Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on June 25, 2013, 02:35:34 PM

Title: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: PeterWithesShin on June 25, 2013, 02:35:34 PM
Quote
Villa Park looks set to be the first stadium in the Barclays Premier League to offer 4G phone coverage to fans on a matchday.

Supporters should be able to better text and phone on their mobiles in B6 from Spring 2014.

Villa have been in discussions with Vodafone for the past two years in a bid to expand the matchday cellular coverage at the stadium.

Mobile phone coverage has been spotty and non-existent at times in the past, due to the sheer number of supporters at Villa Park.

Discussions were in conceptual stages for the past twelve months but sitework began at Villa Park this week.

It is a big project, with the "extensive" system of antennae and cabling inside the stadium taking approximately eight months to fully install.

The system would be attached to the underside of roofs and look very much like flat speakers - there would be no external masts.

It would provide Villa Park with very specific 4G cell coverage, separate from surrounding areas.

Only those within the perimeter of the ground would be able to access.

Tom Fantini, head of facilities, said: "We believe this is exciting news for our supporters, particularly those who actively rely on their mobile phones.

"We have fully recognised the need to improve and are working strenuously to make this happen.

"These plans should not only allow better communications for our supporters in terms of texting and calling but also increase the smart-phone data downloading capabilities of some of our more technologically-interactive fans."
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: not3bad on June 25, 2013, 02:38:27 PM
Any chance of wi-fi?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Dr Butler on June 25, 2013, 02:40:49 PM
selfishly ?  Wi-Fi in the Holte Suite would be nice..

UTV
The Doc
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: mrfuse on June 25, 2013, 02:42:59 PM
Any chance of wi-fi?

Yeah same for me they need too set-up a 24 hr guest connection for everyone that has purchased a ticket or longer for those with season tickets
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: DB on June 25, 2013, 02:44:46 PM
Ha. I work for Vodafone. Will find out...
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: danlanza on June 25, 2013, 02:48:05 PM
Just a question. Will there be anybody watching the game ? At all ?
I thought that was the idea of buying a ticket. Maybe it is just me.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Darlo Dave on June 25, 2013, 03:04:04 PM
Erm, can't you already get 4G on EE, in Birmingham, which Villa Park is in? Am I missing something here?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Salsa Party Animal on June 25, 2013, 03:10:33 PM
Vodaphone setting it up probably
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: saunders_heroes on June 25, 2013, 03:14:18 PM
Erm, can't you already get 4G on EE, in Birmingham, which Villa Park is in? Am I missing something here?

Try getting 4 or 3G  when there's nearly 40k people in the vicinity.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Mark H on June 25, 2013, 03:20:09 PM
Man $$ity have announced that they are wiring all the seats in the stadium to be able to have full connectivity , the 4G is great but the amount of people on it at the same time is the thing they have to solve , which I hoping they have with this being promoted !
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Darlo Dave on June 25, 2013, 03:22:58 PM
Erm, can't you already get 4G on EE, in Birmingham, which Villa Park is in? Am I missing something here?

Try getting 4 or 3G  when there's nearly 40k people in the vicinity.

Ah, I've just read the article properly. Improving the facilities in the stadium, so as to give users higher capacity. Fair dos.

Although I was under the impression that 4G was supposed to eradicate this kind of problem anyway. Mind 4G is still in relevant infancy at the moment. It's not running at anything like full capacity yet, and there are still bugs to iron out.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: not3bad on June 25, 2013, 04:07:59 PM
Just a question. Will there be anybody watching the game ?

Sure - with a good connection you'll be able to stream it live.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Malandro on June 25, 2013, 04:16:00 PM
wonder if I can get an update for my nokia torch phone
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: pauliewalnuts on June 25, 2013, 04:23:18 PM
Man $$ity have announced that they are wiring all the seats in the stadium to be able to have full connectivity , the 4G is great but the amount of people on it at the same time is the thing they have to solve , which I hoping they have with this being promoted !

I think that's the point of it.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: danlanza on June 25, 2013, 04:27:55 PM
Just a question. Will there be anybody watching the game ?

Sure - with a good connection you'll be able to stream it live.
Very good.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: eamonn on June 25, 2013, 05:06:32 PM
Is it possible to do 'owt without screens these days? Our attention spans are getting shot to fuck.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: cdbearsfan on June 25, 2013, 05:14:10 PM
I've got an iPhone 4S. Am I on 3G or 4G?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: DB on June 25, 2013, 05:15:37 PM
I've got an iPhone 4S. Am I on 3G or 4G?

3G . Apple dont have a 4G handset yet.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: cdbearsfan on June 25, 2013, 05:17:26 PM
Oh well, hopefully somebody sitting nearby will have a posh phone and be able to keep me updated with the important developments in the Scottish Third Division. COYBW. FOQP.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Steve R on June 25, 2013, 05:28:23 PM
I'm not even sure what 3G and 4G are.

Will fans have to wrap themselves in tinfoil?

Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Leighton on June 25, 2013, 05:37:06 PM
Weren't 4G that annoying bunch of posh pricks trying to sing opera on the X-factor a few years ago?

Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Darlo Dave on June 25, 2013, 05:41:44 PM
I've got an iPhone 4S. Am I on 3G or 4G?

3G . Apple dont have a 4G handset yet.

iPhone 5 is available on 4G. My boss has got one on EE, although he doesn't get any 4G coverage where he lives yet!
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: wozwebs on June 25, 2013, 05:45:46 PM
Wonder if it will only be 4G for Vodafone customers or anyone on 4G?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: GordonCowansisthegreatest on June 25, 2013, 05:57:01 PM
I've got an iPhone 4S. Am I on 3G or 4G?

3G . Apple dont have a 4G handset yet.

What about the iphone 5?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: adrenachrome on June 25, 2013, 05:59:19 PM
HDSPA through 3 Mobile worked perfectly well for me last season in the Witton Lane Upper. 
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: cdbearsfan on June 25, 2013, 06:47:12 PM
Three Mobile is shite in the Holte End and non-existant in the Holte Suite.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Legion on June 25, 2013, 08:56:08 PM
Orange (Everything Everywhere) is fcuk all anywhere at VP.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: KKAVFC on June 25, 2013, 09:07:46 PM
I am on 3 with an iPhone 5 but surely U only get 4G if you pay for it i.e. in the terms of your mobile contract ? I have no real interest in 4G at the moment as it is only available on EE in the UK & even then is NOT UK -- (never mind Villa Park) -- wide ! Birmingham centre has it as have most major UK cities but again it's still in its' comparative infancy as regards availability. I use wi-fi at home & just use 3G when out and about which does me !! Also I only pay £6.90 per month with 3 after buying the 'phone up front from the Apple store in Solihull in December which works out as a much cheaper option than a full blown contract. The cheapest then was again on 3 for a 16Gb model with around £90.00 up front on a 24 month deal.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Lizz on June 25, 2013, 09:22:31 PM
Orange (Everything Everywhere) is fcuk all anywhere at VP.

I'm with EE, the only functions on my crappy Android that work at Villa Park are actual phone calls and text messaging.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: PeterWithesShin on June 25, 2013, 09:25:18 PM
I get decent coverage in VP with my crappy old 3 phone. Which is just as well considering how often I had to text updates to Leeg during the Sunderland game. Sorry Leeg, didn't mean to remind you that you missed a 6-1 win.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Legion on June 25, 2013, 09:26:19 PM
I get decent coverage in VP with my crappy old 3 phone. Which is just as well considering how often I had to text updates to Leeg during the Sunderland game. Sorry Leeg, didn't mean to remind you that you missed a 6-1 win.

GIT! *Sobs uncontrollably* Bastard OFSTED.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: not3bad on June 25, 2013, 09:44:20 PM
I can barely send a text message from the Holte End let alone anything else.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Legion on June 25, 2013, 09:47:26 PM
Now I am going to make it even worse for myself:

THAT match (http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/aston-villa-6-sunderland-1-2/)

Sorry for going OT.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Rudy65 on June 25, 2013, 09:51:01 PM
Thank God for that.

My son will now stop moaning he cant get phone coverage in the Holte at HT
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: damon loves JT on June 25, 2013, 09:54:29 PM
So.... is this good or bad? I feel so stupid
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: PeterWithesShin on June 25, 2013, 09:54:57 PM
Now I am going to make it even worse for myself:

THAT match (http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/aston-villa-6-sunderland-1-2/)

Sorry for going OT.

On the season review DVD you can see me texting you just before Vlaar scores.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: bertlambshank on June 25, 2013, 10:32:27 PM
The Blues have a payphone.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: London Villan on June 25, 2013, 10:52:45 PM
Id just be happy with my phone working so i dont get bombarded with texts 20 mins after the final whistle.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Malandro on June 25, 2013, 10:52:57 PM
The Blues have a payphone.

and it smells of piss
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Arsey on June 25, 2013, 11:29:38 PM
iPhone 5 is 4G compatible.

All iPhones 5 users currently contract with 3 will be upgraded to their 4G service, for free, when it launches in September (providing their contract extends beyond Sept of course).

Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: levico on June 25, 2013, 11:32:09 PM
Went to see the SF Giants lose at home to the Miami Marlins two days ago. They provide free wi fi in all areas of AT&T park and it works very well.

Don't think we're quite ready for that here yet.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: DeKuip on June 25, 2013, 11:56:26 PM
FFS, going to the game is one of the few places we can escape phones, getting texts or calls, or having to listen to other people on their phones. It's only a couple of hours, if it's that urgent they'll make an announcement over the tannoy and tell us to see a steward or go home.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: pauliewalnuts on June 26, 2013, 12:39:14 AM
FFS, going to the game is one of the few places we can escape phones, getting texts or calls, or having to listen to other people on their phones. It's only a couple of hours, if it's that urgent they'll make an announcement over the tannoy and tell us to see a steward or go home.

I agree, but people just can't be doing without their data connections.

I don't want to go to a match and then spend ages on my phone fecking about with data, but I do like to be able to get score updates from other matches, and occasionally do other stuff on it.

Not enough to give too much of a shit that my network - T-mobile - has next to no data coverage at the ground, though, as it's so saturated.

This whole 4G thing, though, needing a 4G capable phone and appropriate contract, fuck that.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: pauliewalnuts on June 26, 2013, 12:40:05 AM
Oh, and another thing, I never understand why so many people go to gigs and then spend so much of their time there watching it through their phone as they record it, shakey handed, low quality audio clips recorded for posterity.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Somniloquism on June 26, 2013, 12:52:53 AM
Went to see the SF Giants lose at home to the Miami Marlins two days ago. They provide free wi fi in all areas of AT&T park and it works very well.

Don't think we're quite ready for that here yet.

Wifi is so cheaply provided over there, you can even get free wifi access if you buy a hotdog from a street vendor. Plus it might have been a perk of allowing the stadium to be named after the American equivalent of BT.
But to provide decent wifi pipe for 40,000 people once every two weeks and only needed 9 months a year would be quite expensive for the club unless you want to be sitting in the Talk Talk Stadium.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: DeKuip on June 26, 2013, 10:30:00 AM
Went to see the SF Giants lose at home to the Miami Marlins two days ago. They provide free wi fi in all areas of AT&T park and it works very well.

Don't think we're quite ready for that here yet.

Wifi is so cheaply provided over there, you can even get free wifi access if you buy a hotdog from a street vendor. Plus it might have been a perk of allowing the stadium to be named after the American equivalent of BT.
But to provide decent wifi pipe for 40,000 people once every two weeks and only needed 9 months a year would be quite expensive for the club unless you want to be sitting in the Talk Talk Stadium.

"Life's What You Make It" in that case then.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: DB on June 26, 2013, 07:38:02 PM
I've got an iPhone 4S. Am I on 3G or 4G?

3G . Apple dont have a 4G handset yet.

iPhone 5 is available on 4G. My boss has got one on EE, although he doesn't get any 4G coverage where he lives yet!

Yeah OK, if it's on correct band - sorry getting ahead of myself.

Re the coverage, I suppose what they are on about is having special coverage for the stadium on top of the 'normal' network i.e. for increased usage on match days, it will help with the extra demand. So EE for example have Brum covered but nothing in place for high usage event like match days, like people have said, come half-time you can't do much currently!
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Ad@m on June 26, 2013, 10:06:50 PM
How many people actually have a 4G ready phone and would be willing to pay Vodafone for match day access (because I can't see it being free).

I think this is just for the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Middle.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: eric woolban woolban on June 26, 2013, 10:14:44 PM
I'm going to hook my phone up to hawk eye and feck about with their findings.
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Simon Ward on June 27, 2013, 10:37:47 AM
I'm going to hook my phone up to hawk eye and feck about with their findings.

To Villa's advantage of course?
Title: Re: Villa Park to offer 4G coverage
Post by: Chris Harte on July 03, 2013, 01:27:47 PM
Quote

Mobile phone coverage has been spotty and non-existent at times in the past, due to the sheer number of supporters at Villa Park.
At times? Continuously, more like. And don't get me started on mobile internet.
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