Facebook alums plan WiFi network to support 68,500 fans at 49ers' stadium

The 49ers may not have won the Super Bowl, but at least fans will have something to look forward to during the 2014 season. The brand new Santa Clara Stadium, which boasts 68,500 seats and an estimated $1.2 billion construction cost, is expected to pack the country's most powerful WiFi network. The new installation is being overseen by two Facebook IT alums, and is expected to feature roughly one terabit of overall capacity. According to an Ars Technica feature, every attendee will be able to connect to the network simultaneously, without bandwidth restrictions. That figure is dependent on more devices offering 5GHz compatibility, which seems reasonable considering that the stadium won't open until late 2014. And, if arena-grade equipment is ready in time, the network will be 802.11ac compatible, though it will also support 802.11n, along with 11a, 11b and 11g, regardless.

Such a network is a key component of any modern structure, and if the team pulls it off, they might want to consider taking on some consulting gigs -- as Samsung has proven time and again, the company can't manage to keep press conference attendees online during major launch events, despite months of planning and unsurpassed budgets. Cellular signals will be boosted as well, with support for all carriers, just in case customers opt out of the free WiFi offering. For a more in-depth look at how the 49ers might pull it off, check out the Ars piece at the source link below -- it's a solid read for sports fans and infrastructure junkies alike.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

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Source: Ars Technica