SPORTS

Packers beef up Lambeau Field Wi-Fi

Richard Ryman

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The focus of the Packers' $55 million renovation over the next two years is to add operable windows to private suites.

Improved wireless service in Lambeau Field is ready for the start of the football season, the Green Bay Packers say.

The Packers will host their first preseason game on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team said Thursday that Extreme Networks of San Jose, Calif., installed a high-density infrastructure to accommodate a large number of users of mobile sites and apps. The system consists of about 1,000 wireless access points, 300 miles of copper cabling and 50 miles of fiber-optic cabling.

The system was tested during summer stadium events, including the Kenny Chesney concert, the Packers Hall of Fame induction banquet and the annual shareholders meeting.

The team said it also worked with Verizon Wireless, its official wireless provider, which has its own network in the stadium, to improve Wi-Fi services.

"We ... know that fans want to be able to use their mobile phones while at the game," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said. "This year we decided to make a major commitment to Wi-Fi service ... our fans should see a big difference this year in terms of connectivity."

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