21581 - SCTE Broadband August2022 COMPLETE v1

23 Vol. 44 No. 3 - September 2022 Issue industry news Staying connected at live action events Data peaks have also been recorded at flagship British events including Wimbledon, Silverstone and Glastonbury. During the Wimbledon fortnight, Virgin Media O2 recorded a huge spike across its masts in the area, handling over 35TB of data, roughly the equivalent of half a million Instagram stories*. To support its largest ever volume of network traffic at the Championships – up almost 50% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019 – the operator deployed several additional temporary sites alongside its existing local network masts, keeping fans connected and able to stream throughout. Virgin Media O2 also saw a significant uplift in data traffic at Silverstone, where it deployed temporary sites across the circuit to help fans capture and share the action at the British Grand Prix. The masts delivered 4G and 5G services, with traffic reaching 21TB on 4G as customers enjoyed the action. At Glastonbury, Virgin Media O2 also installed multiple temporary sites, ensuring music fans stayed connected throughout the iconic festival. Investing to upgrade the UK Virgin Media O2 has heavily invested in its network to boost connectivity and continue to meet demand driven by large scale events and staycations. In the past 12 months, over 34,000 seaside and coastal postcodes were upgraded with 4G capacity and over 22,000 with 5G capacity, from July 2021 to June 2022. Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer, said: “The hot weather is helping drive record-breaking data levels across our mobile network, showing that across the UK, people are getting outside and enjoying themselves or escaping to seek out shade. From temporary masts at flagship events, to 4G upgrades across rural areas, we’re helping Brits stay connected while they do the things they love. “Whether people are heading to the beach or to watch their favourite band perform live, we’re providing reliable connectivity where people need it most – all part of our mission of upgrading the UK.” For more information, see www.virginmediao2.co.uk