Vodafone sees record data used at Wimbledon
July 20, 2023
Vodafone data usage figures that show 770GB of data was uploaded and 3,980GB downloaded during the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Singles Finals at Wimbledon 2023.
Some 15,000 tennis fans packed out Centre Court for the Finals on July 15th and 16th to watch Marketa Vondroušová walk away with the ladies’ singles trophy after beating Ons Jabeur in a tense final, and 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz clinch the gentlemen’s singles title against reigning champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller.
More than 530,000 tennis-fans attended The Championships over the course of the two weeks. Vodafone can reveal that a total of 64TB of data was consumed during this time, with the demand increasing by 36.5 per cent from 2022 – the most Vodafone data ever used at the tournament.
As Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, Vodafone has continued to invest in its Wimbledon network, creating a more reliable network for future tournaments. Even with crowds of up to 42,000 at the tournament each day, Vodafone’s network delivered consistently fast speeds for its customers.
Wimbledon was one of the first major events at which Vodafone customers benefited from its new 5G Standalone connectivity. Whereas the existing 5G service offered by telecoms companies relies partly on 4G technology, Vodafone’s 5G standalone is the fully upgraded 5G network, with every element upgraded and future-proofed.
Known as 5G Ultra, the service adds 5G Standalone connectivity to the existing 5G network customers already enjoy, giving them a more reliable experience and creating the most technologically advanced network in the UK. For those with a compatible handset, this means greater 5G coverage and improved phone battery life, more reliable connections in busy locations and amazingly fast 5G speeds.
As part of its continued commitment to using 5G technology to enhance live experiences, Vodafone has been trialling new 5G-powered GiveVision headsets on Centre Court and No.1 Court at Wimbledon this year, so visually impaired fans could watch live tennis like never before.
Live footage is streamed from local TV cameras over Vodafone 5G to the GiveVision headsets, which enhance the footage to suit the person’s specific sight profile. The new technology means fans can watch the action from anywhere in the stands, showcasing how the power of 5G technology can help make sport more accessible to more people.
By bringing its 5G Ultra to events such as Wimbledon, Vodafone is driving greater innovation for consumers as part of its commitment to creating Europe’s leading 5G network. The recently proposed merger with Three UK would create a merged company with the scale to deliver 5G Standalone for more than 99 per cent of the UK’s populated areas by 2034, delivered through an £11 billion investment in the network over the next decade.