Anyone actually get a usable mobile data signal at the AMEX on their mobile?

[Aadam]

Which is why I mentioned the Starbucks model, where you are given a slip of paper with a one-off password. The organisation of the passwords, printing them, distribution, refunding 'failures' etc., would be time (therefore cash) consuming - all for a couple of hours of usage every other week.

If this was to be considered, the project would be outsourced - and the companies who would tender would be those who install similar systems in hotels etc., resulting in you - and me - getting pissed off with the Amex WiFi subscription policy.

I'm not aware of the Starbucks model, I use the Cloud with o2.

And for all those talking about people using their phones at the game, unfortunately the world has moved on a lot since back when everything was black and white. Peoples thirst for information is greater now and some people need real time, up to date information. Plus, live banter is better than retrospective banter.

 

[Zebedee]

I have an Android phone on O2 and am very rarely able to get any 3G reception either at or around the Amex. In fact, it's not until I get near Brighton on the train that there is any coverage at all. A woeful service in my view

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

as soon as I get a signal I'm turning thne fuckin thing off, 90 minutes free from 'er indoors and her moaning or numerous other pointless texts about shite, NB for the benefit of our younger viewers we didn't have WiFi at The Goldstone and we all seemed to make it through to the end of the match! (one of my favourite pre mobile phone stories, is the one about the regular contributor on here that went to an away match at Newcastle in79 despite the fact his wife was gonna give birth at any moment, they might not have even had a land line, we didn't!)

This, this, and most definitely this............


All these youngsters spend more time staring at their screen than watching the game and getting behind the lads. Back in the day all we had to occupy us when the game got a bit dull was reading the progamme or sucking a fishermans friend. This generation hasn't even got the nouce to start an impromptu conga these days. I reckon the club should be making mobile coverage WORSE, not better..............

 

[leigull]

On O2 and get good Internet up till kick off, then it's a struggle to get anything till back at the station or over in the ESB. No phone signal whatsoever in the WSL concourse. Can send texts (can take a few attempts though) in the WSU during the game, quite often a long delay on receiving them though.

As above though, don't really need to access anything during a game, just nice to see the other scores around the country as they seem to have stopped showing them on the screens at half time recently.

 

[willingdon_seagull]

What an absolute nonsense! Suggesting paying extra on a ST for wifi! I'm not tight and would happily pay extra for something benefiting solely the club. I think it's a sorry state of affairs when one can't go a couple of hours without a mobile phone for christ sake. How did we ever manage at the Goldstone?
All I want to do at footy is watch THE GAME and socialise with friends - not be glued to a bloody mobile phone!

 

[Superphil]

3 is fine at my seat, 3-4 bars and 3G. Patchy in the concourse/Profile Lounge but it does work a bit. Wifi is slow but works well enough to post images, twitter etc.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What an absolute nonsense! Suggesting paying extra on a ST for wifi! I'm not tight and would happily pay extra for something benefiting solely the club. I think it's a sorry state of affairs when one can't go a couple of hours without a mobile phone for christ sake. How did we ever manage at the Goldstone?
All I want to do at footy is watch THE GAME and socialise with friends - not be glued to a bloody mobile phone!

Ah, but its the 21st century and you can now also do this via social network sites....which need a mobile phone.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

This, this, and most definitely this............


All these youngsters spend more time staring at their screen than watching the game and getting behind the lads. Back in the day all we had to occupy us when the game got a bit dull was reading the progamme or sucking a fishermans friend.

Blimey!

 

[Gritt23]

Nope, not all season. Blackberry on Vodafone, and I could perhaps load a page or two in a whole game, made the odd comment load onto FB, but my chances of loading latest footie scores, were slimmer than Jennifer Carpenter.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Ah, but its the 21st century and you can now also do this via social network sites....which need a mobile phone.

It's getting to the stage whereby rather than actually TALK to the person sitting next to you, you send them a text message instead...........

 

[Spider]

The less JCLs that can sit there discussing the Premiership scores whilst the match is going on (of which there are many) the better in my opinion.

I'm on O2 and the phone signal and 3G are both shite at Falmer.

 

[beorhthelm]

your sitting in a bowl suuronded by concreate and steelwork - its effectivley a faraday cage. you're lucky to get any signal at all.

 

[Mellotron]

Looking round, it never ceases to amaze me the number of people poncing about with their phones DURING the game. Some seem to spend more time looking up other results, texting, tweeting, or updating their Facebook than watching the match.

However did they cope before the world of the mobile interbob.

Agreed. I try to keep it to HT and FT.

The weirdest one I find is the bobblehats who go to a game with headphones in, to listen to the radio from a DIFFERENT game. So bizarre.

 

[Worthingite]

I'd like better mobile/wireless signal purely for a bit of in play betting. Failing that, why don't we have the odd kiosk for in play gambling on the concourses??

 

[brightn'ove]

this is just what happens when there are ~20,000 people in one very small area, there is nothing you can do and it affects all networks. with the added seats next year it will be worse, don't worry about it and go for a network that suits you in other places, like at home/work for example. I cant get signal in my house and its a massive pain in the arse, that is why i will leave vodafone at the end of my contract.

 

[Medwayseagull]

This. I'm on GiffGaff (use the 02 signal) and the ONLY place I ever have trouble with it is at the Amex. Saying that, during the Birmingham game my brother next to me got f*** all out of his Orange signal. We spent 25 minutes trying to get a message to our wives to make sure there was plenty of beers and wine waiting for us upon our return.

On the subject of Amex Wi-Fi, If the club did indeed set up a system where you could pay £1-£2 to be hooked up to it for a few hours then I for one would be paying the club £1-£2 each match day. Various reasons, online betting (I do like a punt) making sure that my wife is aware of my need for beer and wine upon my return etc etc

Why don't you just ask her before you leave or just get it yourself on the way home ?

 

[Drumstick]

Vodaphone on my Iphone gives me calls & text in the North stand seats and concourses with occasional internet use.

East Stand Brasserie also hit and miss.

 

[kevo]

Would people be happy to pay a £2 for a wifi connection for the duration of the match? Could be a money spinner...

I sent an email to the commercial department at the club, and didn't even receive a reply. I think it could be a winner.

Also put it on the suggestions forum -

Wi-fi access

I think they could have a fee for the season for wi-fi access on match days, as well as offering it on a match-by-match basis. Email commercial[MENTION=5978]bhafc[/MENTION].co.uk if you think it's a good idea and hopefully they'll consider it for next season.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

As someone who has deployed this stuff for a living.

Wi fi access all the way across the ground is difficult mainly because the best place for a Wireless Access point (AP) is normally for it to be put directly above you (they usually look like little Thai fighters) which isn’t easy to provide full coverage for say West Stand lower. This is of course fine on the concourse so that could be put in place easily (and the structured cabling trays are already in place) but its pricey for something that gets used so irregularly or put another way, cheap if you compare it with Carlos Tevez’s wages.

In terms of costs, An access point is £250 each. I reckon you would need roughly 40 AP’s (8 each in WSU, WSL, North, South and East and 2 wireless controllers (1700 each) – Roughly 14K. You then need a big enough WAN link to cope with everyone on it which is difficult to estimate as it depends what exchanges are nearby / if there is any additional capacity. Roughly 15K one off cost and then maybe 10K a yr annual ongoing. Then you need to add man time into do it, roughly another 10K , maybe less as its all in one place but also not taking into account anymore network kit that is required.

Then stick a 50% margin on top (I charge £515 a day for this info you know). I make that 60K one off and up to 15K a year annual ongoing. A 5 year cost of £135K or put another way £27K a year or a grand a game including a cup game

So just to re-coop costs would be £1 a game with a 1000 users, £2 a game to double your money or a £1 a game with 2000 users (which would be dog slow if used concurrently by all users but that’s another story). I haven't checked the maths either.

Personally If I ran the club I’d sort the wireless / data connections out in the press area and leave the rest of us to it (but if anyone from the club reads this we can survey at very reasonable prices)

 

[Jimmy's gonna get ya!]

I asked a member of staff for the security code for "Amex-events" wireless, and, they gave it to me!!
Great, free, signal everytime I visit