Internet access

[Wink58]

Can anyone please explain to me why I can't get any internet access at the stadium of light, Sunderland either using 4g data or their free Wi-Fi when people all around me have no problem. I used to get access to a good signal on their Wi-Fi but not any more.

I’m expecting abuse regarding Sunderland 

[bristolian]

The WiFi connection at a stadium won't have anything to do with EE's mobile network - that's entirely a matter between your mobile device and the broadband router.

Does your phone show mobile network coverage when you have these problems? Are people around you using EE? Is this only happening on matchdays when the stadium is full, or at other times also? Can you make & receive calls when you have these problems?

Hard to tell whether this is just a capacity issue or something else, based on what you've posted.

[Wink58]

Thanks for your reply.

The phone shows mobile network coverage when I can’t access the internet.

the reason I mentioned Wi-Fi was that I used to be able to access the internet using their Wi-Fi but no longer can.  I can join their Wi-Fi and receive a strong signal but no internet access.  I also cannot use the internet using data.       I can make and receive calls, receive notifications and emails.

I only attend on match days so I’m not sure if the problem only occurs then and I’m not sure which network other people are using.        I can access the internet as normal once I get about 50 meters away from the stadium 

[bristolian]

This does sound awfully like congestion caused by sheer demand. In other words - there's a strong signal (using WiFi, mobile, whatever) but there's not sufficient capacity for the amount of use being demanded.

This can sometimes be an issue in locations where there's occasional spikes in usage, which overwhelm the capacity that's been installed. In many indoor locations and some stadia such as Twickenham, Millennium Stadium & Wembley, there are dedicated "in building" systems that provide localised mobile capacity to provide improved service on busy days such as (presumably) your matchday. Major international stadia tend to have these, alongside examples such as the Trafford Centre, Lakeside, Battersea Power Station etc.

By leaving the immediate stadium area, you are likely being served by another local site/sector that is not also carrying stadium traffic. EE have a couple of major high-capacity sites closeby the Stadium of Light, but those will only go so far when there is a heavy concentration of users congregating.

[Wink58]

I did think it might be capacity issue at half time when internet access might be used my lots of people but even during the match when most people will be watching the game or an hour before the kick off when there only a few people in the stadium the problem exists.   The guy who sits next to me often accesses his internet to check other scores, maybe 6 or 7 times per game and he has no problem at all but at the same time I cannot get in.  And like I say I had no problem at all a couple of months ago then all of a sudden it stopped working.

[bristolian]

Not having the problem until recently tends then, to suggest either a fault or a network change has been made.

I'll have a brief review at the local serving site a little later.

[Wink58]

Thank you very much 

[bristolian]

All the capacity layers (dual-carrier Band 3, dual-carrier Band 7, and single-carrier Band 1) have all been in use recently, so don't appear to be out-of-service.

I would suggest following the usual fault-reporting process if you believe there's been a recent step-change in performance, or potentially ask around fellow stadium users as to which networks they're using - if others using EE have also encountered a recent change, that may help.

[Wink58 · Accepted solution]

Worked perfectly, and fast last night 🤷

[Leanne_T]

Hi @Wink58 

Thanks for coming back to us.

Hopefully this is now sorted for you.

Please pop back if this happens again

Leanne.