Three upgrades mobile network at Croke Park and Aviva Stadium

Communications firm says €1.2m works targeted some of Ireland’s busiest and most demanding locations

An aerial view of Croke Park. A €1.2m programme of mobile network upgrades including at Croke Park and Aviva Stadium will help Three Ireland deal with peak demand during high profile matches and concerts, the company said on Tuesday.  Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

A €1.2m programme of mobile network upgrades including at Croke Park and Aviva Stadium will help Three Ireland deal with peak demand during high profile matches and concerts, the company said on Tuesday. 

The communications firm says the works targeted some of Ireland’s busiest and most demanding locations, improving mobile performance in high‑footfall environments including major stadiums, live entertainment venues, and transport hubs.

The upgrades form part of a larger €1.1bn long-term national investment in upgrading and expanding Three's network and IT infrastructure. The latest phase includes Croke Park, Aviva Stadium, 3Arena, Dublin Airport, and Dundrum Town Centre. 

“Large venues and busy public spaces place unique demands on mobile networks, as data usage continues to grow," said Three Ireland director of radio access networks Declan Gaffney.

Thousands of people in one place all want to share content, communicate, pay and stay connected at the same time. "These upgrades are about making sure connectivity works when it matters most, both in everyday settings and in the places people come together in large numbers," said Three Ireland director of radio access networks Declan Gaffney.

At 3Arena, which has a capacity of up to 13,000 people, performance testing said the upgrades meant uploading a 5MB video took an average of 2.5 seconds compared to an average of six seconds before the works.

Three Ireland dominates the Irish mobile market, with a market share of just under 50%, according to ComReg figures. 

Three recently completed in‑building mobile upgrades at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 and Dundrum Town Centre. The company said it will also be upgrading its network at the Electric Picnic this year, which attracts approximately 80,000 people over three days.  During last year’s festival, Three said it supported 160 terabytes of mobile data usage, equivalent to over 40m photographs and 1.2 m phone calls over the weekend.

Three Ireland is Ireland’s largest mobile telecommunications provider, with 49.7% market share* and a customer base of over 5.4 million.