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Networking provider CommScope has announced it has embarked on the installation of the world's first wideband multimode fibre (WBMMF) solution at an arena in California.
The Golden 1 Center is currently under construction in Sacramento and, when complete in October, it will be the home of the Sacramento Kings NBA team. With a capacity of 17,500 - expandable to 19,000 for events such as concerts - it is being touted as one of the most advanced venues in the world.
Chief technology officer at the Sacramento Kings Ryan Montoya said: "Golden 1 Center will be the smartest and most connected venue in the world, providing a seamless and intuitive experience for our fans and attendees."
He added: "We believe connectivity is critical to the venue experience of the future, and CommScope’s network technology was the best choice to make that a reality."
As part of this, CommScope has deployed its WBMMF cabling as the backbone of the facility's data centre, while the company will also be supporting all wired and wireless communications throughout the arena.
WBMMF fibre was recently standardised by the Telecommunications Industry Association in a specification known as TIA-492AAAE, and is also approved for use in cabling by the emerging revision of the North American structured cabling standard known as ANSI/TIA-568.3-D.
The technology uses advancements in signal transmission capacity in fibre optic cables to allow for a reduction in the number of fibres needed, as well as an increase in total channel capacity. WBMMF supports the use of multiple wavelengths, reducing parallel fibre counts by at least a factor of four. For example, it supports two-fibre Ethernet at 40 Gigabits per second (Gbps), 100 Gbps, and in the future, 200 Gbps.
The Sacramento Kings have also signed a multi-year deal with communications provider Comcast to take full advantage of this infrastructure, with the firm providing two 100Gbps Ethernet dedicated circuits. This will enable the team to offer free Wi-Fi access for all fans, support the Kings' mobile app, and deliver cloud-based voice and unified communications services for team members at the arena and at the team's corporate offices.
It was noted this will provide the Golden 1 Center with a connection around 17,000 times faster that the average US home internet, with enough bandwidth to handle more than 225,000 Instagram photo posts every second.
As well as being the sole supplier of WBMMF technology, CommScope is also delivering other key elements of the venue's network infrastructure including more than 900 miles of TeraSPEED® ZWP singlemode fibre and SYSTIMAX® GigaSPEED® X10D copper cabling, which support more than 3,000 outlets.
David Redfern, senior vice-president at CommScope Connectivity Solutions, said: "CommScope is heavily involved in fibre optic standards development, helping drive advancements like wideband multimode fibre from conception to implementation. We congratulate the Sacramento Kings on this first deployment of wideband multimode fibre and expect it to be the networking foundation for an exceptional fan experience for years to come."
