Smart City Networks has completed a significant upgrade to the wireless network at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando. The $1.4 million Wi-Fi upgrade will enhance connectivity by supporting more wireless devices, like smartphones and tablets, as well as increase connection and download speeds.
The Wi-Fi network upgrade increased the number of wireless access points throughout the
facility from 468 to 830 and doubled the quantity of wireless controllers. With these and the other technical upgrades complete, the Wi-Fi network at the OCCC is now officially designated as a high-density network.
The new Wi-Fi network officially debuts this month, and one of the first facility customers to utilize it will be the electronic retailer Best Buy during a series of events the company is holding this month, including the Home Holiday Kickoff and the Connectivity Business Group.
For these events, Smart City Networks staff at the OCCC also provided a dedicated 100-megabyte hard-lined vendor network. The wireless network will be dual-brand broadcast in the meeting rooms and concourses with a 5-gigahertz (GHz) broadcast signal in the exhibit halls reducing the occurrence of network interference. Devices that support the wireless N standard (802.11n) can utilize the higher-frequency 5GHz band to take advantage of additional channels that are less prone to interference.
“Today, people are carrying two and three wireless devices and are downloading more content than ever before,” said Kathie Canning, general manager, OCCC. “Working with Smart City Networks, we were able to enhance the capability for people to communicate via email, social media and online in spite of how many people or how many devices are trying to connect to the network. These upgrades greatly reduce the network congestion and will improve connectivity for everyone.”
Founded more than 25 years ago, Smart City Networks is a provider of event telecommunications and technology in the convention industry. Smart City Networks designs, installs and maintains data, voice, electrical and utility platforms, coupled with voice, video and data network engineering, security and monitoring. Providing technology services to more than 3,000 conventions and meetings annually, Smart City Networks currently serves more than 35 convention and meeting facilities across the U.S., totaling more than 17 million square feet of exhibit space.
