Cell Reception on Gameday

[GulfCoastDawg]

This would be solved if MSU would allow access to their wireless campus network. Currently you have to be a student, faculty or staff to obtain the password, but guests can be given a "password of the day" by someone with a MSU Net ID account. http://www.its.msstate.edu/services/internet/ But, instead of this why not make the password available to all on game day? You can change it for every home game and the university could even use it as a type of advertisement (HailState) or remind people which color to wear (Maroon) and publish it on the Game Day page of hailstate.com next to the radio and TV coverage information.

We wouldn't be able to make phone calls, but at least we could order our dawgsnax, check scores, send imessages (for iphone users) and tweet play calls to Dan. Sticklin of all people knows the value of social media. With everyone, not just Version customers, having access to their phones during the game it allows for people to live tweet or FB the Davis Wade game day experience. The free advertisement of having something like #MSU or #DavisWade tending on twitter is priceless.

With that said, I have no idea of MSU's network capabilities and if it could support 55K people tweeting "catch the damn ball" to Joe Marrow all at the same time, but it's an idea. Any thoughts?


I decided to make this it's own thread because I'd like some feedback to see what everyone else thinks. Does anyone already connect to the guest network in other ways? I know this is only a partial solution since some would still not be able to make or receive calls, but is better than my phone essentially being a large clock on game day.

 

[RocketDawg]

Even Verizon was sluggish at times, but I was able to tweet offensive plays to Dan and defensive ones to Wilson well enough. That didn't turn out too well though ....

 

[FlabLoser]

I doubt MSU's wifi network could handle gameday wifi traffic. Not without some big infrastructure changes.

 

[Faustdog]

I use Verizon, and I thought the complaints about lack of connection on gameday last year were overblown. I didn't have any real problems tweeting or posting pics online during the games I attended. I also used MSU's guest wifi with my laptop at my tailgate. I don't remember having to get a password. It worked very well. I was even able to stream video with no problems.

 

[RougeDawg]

Wait... Didnt AT&T pump in a bunch of infrastructure...

Last year so we could use our phones on campus during game days?**

Only thing my iPhone is good for, once I approach DWS, is a camera.

 

[Spidey.sixpack]

I have no problem with Verizon. Used to have a problem with AT&T. Is this just a problem at MSU games? Did anybody have issues at the Gator Bowl?

 

[MrHooch]

Last year so we could use our phones on campus during game days?**

Only thing my iPhone is good for, once I approach DWS, is a camera.

Oh you mean that thing they've been promising to do for the last four years? Nope, still haven't done ****... 17 AT&T.

 

[rabiddawg]

No. According to Stricklin AT&T has rented out space in DWS and has space allocated for the infrastructure (repeaters, broadcasters and whatnot) but has not given the university any kind of timeline as to when they will even be interested in upgrading service to stadium. The infrastructure in place now simply can't support 55,000 cellular customers in one spot. That is why as soon as you leave DWS(crowd disperses) then your service slowly returns. The farther away you get the better the service is. This is also why Verizon and Sprint customers have better luck. They make up only about 20% of the people with cell phones in DWS on game day.

 

[rabiddawg]

The problem is % of customers in one place versus another. Overwhelmingly, people have AT&T service so their network gets flooded in the area around DWS with people phones trying to gain access to AT&T service plus all the people tailgating too. Verizon customers, on the other hand, make up a very slim portion of the crowd so their network is more easily accessible.

 

[SignalToNoise]

I highly doubt MSU's IT department is going to want even a fraction of that many people on the network even if its for just a few hours.

 

[Jacknut1]

AT&T would suck if there were only 500 people at the game. Can't believe people give them money, but like P.T. Barnum said...

 

[billsimmonds]

The MSU wireless guest network is already opened on weekends of home football games with no password needed...Friday through Sunday.

Edit: There are access points outside the stadium, but not inside the stadium except in certain areas. Think about it, you have 3x as many people in the stadium than you would ever typically have on campus on an average day. The infrastructure just can't handle it. And the students, faculty and staff are connecting to a completely different wireless network where they authenticate in with their NetID and password...so they aren't tying up the guess network on gameday.

 

[aTotal360]

That network is bogged down worse than ATT's. All the students are on it.

 

[dogfan96]

If you live in a decent sized city, AT&T is fine...

Verizon's network is better nationwide, but they're also more expensive

 

[AlanDawg]

I'm a current student at MSU and even the wifi will not work in the stadium on gamedays. Usually the wifi doesnt even work in basketball games while the AT&T service will

 

[rabiddawg]

That's so funny because my AT&T service is flawless all over the nation except in large stadiums during football games and at DNF. My dad still lives near Bay Springs and I get perfect service there. My brothers Verizon service he has to talk on dad's porch to pick it up. Verizon is horrible once you leave major cities

 

[rabiddawg]

I've never been able to have any luck with the WiFi in either DWS or DNF

 

[Maroonthirteen]

I have no problem with Verizon. Used to have a problem with AT&T. Is this just a problem at MSU games? Did anybody have issues at the Gator Bowl?

Not just at State. My AT&T service wouldn't work at the Egg Bowl this year. It didn't work in the Liberty Bowl a few year ago either.

 

[pDigital32Dawg]

I think they should invest in a wifi service unique to the stadiums and charge each user a minimum of $1 per game to use the service. I think they could reel in an easy $10k per game, and if it is a success, $20-$40k per game midway through the season. Again that would require some major work to design the system to support the increased traffic, and monitor it. I would certainly be in favor switching to wifi and not rely on 3G/4G to get updates of other games.

I just cannot gauge the number of people who actually use the internet during the game. I know there is always 2-3 people in my surrounding area checking for score updates and game stats through out the football games.

 

[codeDawg]

AT&T should bring in C.O.W.s (funny, I know), but they don't. I just said 17 it and switched to Verizon. Now I not only get coverage, but LTE to boot. My service down 78 from Memphis to Tupelo was crap on AT&T too. Now it's great the whole trip. ★★★★★, would buy again.