Does anyone know how good/bad internet Cellular Reception is in the UWM Panther Arena (formerly known as the US Cellular Arena) where the Wisconsin Regional will be played?
We were thinking of using cell phones to scout if cellular reception is ok.
Thanks.
I suppose it depends on how your system is set up but I would not rely on it.
I often try to text my scouts questions while I am in the pits and sometimes I get a quick response and sometimes I don’t get a response until after the event is over.
I wish I could blame phone service for this, but at least for me, my phone service has always been good at the venue.
Using phone service should work, depending on what you using it for. Personally, I would be a little concerned about relaying on it to store/transfer scouting data (without having paper backups).
In year’s past it was horrible. Last year, a repeater had been added inside the building, so service got a whole lot better. Although, once everyone gets in the building, like on Friday and Saturday, you’ll be competing for service with everybody else. Some network providers have better service than others in crowds. My experience has been that I have had horrible experience with ATT in large crowds, like the Wisconsin regional, Champs at St Louis. I wouldn’t be able to get texts through, and yet all the kids around me are busy texting each other. I guess YMMV.
It seemed to work alright for me last year and I usually get terrible service in Wisconsin (I have Tmobile).
Don’t bet on it in the pits but up in the stands its not horrible… really depends on what you’re trying to do.
I have never gotten cell service inside the actual stands or pit area, if I need to make a call I usually get service by the loading dock or the main entrance.
I didn’t have any issues with cell service in the venue, that could change with different providers.
For texting between the stands and pits (and vice versa), I have often have had to hit the Send button on my phone and then wave it around a bit to find signal, but it’s normally able to send after 10-15 seconds. There is also a “cell phone booth” near the front entrance that is available for use.