World Without Wires, a Tampa, Florida wireless network integrator, announced today that it is implementing a 3Com-based wireless local area network (WLAN) for the NBA’s Orlando Magic at its TD Waterhouse Centre. World Without Wires stated that it worked with RDV Sports, which owns the Orlando Magic and Orlando Miracle teams, to install a 3Com WLAN to be used by coaches and staff members.
What has previously required an expensive, cumbersome and difficult to set-up wired-network will be replaced by 3Com’s AirConnect wireless solution. This solution, at TD Waterhouse Centre, consists of three WLAN access points to provide connectivity to the Net and about 20 WLAN PC cards which connect laptops to the access points.
Coaches and staff members typically require connectivity to access player records and game stats from courtside and the arena’s stands. This demanded the set-up and breakdown of a wired network for potentially 50 home games per season. The new wireless LAN will provide 11 Mbps connectivity that will be used in the teams corporate offices as well, extending access to conference rooms and other high-mobility spaces.
Other less obvious benefits of the new WLAN to be used by both the Orlando Magic and the Orlando Miracle teams is the noticable lack of wires courtside during gametime. Players and game officials no longer have to worry about tripping on the mass of wires required for the outdated wired networks. In addition, there is a significant labor cost reduction derived from the elimination of the setup and breakdown of the wired networks.