Over 49,000 unique Bluetooth users were detected at Oxegen this summer and 14,000 festival attendees downloaded and used the service over the weekend. Oxegen promoters MCD offered the service to all 80,000 attendees, and it was sponsored by O2.
Irishbluetooth.com said this is Ireland’s largest ever Bluetooth project. The service itself delivered a Java application to the users’ phone, which enabled them to use a dynamic menu, similar to that of modern mobile handsets.
Content included interactive maps, site and campsite information, stage times, video information downloads, competitions and various other services.
Live performances at the event by artists such as Paddy Casey, the Zutons and Feeder were also delivered to users’ phones in a matter of minutes.
Setanta Screens, a division of Setanta Sports, delivered and managed the content as an extension of their existing event services, supplying nine large LED screens, video production and outside broadcast facilities.
The telecommunications infrastructure delivered by Airspeed Telecom covered the entire 10 square miles of the Oxegen arenas and campsites delivered wireless connectivity to 24 Bluetooth access points throughout the event.
“Irishbluetooth.com has a very unique offering, far in advance of anything else on the market. There are too many low-rent Bluetooth options out there,” said Ronan O’Kelly, managing director, Setanta Screens.
“Our view is it’s a long-term play, so we have to stay focused on the quality of the content we deliver. Our network rollout to high-footfall sites, events and venues in the next 12 months should deliver both a commercially viable means of branding and something of real value to customers at no charge.
“Overall, this was a huge project, delivered professionally with big results. So now, we try to capitalise on that, and at Oxegen ’09 we want to treble the usage.”
By Sorcha Corcoran
Pictured: music fans at Oxegen 2008 were able to enjoy services from Irishbluetooth.com
