MLBAM, Qualcomm Team Up to Enhance In-Venue Connectivity

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, and MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, announced a multi-year engineering and technology agreement, establishing a collaborative effort to survey, plan, and optimize mobile network connectivity for fans at supported MLB ballparks. In association with the program, Qualcomm has been named as an official technology partner of MLBAM, which is unique in that network engineers from QTI will be working directly with a major professional sports property to address these connectivity challenges.

As part of the agreement, an engineering team will provide in-ballpark assessment and planning for wireless access including Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G. Select ballpark reviews are underway and will continue over the next two years. QTI engineers were selected for having the technical and connectivity expertise to assess and recommend solutions. These engineers also will conduct extensive tests to ensure connectivity is optimized.

Qualcomm Incorporated and, more recently, QTI have been providing operators with consulting and network optimization services for high-density venues, such as stadiums, convention centers, and airports for more than a decade. These services have been used to help enhance connectivity at premier events like the Super Bowl, Olympics, national conventions, and NCAA championship games.

“Mobile data traffic is exploding, particularly in high-traffic areas such as Major League Baseball ballparks,” said Anand Chandrasekher , senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Qualcomm. “Qualcomm has been preparing for an astounding 1000x increase in data demand, and we are leading the charge with MLBAM to provide passionate baseball fans with access to digital content, resulting in unparalleled in-ballpark experiences.”

“Collaborating with an industry leader such as Qualcomm is a critical step in understanding and executing on the engineering challenges to achieve scalable, reliable in-venue connectivity,” said Joe Inzerillo , MLBAM senior vice president, content technology and chief technology officer. “Consumer demand continues its ascension as the majority of MLB.com traffic comes from mobile devices, a line our fans first crossed in July 2010. Qualcomm’s experience and expertise will be a valuable resource in this process.”