Network capacity for big events?

[madmaxpr]

Do EE try and provide additional network capacity for large scale events they know about? Just wondering as every year in Rye, East Sussex we have a bonfire event and thousands turn up and the ee network slows to a crawl or simply stops working. Next one is on the 9th November. 

[madmaxpr]

@Leanne_T any idea on this?

[bristolian]

EE do deploy temporary sites for various special events, but Bonfire events do present a particular challenge as the additional traffic is so concentrated.

The summer festival season is generally well catered for, the additional usage is over several days.

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @madmaxpr 

Thanks for coming to the community 🙂

I can see @bristolian has given some advice for network capacity for events. 

Are you the organiser for the event or live in the area? 

If you do live in the area and have WiFi and a compatible device you can use WiFi Calling if the network is slower during the event.

Thanks. 

Leanne.

[madmaxpr]

Hi there i live down the road from the bonfire site, I have contact with the organisers that's about it.

[Leanne_T]

Thanks for coming back to me @madmaxpr 

Please try WiFi Calling if you have a WiFi network available if you experience any network problems during the bonfire event. 

I hope everyone has a great time 🙂

Leanne. 

[bristolian]

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@Leanne_T wrote:

If you do live in the area and have WiFi and a compatible device you can use WiFi Calling if the network is slower during the event.

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VoLTE is prioritised above mobile data. Thus voice calls will continue to work long after mobile data has slowed down.

[Leanne_T]

Thanks @bristolian 🙂

[Martin2004]

Hi

What can be done and who is responsible for ensuring the network stays available for businesses adjacent to large events.

The event organisers say it is the network provider, is there an obligation to do this?

Our businesses Internet is via ee mobile network, as such our phones, card machines, Internet and all mobiles all fail.

Thanks

[bristolian]

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@Martin2004 wrote:

What can be done and who is responsible for ensuring the network stays available for businesses adjacent to large events.

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It's a very interesting point of debate in some industry circles, this.

Large outdoor events naturally create a concentration of usage which can overwhelm any standard network deployment, both for users at the event but also in the surrounding area. Where criteria are met and deployment is viable, networks will often install temporary sites for special events - which will improve the overall experience.

Event organisers do have responsibility to provide supporting infrastructure for their events as part of their budget, and some would argue that the costs of telecommunications support should be as much part of that conversation as anything else.