Ericsson tailors swift Tele2 5G upgrade to Sweden’s top arena

Ericsson and Tele2 have upgraded the Swedish national Friends Arena in Stockholm with 5G in time for the Taylor Swift tour.

The arena is named after the children’s rights organization Friends,

 Tele2 plans to upgrade all Swedish stadiums with Ericsson 5G technology to meet the demand for connectivity, mobile ticketing, and live TV broadcasts.

Around 150,000 fans from 130 countries attended a three-day series of concerts last week at the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

“With the expansion of 5G into arenas, we’re unlocking new possibilities for concerts with over 50,000 attendees,” said Yogesh Malik, Executive Vice President and CTIO at Tele2. Nora Wahby, Head of Customer Unit Northern and Central Europe, added, “Upgrading the arena with 5G enhances the fan experience and allows for new features of sharing and co-creating live entertainment that merge the physical and digital worlds, yet to be fully explored. The high-speed, low-latency capacity can support the full entertainment infrastructure, such as cost-effective TV broadcasts and live streaming, instant control of sound and lighting, in addition to enhancing the live fan experience.”

The smart stadium market is projected to increase in value from EUR 13.1 billion in 2023 to EUR 31.7 billion by 2028, according to Ericsson research. The 5G upgrade utilizes new frequency bands, including the 3.5GHz 5G mid-band.

“The rollout of 5G at the Friends Arena represents a significant leap forward in enhancing fan experiences and unlocking new opportunities for innovation within the entertainment and sports industry. Tele2 and Ericsson remain committed to delivering cutting-edge 5G solutions that redefine the way fans engage with live events, setting a new standard for immersive, connected experiences,” said Ericsson.