CHICAGO (Sept. 16, 2016) -- Mobilitie, the largest privately-held wireless infrastructure provider in the United States, announced Friday the deployment of its Distributed Antenna System (DAS) at Toyota Park outside of Chicago to enhance wireless network capacity and coverage for soccer fans and the surrounding Bridgeview community.
Toyota Park is home to the Chicago Fire Soccer Club and hosts more than half a million people each year. Mobilitie's DAS deployment will allow guests to better connect with and enjoy their mobile devices at events through seamless wireless stadium coverage, regardless of crowds and capacity. As a result, fans can enjoy soccer matches and events fully, without cellular congestion. They can upload photos, share experiences on social media, and get improved cell reception and service for other apps. T-Mobile consumers will see the immediate effects; there are plans for additional wireless carriers to join the network in the future.
Since it was founded in 2005, Mobilitie has been solving connectivity challenges across the country, ranging from sports arenas, to transit systems, shopping centers, and more. The highest mobile data traffic ever recorded during an event was carried by a Mobilitie DAS network at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, in 2015. Through its DAS, Small Cell, Communication Tower, and Wi-Fi deployments, Mobilitie has been able to keep its partners satisfied and prepared for the LTE network demands of the fast-approaching 5G era.
"We identified an opportunity to elevate fan experience through improved stadium connectivity," said Atul Khosla, the Chicago Fire's Chief Operating Officer. "It was important for us to find a partner like Mobilitie to deploy the DAS system and we appreciate their contributions to the Club."
"Mobilitie's goal is to help bring greater wireless connectivity to cities in order to deliver a better mobile experience and help communities bridge the digital divide," said Christos Karmis, President of Mobilitie. "The installation of our new DAS network at Toyota Park, along with our P.L.A.Y.S. philanthropy initiative, represents what Mobilitie is about: Empowering communities and providing premiere wireless services."
At the September 16th home match vs. DC United, Mobilitie presented a donation check to the Chicago Fire Foundation's P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve Youth Soccer) Program to show its support for Chicagoland youth and announced a donation to the Village of Bridgeview that will go towards community enhancement. Created in 2013 in partnership with World Sport Chicago, P.L.A.Y.S. integrates soccer and a curriculum focused on instilling self-reliance as a means to grow social and emotional learning skills of youth. Since its creation, P.L.A.Y.S. has organized more than 90,000 hours of soccer for underserved youth in Chicagoland.
