North Carolina basketball team Charlotte Hornets’ parent company, Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE), has deployed managed Wi-Fi 7 connectivity at the recently renovated Spectrum Center arena.
HSE owns the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and the Greensboro Swarm (NBA G League), and operates Spectrum Center, which is described by the organisation as the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas.
Through the years, Spectrum Center has hosted more than 2,500 events, and has welcomed more than 25 million guests. The arena celebrated its 20th anniversary last season as it reopened following a two-phased renovation.
The upgrade offered a more modern and open design, with new seating and gathering areas, and modern LED and digital displays. There are also interactive tech-forward partnership portals throughout the venue, for what is said to be a connected, dynamic and “unforgettable” experience.
Spectrum is a suite of communications services offered by Charter Communications, and the installation of Wi-Fi 7 in the Charlotte location marks the first-ever deployment of the technology for Spectrum in an NBA arena nationally. HSE sees this as positioning the Charlotte Hornets among the first NBA teams to bring fans the next generation of wireless connectivity.
HSE says Wi-Fi 7 means faster speeds, lower latency, the ability to support more devices, and greater coverage, ensuring that guests, fans and staff can seamlessly connect during games, concerts and events.
Specifically, Spectrum Center now features nearly 550 Wi-Fi 7 access points throughout the arena, providing connectivity for every seat and space. Wi-Fi 7 connectivity delivers 320 MHz channels, 4K QAM modulation and multi-link operation, unlocking multi-gigabit speeds and enhanced performance.
Among the “game-changing” benefits of Wi-Fi 7 that HSE believes are now available at Spectrum Center includes Wi-Fi 7’s efficiency to support massive device density, ensuring fast, stable connections for fans, artist teams and media simultaneously. In addition, “seamless” arena-wide coverage extends from the event level to the stadium’s Belk Concourse to the Novant Health Suite Level to the Uptown Concourse.
Fans will be able to gain near-instant access to interactive apps, live streaming and immersive experiences, elevating event participation and enjoyment. Enhanced Safety and Venue Monitoring: Wi-Fi 7 strengthens the ability to keep guests safe, with faster alerts, smarter monitoring and seamless communication across the arena.
“Technology is at the heart of how we deliver unforgettable experiences to our guests, and we’re proud to partner with Spectrum on this groundbreaking installation,” said HSE chief information officer Ronnie Bryant.
“With Spectrum’s Wi-Fi 7, we’re not only enhancing connectivity inside our arena, we’re investing in our fans while setting a precedent for how sports and entertainment venues can leverage innovation to engage fans in new and exciting ways. This is yet another example of our organisation’s fans-first focus.”
Deidre Jordan, vice-president of vertical market sales at Spectrum Business, said: “Fans will experience seamless connectivity for their Spectrum Center services, including ticketing, food and beverage orders, guest access to suites, real-time video feeds up to 8k, and more.
“The beginning of the NBA season is perfect timing to introduce Wi-Fi 7 technology, ensuring everyone is connected at a whole new level and setting a new bar in the NBA.”
