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Case Study

Independent Event Broadband for Reliable Live Broadcasting

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Overview

Live broadcasting success depends on more than great content; it relies on rock-solid connectivity. For national media companies covering large-scale events such as championship parades, music festivals, and citywide celebrations, public networks get pushed to their limit. When thousands, or even millions, of fans flood a location, bandwidth becomes scarce and traditional LTE or 5G service can grind to a halt. To keep live broadcasts smooth, reliable, and free from lag, Audacy turns to dedicated event broadband from the Plum Case, so their teams stay connected when it matters most.

About

For a national media company like Audacy, staying connected during live broadcasts isn’t optional; it’s essential. Covering major events in real time, from parades to citywide festivals, requires internet access that can keep up with surging demand and crowded conditions to prevent broadcasting lag. Audacy operates across 230+ stations, many in dense urban areas where congested cellular networks are a constant fact of life.

Challenge

Crowds Overwhelm Networks

During massive gatherings like sports parades or citywide festivals, every attendee with a smartphone is competing for bandwidth, posting videos, live streaming, and consuming content in real time. The result is an overwhelmed cellular infrastructure where broadband communication becomes unreliable or unavailable.

For Audacy’s broadcast engineers, this challenge is all too familiar. A recent example came during the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade. With an estimated one million fans lining the streets, the city’s networks were saturated. Audacy needed to deliver live, mobile coverage amid the crowd, without relying on overloaded public infrastructure.

With public networks off the table, Audacy’s engineers needed a way to broadcast that didn’t depend on the crowd’s cellular load. They looked for a self-contained connectivity option that could travel with the field team, set up fast, and pull in a usable signal even where local towers were saturated. The Plum Case fit that need: a portable kit built to reach cellular signals beyond the immediate congestion and share them as a private Wi-Fi network for the broadcast team.

What makes the Plum Case so valuable for us is its ability to reach cellular signals that aren't necessarily nearby. It has a powerful antenna system that gives us reliable service even in locations where traditional connectivity simply isn't an option.
David Skalish, Director of Technical Operations at Audacy, Philadelphia

Solution

Plum Case: Built for the Moments That Matter

Designed for exactly these types of high-demand situations, the Plum Case delivers strong cellular reach and Wi-Fi broadcast capabilities. Its proprietary antenna array can reach beyond localized congestion to pull in a strong, usable signal and help prevent broadcasting lag. The unit also includes a built-in, long-lasting power system, housed in a compact, rugged form factor that’s easy to carry and quick to deploy.

Within minutes of setting up, Audacy’s team was live from the field, transmitting broadcast-quality audio while coordinating with producers and engineers throughout the parade route.

 

Outcome

A New Standard for Live Event Broadband

For Audacy’s field teams, the biggest advantage has been peace of mind. Whether working in a metro center or a remote outdoor venue, the Plum Case gives them a consistent, dependable internet source. Teams can go live, share high-resolution content, and stay in sync, without worrying about dropped signals or throttled speeds.

Portability is another major win. The unit’s compact design makes it easy to transport, even on short notice, while its fast, user-friendly setup means engineers spend less time troubleshooting and more time focused on delivering great coverage. With that kind of flexibility, Audacy can take on more live events, push creative boundaries, and ensure high-quality output wherever the story takes them.