Sports Technology & Communications News from Around the World

Unheard technological innovation happened during this Olympic in London. Technology played a key role in keeping up this event a big success. Communication providers, broadcasters, telecom innovators all had their role. Virgin Mobile (News - Alert) was no exception.

“Stay connected when even in underground” was the focus of Virgin Media during this London Olympics. Customers were allowed to surf the web, tweet or just update their status, all while underground with Virgin Media’s (News - Alert) Tube Wi-Fi.

On repeated broadband speed tests by Broadbandchoices.co.uk at the six London Underground stations offering free Wi-Fi ahead of the Olympics – it was found that speeds have increased since the start of the games to an average of 18.36Mb. The Wi-Fi hotspots, provided by Virgin Media, are now over twice as fast as the average UK landline connection (7.6Mb).

Green Park station clinched gold with an average download speed of 21.73Mb, closely followed by Euston taking silver with 19.92Mbps and Kings Cross for bronze with 18.49Mb.

 “London’s tube Wi-Fi has proved to be an unsung hero of the Olympics – keeping travellers online, in touch and able to watch every nail biting moment of the games even if they’re stuck on the platform instead of at the stadium,” Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert at Broadbandchoices.co.uk, said in a statement.“A 44 percent boost in broadband speed is extremely impressive, especially considering that the London Underground has had to cope with record numbers of passengers over the last two weeks,” Baliszewski added.

Virgin Media’s tube Wi-Fi service is currently free for all passengers to use until the Paralympic games finish, when it will be free exclusively for Virgin Media customers.

Average download speed for tube Wi-Fi reaches 18.36Mb which is 44 percent higher than when originally introduced before the Olympics started. Tube Wi-Fi speed is indicated to have doubled that of the average UK fixed-line connection.

In related news, Reportlinker.com’s new market research report Home Entertainment 2012 indicated that Virgin Media continues to invest in their supply of 3D content to viewers.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.