Ericsson is the connectivity partner for Stamford Bridge – Chelsea Football Club’s stadium in Fulham, London.
Ericsson builds and operates the network for Chelsea Football Club to ensure free Wi-Fi coverage to its football fans via the Small Cell as a Service connected venue business model.
“Through this partnership, we will ensure the connectivity at Stamford Bridge matches the quality of the football and look forward to exploring further options that will enable Chelsea FC to take the digital experience to the next level,” said Arun Bansal, senior vice president, Europe & Latin America, Ericsson.
Small Cell as a Service supports service providers’ cellular go-to-market models, enables businesses to monetize Wi-Fi, provides a business case for network build-out and improves end-user experience.
In 2015, Legia Warsaw football club in Europe signed a Small Cell as a Service contract with Ericsson.
In 2016, Ericsson became the connectivity partner for the Ricoh Arena stadium in Coventry, England, home to Aviva Premiership rugby team Wasps and Wasps Netball.
Ericsson networks also supported four weeks of football mania in Brazil in 2014, the Nordic World Ski Championships in Sweden in 2015, the 2016 European football tournament in France, and the 2016 summer sports event in Rio.