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Cellphone Service at NRG.....Is Anyone Listening??

CloakNNNdagger

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Huh? What did you say? We're a 3rd ward facility? Then let the fans know that, when you keep telling them to buy your tickets......for a "great Texans gameday experience"...........rather than opting to stay at home. Half the time I have to answer or make a call, my cellphone registers low or no signal and communication is impossible.......and for me, for the occasional game that I can attend, it is not only an annoyance, it can easily transform into a medico-legal problem.

I don't know if the MODS feel it is more appropriate to place this in another forum. But I thought that this one would be the best one to start it off in.

It's a hangup: Cellphone use at NRG is haphazard
It's been a constant of Texans football, from the team's quest for a Super Bowl berth to fans burdened by NRG Stadium's underpowered, overloaded cellular antenna system, which in its current state is described as "the worst of the pack" by NFL officials.

The answer has always been the same: Wait 'til next year.

2014, apparently, will be no different. On the field, the Texans are a lackluster 5-6 entering Sunday's home game against the Tennessee Titans. Fans, meanwhile, continue to complain about the difficulty in uploading pregame selfies and downloading fantasy football information, not to mention basic calling and texting functions.

Fans certainly have noticed the issue, and so has the NFL. Michelle McKenna-Doyle, the NFL's chief information officer, says in its current configuration, NRG Stadium is a "black hole" for use of mobile devices and a significant concern as the 2017 Super Bowl approaches.

"When they changed the stadium name from Reliant to NRG, what they failed to mention is that NRG stands for 'No Reception, Guaranteed,'" said season ticket holder and AT&T subscriber Lucas Davis. "I guess until J.J. Watt needs to Tweet during the game, the problem will be ignored."

But there's always 2015. Verizon will begin work next month on a new distributed antenna system for Verizon customers to be completed early next year or, perhaps, in late December. Officials with Sprint, which manages the DAS now used by all carriers, say that system also is scheduled for upgrades.

Still, there are no plans in place for Wi-Fi technology, which is currently offered stadium-wide or on suite or club levels at 26 of 31 NFL stadiums. In that context, McKenna-Doyle said of NRG Stadium, "Certainly within its group of like stadiums, it is the worst of the pack."
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CLICK THE ABOVE TITLE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY
 
Frustrating! I only get to a couple of games a year, and a few Rodeos so it's very annoying. I have AT&T, so still no help.
 
I didn't get signal in the stadium either, but will say the Bengals have the same issue.
They talk about the wi-fi at the stadium and make sure you have the password, but it doesn't work.

For me, I was taking all kinds of pics on the trip down with my son, but couldn't send them back to my wife or family without leaving my seat and going out to the ramps.

It wasn't a buzzkill for the whole trip though.
Then again, i'm not a person who depends on my phone for much.
I could see where others would be more irritated.
 
robroy72 said:
Hmm ... I have Verizon, sit in sect 353 and it works well. My wife has AT&T and it sucks.
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I could never get a decent signal at an NFL stadium until I switched to Verizon (been to many). I was as the Bucs game yesterday and had no problem following the Texans game on my phone because I was getting 4G. Before when I had T-Mobile I couldn't even get phone service so data was completely out of the question.

I could never get a signal at Texans games however I always had T-Mobile. Verizon seems to work in places where many other carriers don't. T-Mobile was decent most of the time in Texas however I switched last month because T-Mobile is horrible in Florida.
 
I have ATT and sit in Sec 525. I can't do anything on my phone. Service is terrible. I was at the Cleveland game few weeks ago and the phone was lightning fast!
 
I have AT&T and usually don't have access to the Internet. The roof was open yesterday and I sit in the sunny area until after half time. There were a lot of empty temporary seats across from concessions and I sat in one until the shade arrived in my area. I was surprised that I was able to check Facebook, purchase an item on Ebay, and look at my fantasy scores. However, when I went to my seat, I couldn't get service until almost the end of the game and the stadium was almost empty.
 
Yeah because before cell phones professionals didn't attend football games.

Damn some of y'all come off snotty. 95% of lawyers and 90% of docs don't need cell phones at the game.

We'd all like better service. No need to get shitty about it.
 
Let me relay a little story from INside the Texans organization last season.

Remember when Kubiak went down and had to be carted off? They had a really hard time relaying information to the needed parties up in the office as they couldn't reach them by cell. After running for radios and getting a landline, they were able to everything going minutes later.

The Texans are VIVIDLY aware of the issue, but it's getting political between the Texans, HLSR & the county as to who should pay for what.
 
Section 521 & Sprint, service sucks. I'm not a Doctor but getting fantasy scores, NFL scores and line movement updates sure would be nice.
 
infantrycak said:
Yeah because before cell phones professionals didn't attend football games.

Damn some of y'all come off snotty. 95% of lawyers and 90% of docs don't need cell phones at the game.

We'd all like better service. No need to get shitty about it.
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Before cell phones, all NFL stadiums had pay phone. Now only a handful of stadiums do.

The NRG doesn't. In substitute, the Texans have set up this "system.":

Emergency Phone Numbers and Paging

To contact someone during a game in the event of an emergency, please visit a Guest Services Information Booth or call 832.667.1400. Pages will only be made for emergency situations. If you are anticipating an emergency phone call, please report your name and seat number to the Guest Services Information Booth so you can be easily located.
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I tried this cockamemy service once........it works........in theory only.........if you don't mind turning the calendar before your 2-way communication is finally completed. l
 
TexansFight said:
Apparently, you are not a professional of any kind. Lawyers, doctors and other educated professionals need cell phone service.
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lol come on... That's the worst argument I've ever heard!

All I hear is that people can't upload pictures or check out their fantasy football team during the game... I-World luxury problem, stop whining so much about it.

If you REALLY need to take a call during a game, remember to ask the rest of the spectators to be quiet... or get a text message... or perhaps you should not have attended the game if that one incoming call is of such great importance.
 
Had At&T, Sprint and T-Mo, service sucked... Got Verizon, good to go everywhere in NRG and at the Cook-off where there is even more people. My guess is that Verizon is the Official Sponsor of the NFL, they make sure service is " 5 by 5 "
 
Malloy said:
lol come on... That's the worst argument I've ever heard!

All I hear is that people can't upload pictures or check out their fantasy football team during the game... I-World luxury problem, stop whining so much about it.

If you REALLY need to take a call during a game, remember to ask the rest of the spectators to be quiet... or get a text message... or perhaps you should not have attended the game if that one incoming call is of such great importance.
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Let me guess. You are a 9-5, blue collar type who gets paid overtime to stay a minute past 5. We can't turn back the clock. Patients and clients expect quick responses and having a 3 hour plus cell phone dead zone is unacceptable. Professionals are the ones paying the big bucks for suites and PSLs.
 
I have Verizon and it just recently started working really well. Well, data at least.

I am all for spending hundreds of dollars to see and feel a live event, but if you want to make sure that is always the case, give me a better network to check my fantasy scores and chat with family in the stadium and at home watching the game.

McNair needs to realize that to a lot of fans (and I mean A LOT), checking fantasy scores is crucial to them on Sundays. IT IS PART OF THEIR NFL GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE. If you wish to keep playing this game of hide the WIFI, then you may notice that those people stop coming so that they can avoid long bathroom lines, drink their cheap beer, and follow their fantasy stats at the blink of an eye.

Not everyone will agree with my post, but it is how I feel, and several other friends and family too. So take it for what it is worth.
 
Those who don't understand the need and urgency of some professionals to have immediate telephone access have never had to walk in those shoes. They speak of things they do not know.
 
Texian said:
Those who don't understand the need and urgency of some professionals to have immediate telephone access have never had to walk in those shoes. They speak of things they do not know.
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Amen. You are my favorite poster on this board. You have been bringing the truth when it comes to Rick Smith for years.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Before cell phones, all NFL stadiums had pay phone. l
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There are many young people asking themselves..... :thinking: "What's a pay phone?"

*****************

Meh, I've been with T-Mobile for 10+ years. I've gotten used to the idea that Verizon (huge sponsor of the NFL) will jam my signal. When I'm at Reliant, errr NRG, I may or may not get a signal. If I'm on the phone and it drops, I accept it... Now, with that said, text service has never failed.

Keep that in mind and plan accordingly.
 
TexansFight said:
Let me guess. You are a 9-5, blue collar type who gets paid overtime to stay a minute past 5. We can't turn back the clock. Patients and clients expect quick responses and having a 3 hour plus cell phone dead zone is unacceptable. Professionals are the ones paying the big bucks for suites and PSLs.
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Nope.
 
Texan_Bill said:
There are many young people asking themselves..... :thinking: "What's a pay phone?"

*****************

Meh, I've been with T-Mobile for 10+ years. I've gotten used to the idea that Verizon (huge sponsor of the NFL) will jam my signal. When I'm at Reliant, errr NRG, I may or may not get a signal. If I'm on the phone and it drops, I accept it... Now, with that said, text service has never failed.

Keep that in mind and plan accordingly.
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In all my years of having T-Mobile they have done a good job of jamming themselves. I just stuck with them just because we were grandfathered in at a real low price, however they are horrible out here. It's like their signal cannot penetrate concrete and steel. Buildings out here are more structurally sound due to hurricanes and with T-Mobile almost anytime I go indoors around here I would lose my data signal.

Almost always in restaurants and commercial buildings. Rural areas forget it also. Also in the Hill Country in Texas I couldn't get a signal. I have a good friend in Canyon Lake and my phone was dead out there. His was perfect and he has Verizon. It was due to that is why I started checking into switching.

Since switching to Verizon I have no issues indoors here or in rural areas. My only complaint so far is some restrictions with their NFL app. With the app you can watch any games that are on local TV in your area. That is cool, however it doesn't let you "cast" it from the phone to a TV or another device. I can cast anything from my phone and do it all the time. A couple of weeks ago at my bro in law's home we set up some TVs on the patio and didn't have enough Directv boxes, we had the Texans game on one box, Eagles (his team) on another so I thought I would cast the local Bucs game from my phone to one of the TVs. However they put some sort of block on the app preventing the cast which makes no sense to me.

Also, if you are in the stadium they block you from streaming the game you are attending even though it's on locally. Not that big a deal since you are there however I thought I would try to hear the audio from the TV broadcast. Again, not sure why they would do that either.
 
County moves closer to installing Wi-Fi at NRG Stadium

Colon did not provide price estimates, but stadium officials last year said installation of Wi-Fi, which would handle data traffic and free the in-stadium distributed antenna system for calls and texts, would cost about $5 million. Another party estimated operating expenses over 10 years would add another $5 million.

Verizon, meanwhile, has completed installation of a new distributed antenna system to handle calls, texts and, until Wi-Fi is installed, data demands for Verizon customers. The remaining carriers remain for the time being on the original DAS, which is managed by Sprint, but a spokesman for AT&T said the company will move its service to the new stadium DAS later this year.

A Verizon spokeswoman said the new Verizon DAS performed well with no issues at the recent Mexico-Honduras soccer game at the stadium.

Colon said the technology upgrades are aimed at customer satisfaction for stadium patrons.

"Guests expect access to new technology," he said. "Particularly during football games, they want to stream, they want to check on their fantasy league teams, and so on. They expect access to new technology, so the combination of the new DAS plus Wi-Fi will be great for that."​
 
NRG should have Wi-Fi before end of NFL season

Once Wi-Fi is installed at NRG Stadium by the end of this NFL season, Texans fans will have the option of carrying or downloading images of J.J. Watt.

Directors of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. agreed Wednesday to proceed with plans for a $2.9 million Wi-Fi system at county-owned NRG Stadium, with installation projected for completion in December.

The agreement with 5 Bars, an Irvine, Calif., host provider whose clients include Angels Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., still must be ratified by the board at its August meeting. But Edgar Colon, chairman of the board that oversees NRG Park, said that step would not delay a timetable to have the system installed before the end of the 2015 NFL season.

Colon said more than $1 million of the $2.9 million system cost will come from SMG, which manages the stadium and convention complex. He said he has "solid pledges from solid people" for the entire cost but would not disclose names, pending final contract agreements.

A Super Bowl must

Colon said no public funds will be required for the Wi-Fi system, which the NFL has cited as a vital addition to the stadium in advance of Super Bowl LI in February 2017.

"Here and there, we are going to be able to raise the funds," he said. "Some other organizations want to help us bring Wi-Fi to the stadium in preparation for the Super Bowl."

However, Colon said, neither the Texans nor the NFL are contributing to the cost of the system for which the team and league will benefit. A spokesman for the Super Bowl Host Committee, which plans and organizes events surrounding the game, said a potential donation toward the cost of stadium Wi-Fi "is the subject of ongoing discussions."

The Texans had no immediate comment on Wednesday's vote by the board to proceed with finalizing contracts with 5 Bars. Officials with 5 Bars, which was one of five bidders for the project, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Next-generation tech

"This is a great opportunity for us," Colon said. "We got a good price from a good contractor for incredible technology. This will be the next generation of technology in this area. We are proud to be at the leading edge."

Wi-Fi has been a priority for the Texans and the NFL at the stadium in light of increasing demands by NFL fans for video and statistical downloads. NFL officials said last year that 26 of 31 NFL stadiums have Wi-Fi stadium-wide or on club seating levels.

SMG's contribution toward the Wi-Fi project, Colon said, comes from a commitment by the company to extend its management contract.

"They were willing to help us with funds for capital improvements, and we are targeting some of those (for Wi-Fi)," he said.​
 
SMG's contribution toward the Wi-Fi project, Colon said, comes from a commitment by the company to extend its management contract.
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Translation - That $7 beer just lost an ounce.
 
Updates at NRG Stadium

The Houston Texans make it a priority to provide the best gameday experience possible for all who step foot in NRG Stadium. With that in mind, many updates have been implemented for the 2015 season to further enhance the overall fan experience.

What’s new at NRG Stadium in 2014:
-- Enhanced connectivity throughout the stadium
• New Distributed Antenna System
• Wifi (Coming During the Season- November Target)​
Increased security and ease of entry at gates
• Walk-through magnetometers at all gates​
-- Improved traffic ingress, egress and service via designated Parking Captains to communicate issues in real-time
-- High School Football display on 500 level
-- NRG solar panel canopy on bridges and at plaza entrance
-- Gold 50 Yard Line to celebrate Super Bowl 50
-- Individual player introductions pregame
-- Additional mobile charging stations in Gridiron, Texas (Upper Level)
-- Refined/Enhanced Videoboard Layout
-- Blue Smoke Alley tailgating area in Blue Lot (Sold Out)
-- New liquor legislation to allow fans purchasing drinks to access full stadium with purchased beverages
-- Stored value cards to replace Texans Bucks
-- Nuk Hopkins inspired clothing collection
-- Mobile Merchandise Vehicle (“Go Texans Express”)
-- Merchandise hawkers in stands
-- Added POS in Go Texans Store to improve speed of service
-- Fuddrucker’s Hamburgers on 100 Level (Section?)
-- Budweiser Biergarten on 100 Level (North End Zone)
-- “Drinks Only” lines at concession stands to provide greater convenience and faster service
-- “The Loop” Artisan Pretzels @ Section 121
-- Berryhill Baja Grill expands service into Cantina (South End Zone)
-- ”Blend Your Own” Icee stands @ Sections 118 & 138
-- 47 Brand and Majestic concept shops on Club Level
-- iPad in seat ordering system on Club Level to improve speed of service
-- Hay Merchant (Food & Craft Beers) and Menchies Frozen Yogurt on Club Level​
 
Playoffs said:
Increased security and ease of entry at gates
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After a great deal of careful thought from the Texans FO regarding the tightening up of security due to the possibility of hiding all those forbidden "illicit" items in frumpy, loose bulky clothing, women will only be allowed entry in bikinis or short shorts........and men only in Speedos................:texflag:
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
After a great deal of careful thought from the Texans FO regarding the tightening up of security due to the possibility of hiding all those forbidden "illicit" items in frumpy, loose bulky clothing, women will only be allowed entry in bikinis or short shorts........and men only in Speedos................:texflag:
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Have you SEEN some of our fans?? :backsout:

In other news, eye bleach stations will be available inside each gate.
 
I have Verizon and noticed a HUGE improvement in cell phone service. The new antenna they put in worked beautifully. I had full bars and was able to use the Internet which was quick and reliable. Good job Texans. It was about ******* time that this was addressed
 
Aaron Wilson ‏@AaronWilson_NFL
Texans president Jamey Rootes announces partnership with Fuddruckers at NRG Stadium going forward

Texans team president Jamey Rootes said team is celebrating high school football, state champions at NRG Stadium

Texans president Jamey Rootes said team is upgrading wireless system and has also installed charging stations​

PDS ‏@PatDStat
Rootes hopes to have the wi-fi ready for the last month of the season. #Texans

Rootes mentions that the wifi will be installed prior to Final Four and the Super Bowl. #Texans

783 antennas were installed around NRG stadium. Cost $12 million. Helped improve cell service noted change during preseason. #Texans

Rootes is hopeful that the wi-fi system will be installed by the end of the season. #Texans

Beef Jones…. I mean Ben Jones is helping promote the #Texans burger for Fuddruckers.

COeroAcUkAA2Dv8.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/COeroAcUkAA2Dv8.jpg

Fuddruckers are now joining the #Texans at NRG Stadium serving the Texans burger.

Rootes mentions the NCAA Final Four in 2016 as a marker for the wi-fi system. #Texans

There has been an approval for a wi-fi system at NRG Stadium by Harris County. Waiting for the install schedule now. #Texans

Jamey Rootes, President of the Houston #Texans is currently discussing the changes to the game day experience.​
 
Yesterday, the antenna was back to its old self. Had a 2 bar (of 5) LTE signal from Sprint and couldn't text, FB, or get a call through. Sister having same issue with AT&T to my left. Verizon customer to my right could do everything. :(
 
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