News

Royal wedding to flood mobile networks

London’s mobile phone networks are expected to be flooded with texts, video and images of the Royal wedding this Friday, between HRH Prince William, and his bride to be, Catherine.

O2 predicts that 327 million digital images will be taken on mobile phones during the day, as well-wishers capture the event on their devices. Additionally, O2 reckons 65 million digital images will be shared via social networks.

The most wanted picture will be the balcony kiss, O2 believes.

Altogether, 300,000 O2 customers are expected to join the celebrations, and the operator predicts that each will make at least one 60 second phone call during the event in central London, and each will send at least four SMS or MMS messages, and receive or send at least one email.

To cope with demand, capacity upgrades are already well underway in London and at hotspots around the UK. O2 has focussed efforts on Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the route of the Royal procession.

To meet the additional demand for voice and data services, O2 is also deploying high capacity cell sites in St James Park and Hyde Park.

Altogether, O2 said 283 cells, a mixture of existing and temporary just for the wedding, will provide coverage to the event. These will be monitored live throughout the day. An on-the-ground team will be tweaking capacity, as and where necessary.

O2 has also compiled a Royal Wedding Twitter list to help people follow every guest on Twitter on the big day.