PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Business, a unit of Comcast Cable, the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to business and residential customers, today announced that the Washington Nationals selected Comcast Business Ethernet services for a multi-year contract that connects its staff, members of the media, and fans to the Internet. Already equipped with the latest state-of-the-art video and audio technology, Nationals Park has now added a fiber-based Ethernet connection from Comcast capable of delivering up to 1 Gigabit per second of speed to support more people and devices within the ballpark. Comcast is able to deliver these speeds due to decades of investment in building infrastructure to make its fiber network broadly available to meet the high-speed, high-capacity needs of business customers.
After winning the 2012 National League East and finishing the regular season with the best record in baseball, the Nationals organization needed a significant Internet bandwidth upgrade to accommodate the increased fan and media attendance for the team’s playoff run in October. In addition to more fans wanting to stay connected during the games via a reliable WiFi network, the organization also needed to prepare for the larger media contingent who required reliable and fast online access to research statistics, submit stories, transfer videos and images, and interact via various social media channels. With this in mind, the organization chose Comcast to deliver the infrastructure it needed to ensure its success in the years ahead.
“When we first opened the ballpark in March 2008, our fans were not utilizing our WiFi network to the extent that they do now during an average game, which is why we needed to increase the bandwidth supporting our Internet service,” said Jason Zachariah, chief technical officer for the Washington Nationals. “We are always looking for ways to enhance the ballpark experience for our guests, and we look forward to working with Comcast in the coming years to help us keep pace as our technology demands evolve.”
In addition to supporting fans and media by allowing them to connect to the Internet via WiFi at the ballpark, the organization needed more bandwidth for transferring data, photos and videos for its high-definition (HD) video board and FTP access for sending and receiving large files between offices. To improve the fan experience, the Nationals organization also wanted to offer in-seat concession ordering via handheld devices from anywhere within the ballpark, but needed a new system to help facilitate this service.
With an Ethernet Dedicated Internet (EDI) line from Comcast that provides up to 1 Gigabit per second of speed, Nationals Park now has enough capacity to allow thousands of fans to order food and beverages via a website from their wireless devices. The Ethernet line is also used as the backbone for all Internet traffic originating from the ballpark’s WiFi network and supports the press box, as well as video and information feeds for its 4,811 square-foot HD video board in right field.
“Today’s ballparks rely on technology much more than they did years ago, not only to accommodate the needs of their increasingly tech-savvy guests, but also to ensure the successful operation of the park,” said Bill Stemper, president of Comcast Business. “By delivering an advanced infrastructure that not only provides high amounts of bandwidth, but also offers the scalability to grow with the business as its needs change, Comcast is helping a number of baseball franchises like the Nationals achieve their goals, both on and off the field.”
About Comcast Business
Comcast Business, a unit of Comcast Cable, provides advanced communication solutions to help organizations of all sizes meet their business objectives. Through a modern, advanced network that is backed by 24/7 technical support, Comcast delivers Business Internet, TV and Voice services for cost-effective, simplified communications management.
The Comcast Business Ethernet suite offers high-performance point-to-point and multi-point Ethernet services with the capacity to deliver cloud computing, software-as-a-service, business continuity/disaster recovery and other bandwidth-intensive applications. Comcast Ethernet services are significantly faster than standard T1 lines and other legacy technologies, providing scalable bandwidth from 1 Mbps up to 10 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) in more than 20 major US markets.
For more information, call 866-429-3085 or visit http://business.comcast.com/enterprise.
Follow us on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.
About Comcast Cable
Comcast Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to businesses and residential customers. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
