IHS Towers subsidiary IHS Brazil announced on Thursday it has completed its upgrade of the distributed antenna system (DAS) at the Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhão) in Rio de Janeiro to support 5G connectivity.
The project – which was carried out with the support of the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro and Botafogo Futebol Clube – involved installation of 5G Massive MIMO antennas, as well as fibre optics, optimised power distribution and technical support.
IHS Brazil said the upgraded DAS is designed to support maximum capacity of the stadium's public areas, including upper and lower stands, VIP areas, boxes and the lawn, which will significantly reduce cellular network congestion and help mobile operators deliver fast and reliable 5G connectivity to customers.
The project marks the first complete upgrade of Engenhão’s DAS communication system since 2016, when 3G and 4G connectivity services were deployed. IHS Brazil currently holds exclusive rights for the stadium’s mobile connectivity infrastructure.
“This initiative reinforces IHS Brazil's commitment to enabling access to state-of-the-art mobile networks in high-traffic spaces, ensuring a high-performance connectivity experience for fans and visitors,” said Antonio Maya, CTO of IHS Latam, in a statement.
“With the implementation of the new antenna system, we aim to optimize the operations of mobile operators and transform the fan experience,” added Alexandre Costa, general director of infrastructure and operations for Botafogo's Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF), which took control of Engenhão in August 2024.