the premier location for entertainment in New York by ensuring superior wireless capacity and coverage with proven DAS coverage,” said Chip Foley, director of Building Technology at Forest City Ratner Companies, in a statement.
According to Foley, ExteNet's experience in deploying large-scale communication networks coupled with a business model that supports a cost-effective entry for wireless carriers made the ExteNet decision smart on all fronts.
The 675,000-square-foot, 19,000-seat Barclays Center will provide home to the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Brooklyn Nets at the start of the 2012-2013 season. It has the capacity to host more than 220 events per year including concerts, sports, family shows, and other special events. The facility is scheduled to open in September of 2012.
The need for wireless connectivity for voice, data and video is growing in the field of sports. As a result, service providers are required to ensure always-on connectivity, real-time video streaming and multi-media messaging at sports arenas.
By building the new network, Barclays will be able to meet the growing bandwidth needs arising from sports fans and offer them an on-demand, personalized multimedia mobile experience.
"ExteNet and its venue-owner partners recognize the rapid change in fan expectations and we are working with leading wireless carriers to enable their networks of the future to provide the coverage and capacity needed to rapidly change the entertainment and communication experience at venues and events," said Ross W. Manire, president and CEO at ExteNet Systems, in a statement.
Edited by Brooke Neuman