Notre Dame becomes first education institution to use WiFi 6E outdoors in its stadium

Global technology leader Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is using outdoor WiFi 6E at Notre Dame Stadium and pilots private 5G connectivity everywhere with HPE Aruba Networking.

University of Notre Dame’s 80,000 seat stadium, home to the University’s Fighting Irish football team, has been newly equipped with WiFi 6E from HPE Aruba Networking. It is the first higher education institution to use the newly-approved 6 GHz spectrum outside. 

The launch is part of wider plans to bring WiFi 6E to outdoor indoor and outdoor spaces across Notre Dame, in conjunction with Notre Dame Wireless Institute, aiming to explore opportunities to improve cellular experiences across campus. 

Notre Dame expects up to 90 percent of its 13,000 students will use at least one WiFi 6E device by the start of the next academic year. It has been working to deliver on these escalating demands and create a wireless-first campus, starting with Notre Dame stadium.

During Notre Dame’s final playoff game on December 20, 2024, WiFi traffic peaked at more than 26 Gps - almost three times the previous record, despite the cold temperatures.

Thanks to 1,100 outdoor and indoor access points for its HPE Aruba Networking WiFi 6E, Notre Dame Stadium can offer ticketless entry, self-service contactless concessions, live-streaming of real-time stats from Fighting Irish Media and augmented reality. Visitors can also video chat with others in the venue - or video call anyone elsewhere in the world. 

Notre Dame will also supply WiFi 6E connectivity on the field for headliner events such as live music performances and other events, accommodating several thousand attendees. 

The stadium will also serve as a live laboratory for the Wireless Institute to conduct research on IoT, extended reality technologies and AI.

John Buysse, Senior Director of University Network and Telephony Services at Notre Dame, comments: “Given the accelerating expectations of our campus community and Fighting Irish fans for ever-evolving mobility, AI, and IoT-enabled experiences in the classroom, at research facilities, during recreational activities, and on game day, WiFi 6E enables us to anticipate the future and say ‘yes’ to new innovations that we were unable to support with our legacy vendor.”

“Further, we believe there are advantages indoors and outdoors for deploying P5G as a complimentary technology and are looking forward to the findings from our pilot.”

”With the opening of the 6 GHz band, modern Wi-Fi networks can now deliver fully on their potential to provide connectivity for an array of AI and IoT-driven innovations and use cases that enable individuals and devices to interact in ways that are available now, as well as those yet to be invented,” adds Larry Lunetta, Vice President of AI, Security and Networking Product Marketing at HPE Aruba Networking. “Whether it’s existing technologies, or new applications on the horizon, Notre Dame’s students, faculty, researchers, and fans can expect to tap into endless possibilities enabled by secure, seamless, high-performance connectivity.”