20 September 2017

KBR used Cambium’s APs to setup eight different Wi-Fi networks in eight different cities over eight successive days.

Cambium Networks and Wi-Fi specialist KBR helped to keep thousands of people online during the recent Tour of Britain cycling event.

KBR used 16 of Cambium’s cnPilot e500s outdoor access points for the nationwide event which ran from 3-9 September.

As well as providing Wi-Fi coverage to spectators, staff and media at the finishing line of each of the tour’s eight stages, the APs also enabled internet access for the event’s hospitality suites, public viewing spots and the sponsors’ exhibition.

In addition, the network was used by staff to collect race statistics and information, as well as provide them with reliable communications and connectivity to the service vehicles. 

Based in County Durham, KBR has provided Wi-Fi at the annual Tour of Britain’s event for the last four years. Speaking just before the event began at the end of August, the company’s technical director Gareth Tomlin described Cambium’s solution as “incredibly easy to deploy”

He said this was crucial when setting up eight different Wi-Fi networks in eight different cities over eight successive days. 

He added that depending on the size of the run down to the finish line, KBR could put up as many or as few APs as required and mesh them together quickly and efficiently. 

“This overcomes the complexities this situation presents, with potential challenges including the network’s physical infrastructure, the number of people accessing the service simultaneously, and the Wi-Fi range,” said Tomlin.

According to Cambium, the 802.11ac e500s provided KBR with faster meshing and high throughput, making the network easier to manage and configure. The company says its solution eliminated the need for a central Wi-Fi controller, and claims this meant there was no single point of failure and that the network was able to cope with the thousands of people potentially using the service at one time.