Boingo Wireless is preparing to operate a new Wi-Fi 6 network at the Las Vegas Monorail Convention Center Station. Plus, it’s opening a new Boingo Innovation Center that will explore 5G, Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 7 and IoT pilot programs.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which owns and operates the Las Vegas Monorail, partnered with Boingo to brand and operate a new wireless network at the Las Vegas Monorail Convention Center Station.
Passengers at the station will be able to connect to entertainment and productivity applications, including social media, streaming services, mobile boarding passes and digital conference badges, thanks to the Boingo connection.
The company noted that with Wi-Fi coverage deployed by Boingo, the Convention Center Station will offer passengers quick access to digital applications such as touchless ticketing, mobile entry and cashless payment. Coverage is scheduled for later this year.
In addition, Boingo said it’s launching an Innovation Center in Las Vegas to test 5G, Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 7 and IoT technologies. It will examine use cases like instant sports betting at live events, AR/VR, smart utilities and security management with biometrics. The center will be open for Boingo customers and the Las Vegas business community.
“Las Vegas is home to a flourishing tech scene that offers an incredible proving ground for pioneering what’s next, making it the ideal location for the new Boingo Innovation Center,” said Boingo CEO Mike Finley in a statement. “The possibilities with 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E are endless.”
The Boingo Innovation Center is scheduled to open in the second half of 2022.
It’s unknown if the new Wi-Fi 6 coverage will be there in time for the GSMA’s North American edition of Mobile World Congress (MWC), which was moved to Las Vegas after previously being held in Los Angeles. That event is September 28-30. When asked, a Boingo spokesperson reiterated that coverage is “scheduled to go live later this year.”