Ericsson 5G to power fans’ connectivity experiences at Rugby World Cup in France

As the world gears up for the much-anticipated 2023 Rugby World Cup beginning in September, fans attending the event can expect to experience superior connectivity thanks to Ericsson’s widespread deployment of 5G radio technology, including mid-band.

France, a frontrunner in Europe for the deployment of 5G mid-band (3.5 GHz), is well positioned to meet the vast connectivity requirements expected for the record number of domestic and international fans travelling to the French capital and eight additional cities hosting World Cup matches. France already has extensive, high-quality 5G network coverage. According to the latest figures published by Arcep¹ (the French electronic communications regulator), as of March 31, 2023, France had deployed 41,789 5G sites, more than half of which (22,134) for 3.5 GHz band.

5G is transforming the traditional spectator experience, providing a platform for fans at events and those watching across the globe to co-create and share in interactive moments that blend the physical and digital worlds. Mid-band will be an essential enabler for fans to enjoy these experiences whilst attending matches, offering the optimal trade-off of high speeds, capacity, and coverage. This will guarantee fans enjoy uninterrupted and seamless connectivity, even in highly dense mobile traffic environments expected wherever they are in the country. Ericsson’s commitment to enabling superior connectivity experiences aligns with the ever-evolving demands of sports enthusiasts, who are increasingly sharing and consuming live HD video streams at major events.

Christian Leon, Head of Ericsson France, says: “We are expecting great enthusiasm from French and international supporters during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Ericsson’s solutions will enable fans to enjoy mobile broadband experiences.  France’s leadership in 5G mid-band deployment will meet the high connectivity demands of fans who will want to stay connected and share these intense moments with their families and communities in real time.”

Outside of the spectator experience, 5G is enabling athletes and teams to train and play at their best. In preparation for the World Cup, Ericsson and Vodafone have worked together with the Irish national rugby team to utilize state-of-the-art 5G Mobile Private Network (MPN) technology for real-time capturing and analysis of performance data, providing enhanced communication and feedback between coaches and players.

According to Ericsson’s latest Mobility report for June 2023, 17% of users in Europe are consuming more than 20 GB per month and generate 81% of total traffic. Video sharing is shown to be the most significant influence on the volume of mobile data exchanged.

¹https://www.arcep.fr/cartes-et-donnees/nos-cartes/5g/derniers-chiffres.html