Tulsa, Okla., Feb. 6, 2019 – The SMG-managed BOK Center today announced a multi-year collaboration with Cox Business as the Official Technology Communications provider of the 19,199-capacity downtown arena. BOK Center recently celebrated it’s 10-year anniversary and has garnered significant recognition and honors from national industry associations.
BOK Center and Cox Business will bring advanced network technology to the arena, blanketing it with nearly 300 access points throughout the entire facility. The sophisticated network ensures an improved WiFi experience and ultra-fast speeds for guests throughout the venue. The new WiFi access points will be connected by an additional two miles of ethernet and one mile of fiber optic cable, ensuring the fastest speeds available.
As the exclusive technology integration sponsor, Cox Business worked with BOK Center on a comprehensive upgrade to the technology infrastructure underpinning the arena. Cox Business will offer telecommunications services delivered through fiber optic cable including internet, cable television, voice services, public and private WiFi, as well as network infrastructure that includes nearly 300 access points.
BOK Center worked with Cox Business’ Hospitality Network division, a specialty unit of Cox, which works with large arenas, stadiums, and convention centers around the country, to strategically place the WiFi access points at critical traffic points in the arena. Cox Business and Hospitality Network coordinated with BOK Center and SMG, along with consultants specializing in large venues, to determine the optimal network design to garner the best coverage.
“WiFi is no longer viewed as a perk when you visit places. Instead, it has become expected. Our former system at BOK Center did not allow us to have 19,000+ people concurrently on our WiFi,” said BOK Center General Manager Casey Sparks. “We know how important it is to our guests that they are able to share their experiences when attending events here. Now, we are able to meet that demand through our partnership with Cox Business, who has been an incredible partner to us over the last decade.”
“We’re absolutely thrilled to bring enhanced WiFi capabilities for the enjoyment of and use by BOK Center attendees and entertainers,” said Jason Ludwig, director, Cox Business. “A customized WiFi installation, combined with a new gigabit backbone, ensures BOK Center is on the forefront of the connected guest experience.”
On January 18, the new network was tested without any announcements or broad acknowledgement with a sold-out crowd at the Metallica concert to confirm the new WiFi networks capabilities. Within minutes, 2,400 devices connected to the Cox Business-backed BOK Center WiFi network, allowing for social media posts, video uploads and other electronic communications among and between concert attendees without any significant buffering or latency. As guests shared their experiences on social media in real-time, more than two terabytes of data were consumed at nearly one gigabyte-per-second.
Concert and event attendees will be able to connect to the new WiFi network on their device by selecting the #ROCKTHEBOK-GUEST WiFi network.
Concurrently with the installation, Cox Communications extended their status as a founding partner of BOK Center for an additional five years, committing to various marketing elements inside BOK Center, which include a future augmented reality fan engagement experience and social media promotions and contests to win tickets to upcoming events, on top of in-arena branding.
Cox Business and Hospitality Network have successfully designed and deployed technology services resembling those at the BOK Center for sports venues and concert arenas, serving as Exclusive Technology Integration/Telecommunications Services Provider at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., home of the Vegas Golden Knights; as Exclusive Marketing and Technology Provider at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., home of the Arizona Cardinals; as Exclusive Technology provider at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., home of the Providence Bruins; as the Technology Sponsor at Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Aviators; and as the Exclusive Telecommunications Sponsor at Admiral Fetterman Field in Pensacola, Fla., home of the Blue Wahoos.
About Cox Business
The commercial division of Cox Communications, Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 355,000 small and regional businesses nationwide, including health care providers; K−12 and higher education; financial institutions; and federal, state and local government organizations. The organization also serves most of the top-tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the U.S. through its wholesale division. For more information, please visit www.coxbusiness.com
About SMG/BOK Center
BOK Center is Tulsa’s state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue that opened in fall 2008. The 19,199-seat arena is home to the ECHL Tulsa Oilers. BOK Center was designed to host major concerts, family shows, ice shows, and other world-class entertainment. Owned by the City Of Tulsa, BOK Center is part of Vision 2025, a project to grow economic and community infrastructure for future generations. In 2016 and 2018, BOK Center was named Arena of the Year by the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). The facility won the 2018 Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).
