SailGP, the most exciting racing on water, is set to benefit from the fastest mobile connectivity possible as the SailGP F50 catamaran fleet teams up with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) at iconic venues across the globe in 2025.
Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions will provide teams and personnel with seamless, high-quality 5G connectivity, improving fan experiences and race operations. Additionally, the solutions will support SailGP umpires to adjudicate on race protocol through the enhanced capabilities of 5G-enabled live camera streaming from competing F50s and insights into team locations, tactics, and strategy.
Split-second human responses made by SailGP athletes will make the difference between victory and defeat across the SailGP fleet. To support those decisions, each team will have access to the fastest connectivity possible under some of the most challenging physical conditions. Ericsson’s solutions deliver instant real-time data and statistical feedback, despite the F50s reaching speeds up to 100 km (about 62.14 mi) per hour over open waters.
Ericsson’s Cradlepoint edge routers — installed in the wings of each F50 — are expected to handle more than 53 billion data points across the fleet per race day, including IoT, video and critical communications from competing boats connecting to Ericsson Private 5G during each race day.
It was important that 5G connectivity solutions could be deployed across a diverse landscape and connect to multiple carriers. They also required a ruggedised edge router in each F50 that could withstand rough maritime conditions. For the safety of the athletes and the boat, neither may leave the dock until the F50 and its crew are fully connected and communicating.
Warren Jones, Chief Technology Officer at SailGP, says: “SailGP continues to innovate so we can provide the best experiences possible for our teams and fans, and this requires networking technology that can keep up with the speed and intricacies of the sport. Ericsson Private 5G combined with its Cradlepoint edge routers not only matches the bandwidth and latency challenges of billions of data points during a race but also addresses our need to quickly deploy networks at locations across the world. This reliable, scalable connectivity helps teams optimise performance and maintain fair competition while significantly enriching the fan experience through visibility into race analytics.”
Manish Tiwari, Head of Enterprise 5G, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson, says: “The fastest sailing event deserves the fastest possible connectivity for its crews, onshore teams, and officials. With Ericsson Private 5G and our Cradlepoint edge routers, that's exactly what it will get. This collaboration with SailGP is a testament to the innovation of our connectivity products which support a wide range of use cases — whether it’s race-critical for real-time decision-making or to enable the best fan experience through race analytics.”
SailGP initially worked with Ericsson and T-Mobile to test and deploy the Ericsson Private 5G solution over T-Mobile’s 5G spectrum at US events in Season 4. The solution will be installed and deployed in all F50s and rolled out globally for the 2025 season. Key outcomes include:
SailGP will be at Sydney Harbour on 8-9 February 2025 for the Australian leg of the Sail Grand Prix.
You can learn more about how Ericsson’s 5G solutions are supporting SailGP here.
Ericsson’s high-performing, programmable networks provide connectivity for billions of people every day. For nearly 150 years, we’ve been pioneers in creating technology for communication. We offer mobile communication and connectivity solutions for service providers and enterprises. Together with our customers and partners, we make the digital world of tomorrow a reality. www.ericsson.com
The most exciting racing on water, the Rolex SailGP Championship is a global championship with national teams battling it out in identical high-tech, high-speed 50-foot foiling catamarans at iconic venues around the world. Racing faster than the wind at speeds exceeding 100 km/h // 60mph, the Rolex SailGP Championship is driven by the sport’s top athletes, with national pride, personal glory, and bonus prize money of US$12.8 million at stake. Powered by nature — wind, sea and sun — driven by purpose, SailGP races for a better future. Visit SailGP.com to find out more.