Cellnex provides high-speed connection at the Rome’s PalaLottomatica

The Company has equipped the emblematic sports arena with a DAS network & optical fibre, ready for 5G

Milano, 1^st October 2019 – Cellnex has announced that it has installed and tested its multi-operator DAS (Distributed Antennas System) communications system for the transmission of all technologies, up to LTE+, at Rome’s PalaLottomatica sports arena, making it possible to provide mobile connection services that guarantee users both a high performance in terms of data transmission capacity and a large number of simultaneously connected users.

The PalaLottomatica, designed in 1960 by the engineer Pierluigi Nervi for the Olympics, is the largest events venue in the capital and is considered a masterpiece of Italian rationalism. Over the years, the more than 11,000-capacity venue has played host to the brightest stars of Italian and international music as well as major sports events, shows and other displays.

The layout and design of the large circular Central Arena, which is 45 metres in diameter and up to 35 metres high, is a significant challenge for providing sufficient cellular network connection. Nonetheless, the solution installed by Cellnex overcomes these problems by offering stable and dedicated multi-operator coverage, including on the stands of the Arena and in the press area, and in the various dedicated indoor areas such as conference rooms and administrative offices.

The system installed by Cellnex makes it possible to broadcast signal from the main national mobile operators with 2G, 3G, 4G and 4.5G technologies and is already enabled to handle fifth-generation (5G) technologies and standards.

The contracts agreed with the operators, which are valid up to nine years, cover design, supply, installation, testing and maintenance of the infrastructure;  as well as infrastructure supervision and optimisation services.

Giovanni Curione, Cellnex Sales Director for MNOs stated “Thanks to this initiative, all Palalottomatica spectators can connect at once, sharing their experiences through live video and photos during matches or concerts, and can take advantage of innovative services using their latest-generation smartphones with the guarantee of a stable and high-performance connection.”

Giacomo Palumbo, Cellnex Sales Director for Enterprise & Public Administration, added: “This operation represents another step forward for Cellnex to bolster its activities related to DAS and Small Cells applications in Italy where today the Group manages over 1,500 multi-system and multi-operator nodes.  In Milan, for example, in recent years we have handled some complex projects, including the underground, the San Siro stadium and the Niguarda Hospital. Our projects are always studied on the basis of the specific connectivity needs of our customers and guarantee the same service to all mobile operators; The arrival of 5G will soon herald new frontiers and increasingly faster data connections will be needed. Thanks to Cellnex’s optical fibre DAS system we have made the PalaLottomatica future-proof.” 

About Cellnex Telecom

Cellnex Telecom is Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures with a portfolio of 46,000 sites including forecast roll-outs up to 2027. Cellnex operates in Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Cellnex’s business is structured in four major areas: telecommunication infrastructures services; audiovisual broadcasting networks; security and emergency service networks and solutions for smart urban infrastructure and services management (Smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT)).

The company is listed on the continuous market of the Spanish stock exchange and is part of the selective IBEX 35 and EuroStoxx 600 indices. It is also part of the FTSE4GOOD and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and “Standard Ethics” sustainability indexes.

Cellnex’s reference shareholders include ConnecT, with a 29.9% stake in the share capital, as well as CriteriaCaixa, Blackrock, Wellington Management Group and Canada Pension Plan, holding smaller stakes.