Viparis chooses Xirrus

Viparis is pursuing its service-oriented approach by installing the latest technology in its sites to improve the Wi-Fi performance at its centres. This measure will guarantee 20,000 simultaneous high-density Wi-Fi connections.

Access to a high-density Wi-Fi service is an important competitive asset for large exhibition sites
"When thousands of users are trying to simultaneously access websites, upload pictures, stream videos, and send e-mails from one exhibition site, the network can simply get overwhelmed and run out of capacity -- leaving users dissatisfied," explains Karim Bouamrane, Vice President of France and Benelux at Xirrus. The mass arrival of tablets and the smartphone explosion over the last few years means that the number of users at these sites has risen significantly while their requirements with regard to the quality of the wireless connection increased even further. "When exhibitors and visitors come to events at Paris Nord Villepinte, or any of the group's other conference and exhibition centres, they often have two or three Wi-Fi enabled devices. Nowadays, connectivity is essential in any professional or public exhibition. The Xirrus solution makes it possible to manage a high-density environment for users that addresses the way exhibitions are configured," emphasises Christophe Thomas, Operations Director at Viparis.

A successful initial implementation at Paris Nord Villepinte
Paris Nord Villepinte now provides exhibition organisers, exhibitors and visitors with a high-density wireless network that supports over 20,000 simultaneous connections throughout its 246,000m2 exhibition site. "We were won over by Xirrus's unique approach to our needs. Others suggested installing between 300 and 1,000 access points. The technology of the Xirrus Arrays only required 75," explained Christophe Thomas, Operations Director at Viparis.

Xirrus is a proven expert in event organisation (stadiums, conference centres, arenas, etc.). As the market leader in France, Xirrus has already equipped prestigious Parisien locations such as the Grand Palais, the George Pompidou Centre and the Meridien Etoile, etc.

Xirrus Wireless Arrays provide a solution to address the challenges of high-density wireless connectivity in conference and exhibition environments. The ability to concentrate up to 16 radios with sectored, directional antennas into a single device(1) provides an effective solution for the way the events are configured within the site infrastructures. To address the issues experienced by Viparis, Xirrus implemented 75 access points, each incorporating between eight and sixteen radios with directional antennas. These access points are installed at a minimum height of 7.5 metres to accommodate stands up to 6 metres high.

"With a higher number of Wi-Fi access points, there is an increase in the risk of corruption and malfunction associated with assembly and disassembly. Xirrus technology unites practicality and effectiveness in the exhibitions at our sites," emphasises Christophe Thomas.

The new Xirrus Wi-Fi network in operation since the end of March 2013 at Paris Nord Villepinte supplies the three Wi-Fi solutions provided by Viparis:
· VIPARIS_WIFI: free Internet access in all exhibition halls, limited to four hours per user, and without restriction in public areas.
· VIPARIS_PRO: a chargeable Wi-Fi account for unrestricted connection time throughout the event
VIPARIS_SECURE: professional chargeable Wi-Fi access allowing several simultaneous connections on a shared Internet access, with unrestricted connection time throughout the event (complementary Ethernet cable provided to connect wired devices).