Cisco Powers Wi-Fi Network at MWC 2017

Catching up on emails some two months after the event, I finally got a look at the impressive Wi-Fi network metrics from Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, where Cisco again worked with the GSMA to successfully provide one of the world’s largest carrier-grade Wi-Fi networks.

During the event at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, more than 108,000 attendees from 208 countries had access to free Wi-Fi on the high-density network consisting of Cisco SP Wi-Fi and Cisco Meraki solutions. During the four days over 100,000 Internet-connected devices generated a total of 59 terabytes of traffic. An analysis of the unprecedented volume of Wi-Fi data reveals some interesting facts:

Over 100,000 Internet-enabled devices were connected, a 4% increase over MWC 2016;

3 gigabytes per second of peak Internet traffic was achieved;

59 terabytes of data were carried, a 17% increase over the prior year;

Peak concurrent devices reached nearly 30,000;

Delivering a carrier-grade Wi-Fi service in a venue as large as the Fira Gran Via requires precise planning, monitoring and management. A team of Cisco network engineers worked closely with the Fira staff in the months prior to the event to prepare the network for the four-day conference and exhibition. This year, we saw that the Wi-Fi network became more important to a successful MWC event than ever before. Attendees received high-speed Wi-Fi service for business and general communications use, and the Fira offered tiered Wi-Fi services to meet the varying needs of exhibitors in the halls. As we’ve done in previous MWC events, Cisco is proud to have played an important role in making this happen, and to have collaborated closely with the Fira de Barcelona and the GSMA to deliver a great experience for the event.

Watch this video for a nice summary of the Cisco Meraki and Universal Wi-Fi solutions in action at Mobile World Congress:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmfwTY32WDI