Cellnex “connects” the Liceu to broadband

Under the Patronage agreement

The telecommunications services and infrastructure operator has equipped the Theatre with a new Wi-Fi system and a DAS system for mobile voice and data coverage

Barcelona, 4th June 2018.  Cellnex Telecom and the Gran Teatre del Liceu Foundation have signed a collaboration agreement to equip the Theatre with a new broadband Wi-Fi service. The wireless signal coverage, which extends to all of the public spaces and facilities of the Liceu, also improves the connectivity experience of the subscribers, spectators and visitors to the Theatre, who can use the web portal to access value-added services such as exclusive offers and promotions.

The telecommunications services and infrastructure operator has equipped the Liceu with a Smart Wi-Fi system consisting of a group of fifty Wi-Fi access antennas, located in the main spaces of the Theatre, in particular the foyer, the stalls and the Hall of Mirrors, as well as the stairs, office floors and meeting rooms, among others.

Mobile phone coverage with DAS technology

Within the connectivity improvement actions, Cellnex has also equipped the Liceu with DAS (Distributed Antenna System) technology to boost mobile voice and data coverage – and in future to pave the way for the roll-out of 5G – , for mobile operators. DAS technology is a neutral high-capacity and multi-operator infrastructure, especially prepared to provide coverage in high footfall areas. In this way, users can utlise either the Wi-Fi network or mobile broadband to enjoy full connectivity through their mobile device while in the theatre area.

Cellnex has extensive experience in deploying telecommunications infrastructures for the improvement of connectivity in indoor and outdoor spaces with a high footfall. The company has equipped sports stadiums, skyscrapers, shopping centres with parking areas, airports, metro lines, railway stations and city centres, to name just a few.

Valentí Oviedo, General Manager of the Liceu, underlined “the cooperation begun with Cellnex Telecom, which has made it possible to improve connectivity for the spectators in the Liceu and to extend their experience. We want the Liceu to be an open and accessible institution, which is why we aim to provide our users with a window through which to share their experiences at the Teatre, beyond that of the show itself”.

Toni Brunet, Cellnex Director of Public and Corporate Affairs, highlighted “the satisfaction we feel in linking Cellnex’s patronage to the Liceu with an action that is related to our expertise as a telecommunications infrastructure operator, while providing the Gran Teatre del Liceu with state-of-the-art broadband connectivity and data access which, in the future, may evolve towards the introduction and roll-out of new standards such as 5G”.

About Cellnex Telecom

Cellnex Telecom is Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures with a total portfolio of +28,000 sites throughout Europe, including forecast roll-outs up to 2022. The company operates in six countries: Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Cellnex’s business is structured in four major areas: telecommunications infrastructure 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. Cellnex is also part of the FTSE4GOOD and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and “Standard Ethics” sustainability indexes.

About the Gran Teatre del Liceu Foundation

The Gran Teatre del Liceu, created in 1847 on the Rambla de Barcelona, is an opera house that has continued to function as a cultural and artistic centre over the years. In its more than 150-year history, it has become a benchmark for national and international lyric arts, where world-class soloists and creative groups come to play. It is among the 15 most important theatres worldwide.

As an opera house, the mission of the Gran Teatre del Liceu is to create and plan works of art that have music as their preferred medium and to spread this art to the largest possible number of citizens. In addition to opera, it mainly offers dance and symphonic music within its programme of events. The main instrument used to this end is artistic planning, which is set by what is called the “Master Plan” signed between public administrations and the Theatre.