Small Cell as a Service connects football fans in Poland

Visitors to the Legia Warszawa Municipal Stadium will enjoy carrier-grade Wi-Fi connectivity and value-added services

Ericsson will provide a managed services solution that includes Wi-Fi technology and planning, design, implementation, integration, optimization and maintenance services

Legia Warszawa will develop a mobile app that makes it possible for spectators to access live video broadcasts and newsfeeds, order fast food and buy merchandise

Legia Warszawa has become the first football club in Europe to sign a Small Cell as a Service contract with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC). The six-year agreement will ensure that visitors to the municipal stadium in Warszawa can enjoy carrier-grade Wi-Fi connectivity and value-added services accessible via a mobile app. Under the Small Cell as a Service business model launched at Mobile World Congress in 2014, Ericsson will provide Legia Warszawa with a complete, managed solution. It includes technology such as carrier-grade Wi-Fi access points, IP routers and Ethernet switches, as well as planning, design, implementation, integration, optimization and maintenance services.

Legia Warszawa will develop a mobile app that maximizes the value of the connectivity provided by Ericsson. Using the app, spectators will be able to access live video broadcasts and newsfeeds, order fast food and buy merchandise. Ericsson will also enable Legia Warszawa to further monetize the connectivity and mobile app through advertising.

Jakub Szumielewicz, Vice President of Legia Warszawa, says: When we were searching for a partner for this Wi-Fi project and Ericsson told us about their innovative Small Cell as a Service business model and how they could turn our home stadium into a connected venue, we were immediately interested. Our club will be 100 years old next year, and it will be great to start our second century with a stadium that provides cutting-edge mobile connectivity and value-added services. We are very happy to introduce such a solution - the first of its kind in Poland and one of the first in Europe. This way we can strengthen our position as a leader in sports business transformation. Legia Warszawa is always searching for strong partners with recognized brands who can guarantee the success of such a project - and Ericsson is that type of partner.

Jean-Claude Geha, Vice President and Head of Managed Services at Ericsson, says: Thousands of people turn up to watch Legia Warszawa play football and the club naturally wants to keep it that way. By supplementing the network capacity provided by local operators with carrier-grade Wi-Fi, we can ensure that large crowds of visiting fans can continue to share photos, tweets and e-mails - while also introducing value-added services that football fans can access via a customized mobile app. Small Cell as a Service is a business model that ensures we can do all of this in the most cost-effective way, while working closely with our customer as a partner to provide a superior experience for end users.

Together with Legia Warszawa, the first sports club to sign a Small Cell as a Service deal, Ericsson looks forward to demonstrating the multiple advantages of connected venues.

Ericsson at Mobile World Congress 2015

During Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain, Ericsson is showing world-leading technology, service capabilities, and innovations. The Networked Society is transforming entire industries. ICT tools have become fundamental everyday resources for businesses, people and society. We lead the way with hardware, services and software solutions that drive development in mobility, broadband and cloud, creating the foundation for new eco-systems, and transformation across industries. The change that transformation brings is in the hands of everyone. That is why we at Mobile World Congress this year will talk about how we enable change-makers in the Networked Society to advance digital experiences.

You can find us at MWC in Hall 2, Stand 2N60. Follow us during the event using @Ericsson and join the discussion using #MWC15. Insights from our experts and Networked Society evangelists are also published on our blog during the event.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Legia Warszawa

Legia Warszawa founded in 1916 by soldiers of the Polish Legions represents Polands most recognized soccer club both domestically and abroad. Legia is the all-time league leader having won the Polish Championship 11 times, the Polish Cup 16 times and winning other trophies.

Our stadium opened in 2010 is a newly construed impressive and modern facility meeting the highest European standards of the UEFA Elite class. The modern design of the spectators areas, high quality and comfortable seats in all sectors allow a good view from any stand providing comfort and convenience hence an unprecedented quality to watch football matches.

With the capacity of 31,000 people, a fully roofed stadium is a comfortable, safe and versatile venue. The VIP area can accommodate almost 2000 of the most demanding guests. Public circulation areas, both access and egress gates, are considerately designed to avoid congestion and to secure the smooth flow of crowds. There are numerous refreshment and catering spots, a sport restaurant, a museum and a gift shop, as well as conference and banquet rooms.

Managed Services press backgrounder

Small Cell as a Service press backgrounder

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