Comcast Business “Serves” up Next Generation Connectivity for the Arlen Specter US Squash Center

Preeminent squash facility and center of excellence readies for the future with game-changing network

Comcast Business announced that it is providing the Arlen Specter US Squash Center – home of US Squash and the country’s largest squash facility – with next-generation wired and wireless connectivity, paired with enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) solutions from MachineQ. Together, these technologies are helping the “Specter Center” improve back-of-house functions that drive operational efficiencies, deliver a rich fan experience, and facilitate training to enhance player performance.

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“We are proud to serve yet another one of Philadelphia’s state-of-the-art sporting facilities and provide scalable, future-ready technologies – both wired and wireless – that will keep the Specter Center at the leading edge of sports for years to come.”

Opened in 2021 and located in Philadelphia’s University City, the 76,000 square foot Specter Center is the home of US Squash and the world’s largest community squash center, providing world-class training resources to Team USA Squash athletes, hosting more than 25 national and international tournaments every year, and offering broad community access to its 20 courts. As the first physical space of US Squash, the Specter Center aimed to build a scalable network that would enable the facility to maintain its position as a state-of-the-art facility, both now and well into the future.

The Specter Center chose Comcast Business to deploy a mix of wired and wireless technologies to meet all its needs, including a next-generation network with Enterprise Dedicated Internet (EDI), Business VoiceEdge cloud-based telecommunications, X1 for Business TV and Enterprise IoT solutions from MachineQ. The facility is also trialing a 5G private wireless network solution installed by Comcast Business that leverages CBRS technology from Comcast Business vendor, Highway9 Networks.

Private wireless networks offer wireless broadband speed and capacity with reliability and low latency, enabling sporting venues like the Specter Center to support their rapidly expanding ecosystem of connected devices. This includes connecting point-of-sales, fan experiences, access controls and more.

“With Comcast Business, we never need to ask, ‘Can our infrastructure handle that?’ because we know it can,” said Ned Edwards, Executive Director, Arlen Specter US Squash Center. “From the very beginning, Comcast Business has helped us achieve our mission of creating and promoting opportunities to increase access to the sport and pursuing excellence on and off the court.”

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Together, these technologies enable the Specter Center to:

• Preserve the quality of courts and help protect the facility by monitoring changes in temperature, humidity and potential leaks that could negatively impact court conditions or damage IT, mechanical and electrical equipment.
• Simultaneously live stream every match from every court, so fans never miss a beat – whether it’s with low latency on the facility’s eight suspended 13-foot digital video walls or at home. Substantial bandwidth enables greater streaming/broadcasting uploads and downloads, while allowing flexibility for outside broadcast teams to easily set up within the space.
• Help athletes manage every aspect of their game with new technology that will allow any player to record and access their match or practice session through their player profile to analyze – and improve – their play.

“A next-generation facility like the Specter Center demands a next-generation network,” said Scott Cohen, Executive Director of Strategic Wireless Solutions, Comcast Business. “We are proud to serve yet another one of Philadelphia’s state-of-the-art sporting facilities and provide scalable, future-ready technologies – both wired and wireless – that will keep the Specter Center at the leading edge of sports for years to come.”

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