EE, the popular mobile network provider, is testing a 5G-powered WiFi at Glastonbury which runs from 26th-30th June. It will be the first time this technology is used at a UK festival and comes ahead of it being rolled out to other cities and events later this year.
Five temporary masts will be placed around the 1,100-acre site in Somerset, allowing festival-goers access to 3G, 4G and, for the first time, 5G networks.
Over 200,000 festival-goers are expected to attend Glastonbury this year and EE predicts it will need to provide an estimated 70 terabytes of data (equivalent to 784million Instagram posts!)
The 5G internet speed will double that of 4G. Pete Jeavons, EE and BT’s marketing and communications director said, “Smartphones have become a festival must-have with more and more data being consumed at Glastonbury Festival.
“We are committed to building a network powerful enough to cope with this huge demand. With the introduction of 5G this year, we are able to trial this new technology at Worthy Farm and make history as the UK’s first 5G-connected festival.”
Emily Eavis, the festival co-organiser, commented, “We’re extremely pleased to have EE back again, providing the best possible network for our rural site. It’s great that we’re going to be one of the first places in the UK to offer 5G.”
A decent WiFi connection is vital to brands, suppliers and sponsors at festivals, as well as the festival organiser themselves, to maximise audience engagement.
As they did in previous years, EE is also expected to provide phone-charging tents, as well as sell swappable power bars, to keep partyers fully charged.
Author: Molly Hookings
Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com
