RockyTopWiFi is up and running in Neyland Stadium. When will your section have access?
Neyland Stadium Wi-Fi will be available sooner than planned, and Tennessee football fans can only hope their phones experience similar speeds upon connecting.
Tennessee Athletics administrators won't be able to truly test how well the Wi-Fi works until fans pile in Sept. 9 for the Vols home opener against Austin Peay. Ticket holders have been asking for help for years so they can easily text, make calls and post fun videos from the stands.
With Tennessee starting its season this week against Virginia in Nashville, crews will have even more time to work on the internet service.
Only certain fans will have internet access right out the gate. For everyone else, it could take a couple months before this new amenity is available.
Here's everything to know about connecting to Wi-Fi at Neyland Stadium.
What's the name of the Neyland Stadium Wi-Fi network?
This should be easy to remember: RockyTopWiFi.
How do I connect to Wi-Fi at Neyland Stadium?
It's the same process as connecting to any network, so follow the same steps you would at work or at home.
Knox News was among the first to connect during a behind-the-scenes tour Aug. 23, and no registration was required.
What sections of Neyland Stadium have Wi-Fi?
For the Sept. 9 game, Tennessee Athletics expects Wi-Fi will be available in the lower bowl. That would include sections with a single letter between A and W or between X1 and Z15.
WiFi also should be available at Concourse 1, as well as at plazas and gates to speed up entry with digital tickets.
Deputy Athletics Director Ryan Alpert, chief operating officer for Tennessee Athletics, said the goal is to have full stadium connectivity by the fifth home game of the season.
That game takes place Nov. 4 against Connecticut. That's good news because full connectivity was not expected to happen until next season.
How does the Neyland Stadoim Wi-Fi work, and how is it limited by seats?
Providing internet to 102,000 people requires more than your everyday home modem.
Alpert said Neyland will end up with 2,300 internet access points throughout the stadium. That's roughly one access point for every 44 seats, though previous estimates were one for every 55.
This Wi-Fi infrastructure will be installed beneath seats.
The stadium could end up with 175 miles of cabling, Alpert said. More than 111 miles had been installed as of Aug. 23.
Could Wi-Fi lead to more technology amenities at Neyland?
Our tour of Neyland Stadium included the Lower West Club, where touchscreen ordering has been implemented for premium ticketholders.
Alpert said in-seat ordering could be added for future seasons once Wi-Fi is tuned and an app is built.
What other upgrades are coming to Neyland Stadium?
These renovations are part of a five-year project approved for $340 million in 2017. That's roughly the cost of Phase 1, alone, now that Tennessee Athletics has increased its budget.
Fans got their first taste of the improvements last season with the return of the V-O-L-S letters atop the stadium and a new upper north social deck with a video board.
Last season also marked the debut of the luxurious Lower West Club, which has been upgraded ahead of this season with a full bar, TVs and other finishing touches.
There are new bathrooms beneath the Gate 10 ramp this year, as well as new brick-lined "portals" leading from the concourse to parts of the bowl.
South Stadium Hall has been gutted, but the full renovation of the south end won't debut until the 2025 season.
Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How to connect to Neyland Stadium Wi-Fi at Tennessee football games
