AT&T Becomes The Official Wireless Provider For U.S. Disney Parks

[wdwmagic]

Well then, Disney needs to put some effort into improving this, because when we were there at the beginning of
June the service was spotty. Which made using the MyExperence App rather hard.

It is starting to look like they are possibly at the limit of what WiFi can do right now. There may not be much more that can be thrown at it, which is why I think this AT&T deal is so important - some of the load can be moved away from Wi-Fi and back to cellular.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

What makes you think this isn't part of NextGen? Disney is not going to build its own phone network. So you partner with AT&T to improve cell coverage and bandwidth with 4G speeds and increase free hot-spots to supplement in park Wi-Fi. You also get AT&T to help fund the project through sponsorships. Doesn't sound like an inditement to me.

I would bet the farm that this deal was made because Dis came to the realization they couldn't get their wifi network anywhere close to where it HAS to be for nextgen (as many of us have said for a long time now). Something like this was their only option and the quickest way to try and throw a bandaid on the situation.

I find it pretty funny how poor an IT dept they seem to have. Can't even keep their website running. It's 2013, for Pete's sake.

 

[ddrongowski]

I would bet the farm that this deal was made because Dis came to the realization they couldn't get their wifi network anywhere close to where it HAS to be for nextgen (as many of us have said for a long time now). Something like this was their only option and the quickest way to try and throw a bandaid on the situation.

I find it pretty funny how poor an IT dept they seem to have. Can't even keep their website running. It's 2013, for Pete's sake.

I have to agree with with this.

 

[danlb_2000]

This project is well under way, there have been numerous permits for it over the past month.

 

[muteki]

It is starting to look like they are possibly at the limit of what WiFi can do right now. There may not be much more that can be thrown at it, which is why I think this AT&T deal is so important - some of the load can be moved away from Wi-Fi and back to cellular.

Where instead of being free, AT&T makes money from all the data usage. It's in their best interest to build out their cellular data capacity.

The WiFi in the park when I used it worked at times, but not really in the locations I wanted to use it. Places where it has the best chance of working okay, in open spaces, I don't want to be staring at my phone. That is what the scenery is there for! Now in the queue, indoors, in cramped spaces is where I would want the coverage most and it just isn't there. I can remember waiting for the next Impressions de France showing thinking it would be a great spot for good wifi, but nope.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Very significantly, it looks like some assistance to remove the load from the in-park WiFI is part of this:

• More than 25 distributed antenna systems to increase the wireless capacity in areas with high mobile traffic
• More than 350 small cells to extend network connectivity
• 10 cell sites across Walt Disney World Resort to provide wide-ranging mobile service to guests
• More than 40 repeaters to further enhance the mobile experience for both guests and Cast Members

Yes but those are strictly for AT&T customers, right? This doesnt mean monkeycluck ( ......i just made that up, no idea where that came from) to Verizon customers which is a more popular network.

Even when I'm off property at crossroads, I end up having data network issues on high attendance days.

 

[PhotoDave219]

are they going to be responsible for the WiFi network as well? The press release just mentions the wireless network and talks about AT&Ts 4G network... My Verizon service has always been fine in the parks...but Wifi would be appreciated.

Ive had problems with Verizon's data network on high attendance days.

 

[wdwmagic]

Yes but those are strictly for AT&T customers, right? This doesnt mean monkeycluck ( ......i just made that up, no idea where that came from) to Verizon customers which is a more popular network.

Even when I'm off property at crossroads, I end up having data network issues on high attendance days.

Yes AT&T customers only. Assuming the upgrades have an impact, it could free up more of Disney's WiFi service to be used by Verizon customers as AT&T users just use the cell service rather than connecting to Disney's WiFi. Either way, there is more data capacity coming to WDW, which can only be a good thing for everyone.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Yes AT&T customers only. Assuming the upgrades have an impact, it could free up more of Disney's WiFi service to be used by Verizon customers as AT&T users just use the cell service rather than connecting to Disney's WiFi. Either way, there is more data capacity coming to WDW, which can only be a good thing for everyone.

I agree with that but with this 2.2B project, they still need more bandwidth. How else can I connect to MDE so I can resked my fastpass when it rains?

 

[tissandtully]

I just hope AT&T 's service is better then the service I'm getting from them here in PA.

AT&T service in FL is actually very good, the logistics of building more towers on WDW property has been the issue, this is why the official sponsorship was needed, of course.

 

[Skippy's Pal]

Yes AT&T customers only. Assuming the upgrades have an impact, it could free up more of Disney's WiFi service to be used by Verizon customers as AT&T users just use the cell service rather than connecting to Disney's WiFi. Either way, there is more data capacity coming to WDW, which can only be a good thing for everyone.

Not much of a techie, but don't smartphones default to wifi when it is detected, in order to save data usage on cell plans? So wouldn't AT&T phones end up on wifi anyway? Or am I missing something?

 

[dreamfinder]

Yes but those are strictly for AT&T customers, right? This doesnt mean monkeycluck ( ......i just made that up, no idea where that came from) to Verizon customers which is a more popular network.

Even when I'm off property at crossroads, I end up having data network issues on high attendance days.

AT&T, TMobile, a few other smaller US carriers. But almost as important, are the international carriers that predominantly use GSM. So it may be expensive, the option is there for some arrangement to be worked out.

Regarding the WiFi, by it's very nature, it has limits. Not necessarily something that WDW is screwing up on their back end, other than perhaps underestimating the access points needed, but you can only have so many people on an AP at once. And each AP only has so much bandwidth to go around. A recent presentation I attended by a wireless manufacturer was recommending 1.5 access points per classroom for elementary schools. For kids who aren't even teenagers, they are predicting that the 20-30 in the class will have enough demand to saturate a single AP. Now look at WDW, and how many more people would be located in an area significantly smaller than that same classroom, and how many more of them have devices constantly in use. It just isn't a pretty situation. I'm still surprised honestly that they don't seem to be doing much filtering/throttling which would greatly help to reduce the problems. Kick twitter/facebook/ustream etc down to 5-10 kb per connection. Enough to limp along, but kills the bandwidth hogs. Lets the MDE app (the real reason behind the WiFi in the first place) get enough speed to allow for you to rebook your FP+ that was useless due to rain or closure.

 

[dreamfinder]

Not much of a techie, but don't smartphones default to wifi when it is detected, in order to save data usage on cell plans? So wouldn't AT&T phones end up on wifi anyway? Or am I missing something?

Most do switch to wifi when available. However, lately some (looking at the iPhone specifically) will fail back over to the 3G/4G connection if WiFi isn't reliable, transparently to the user. It would be technically possible to filter traffic based on device/destination and throttle it enough to force certain traffic to fail back over to the cellular network.

 

[mkt]

Cast Members will use new mobile devices on AT&T's network to help deliver Disney's legendary guest service."

I remember 10 years ago when you did that, you'd get a written reprimand.

How times change. Disney, welcome to the mid 2000's.

 

[mkt]

Verizon is CDMA right? That would be useless for a lot of tourists on roaming.

So is GSM, unless the tourists have a quad-band phone.

 

[mkt]

in park Wi-Fi

8 years ago I had security on my for pulling out a laptop and getting online in the park. He thought I was "hacking their network", without understanding what this "mobile broadband" was that I was connected through.

Again... welcome to last decade Disney.

 

[wdwmagic]

Not much of a techie, but don't smartphones default to wifi when it is detected, in order to save data usage on cell plans? So wouldn't AT&T phones end up on wifi anyway? Or am I missing something?

If the user is on a device that will not automatically determine the best connection, a user could manually turn off wi-fi, and just stick with the cell service data, or they could use the AT&T wifi hotspots that will be part of this. Not sure where and in what numbers they will be deployed, but both of these options could reduce the usage of Disney's own WiFi service.

 

[muteki]

Not much of a techie, but don't smartphones default to wifi when it is detected, in order to save data usage on cell plans? So wouldn't AT&T phones end up on wifi anyway? Or am I missing something?

Under some circumstances yes, but most free wifi hot spots these days require the user to actively accept the Terms of Service of the network, in which case the phone would not switch automatically. While that would be a one-time thing, in some networks this acceptance would expire and some time later you would have to do it again.

I can't remember if the in park Wifi works this way, but many stores/hotels/airports, etc do.

 

[Cardinals314]

It's good to see Disney improve its network in the parks. With MyMagic+ being implemented, Disney needed to make sure that every guests is able to use their smartphones as well as their bands to make purchases and use their Fastpass+ options. I also like the no texting while driving initiative Disney plans to educate guests with as well.

 

[flynnibus]

Very significantly, it looks like some assistance to remove the load from the in-park WiFI is part of this:

• More than 25 distributed antenna systems to increase the wireless capacity in areas with high mobile traffic
• More than 350 small cells to extend network connectivity
• 10 cell sites across Walt Disney World Resort to provide wide-ranging mobile service to guests
• More than 40 repeaters to further enhance the mobile experience for both guests and Cast Members

Yeah, but how much of that is to support the transition of the CM radios vs guest usage? I'm sure there is lots of beefing up here for guests too.. but the CM transition is huge too. Looking on the bright side... If Disney managed to squeeze AT&T to give up a lot of this work in exchange for sponsorship.. then there is actual hope in it getting done vs Disney funding it alone