Technology upgrade bowls over Edgbaston Cricket Ground

Test cricket ground swithches to HP Pro Curve, but keeps faith in Xirrus to field Wi-FI network upgrade

Edgbaston Cricket Ground has completed an 18-month, £32m upgrade which has seen it refresh its Wi-Fi network as well as install a physical network, switches and 50 televisions running via an IPTV feed around the ground.

The Wi-Fi network was provided by wireless network specialist Xirrus; the same company had provided Wi-Fi to the ground before the upgrade.

Xirrus upgraded and redeployed two XN8 8 Radio Wi-Fi Arrays during the refresh, and deployed a further nine around the Ground.

One XN8 8 Radio Wi-Fi Array provides 512 people with access to Wi-Fi.

The array also provides an embedded Wi-Fi controller, a multi-sector antenna system, an integrated gigabit switch, a dedicated Wi-Fi threat sensor, a spectrum analyser and a Wi-Fi firewall.

According to Colin Bowden IT network manager at Edgebaston, one reason for chosing Xirrus was that it required fewer access points, cable runs and switchboards than other solutions on the market, with Xirrus claiming that the product requires 75 per cent less supporting equipment than some of its competitors.

"It was important to get a simple solution that could be accessed by lots of people simultaneously. During a test match we would have between 100 and 150 journalists in the press room at once and they all want access to Wi-Fi," said Bowden.

The arrays also reach into the banqueting suites and executive boxes. Three of the arrays are situated outdoors providing Wi-Fi access to photographers and others around the pitch.

"The photographers are in a competitive field, they need to get their pictures back to the editors as quickly as they can and this Wi-Fi system allows them to do so," said Bowden.

The upgrades and new units cost just £11,000 in total.

In terms of switches chosen, Edgebaston upgraded from 3Com to HP Pro Curve, deploying two layer 3 switches in the main communications centre and nine edge switches around the periphery.

Bowden explained that he opted for the HP switches because Edgebaston was looking to sell non-match day conference facilities and these switches were robust enough to "allow external devices to plug into the network."

"They will also allow us to sell extra bandwidth to business customers," he added.

The 50 IPTVs also installed around the grounds, including the conference rooms and executive boxes, are all managed via a central console.