Why Wi-Fi Was Banned At The Olympics

Why Wi-Fi Was Banned At The Olympics
Why Wi-Fi Was Banned At The Olympics

Video: Why Wi-Fi Was Banned At The Olympics

Video: Why Wi-Fi Was Banned At The Olympics
Video: Olympic Games Ban Personal Wi-Fi, 3G Hotspots 2024, March
Anonim

All visitors to the 2012 London Olympics have to face an unexpected ban - they cannot use their own Wi-Fi hotspots and 3G hubs. Most modern mobile phones can be turned into a personal hotspot. Also, radio scanners, walkie-talkies, all kinds of radio signal jammers and other similar equipment are not allowed on the Olympic facilities.

Why Wi-Fi was banned at the 2012 Olympics
Why Wi-Fi was banned at the 2012 Olympics

If there are no special questions with "radio jammers", then the news of the ban on Wi-Fi surprised many. Such restrictions were introduced for the first time at the Olympics, and the organizers of the games do not expand on their exact reason. It is worth noting that smartphones, tablets and similar mobile devices themselves are not banned at all. Nobody selects them and does not interfere with their use for their intended purpose. As well as communication over Wi-Fi channels in general. You just can't "distribute" Wi-Fi from your mobile device to other gadgets.

It is believed that this ban is caused by the desire of the organizers of the Olympics to avoid disruptions in the broadcast of the competition. Moreover, the coverage of events will also be unprecedented: in addition to ordinary television and the already familiar online Youtube channels, it has also been announced about live 3D broadcasts. Wireless technologies are widely used to transmit pictures in modern conditions. So the version looks quite convincing.

The absolutely pragmatic interpretation of the imposed restrictions is no less convincing. Rumor has it that the organizers of the games in this way want to force all visitors to the Olympic facilities to use the paid services of the partner of the 2012 Olympics - British Telecom. According to the information available on the network, in the Olympic Village alone, this company has installed more than a thousand access points and now intends to recoup its costs in this way.

However, access to Wi-Fi from an official partner costs game visitors £ 6 per hour and a half - a price that can be considered relatively low. And people who were previously clients of British Telecom have access to the Internet for free.

The rest of the bans at the Olympics can be considered traditional: any weapon, laser pointers, alcohol, drinks in large containers, pets. Searches are carried out as thoroughly as at airports. Therefore, the organizers recommend that spectators of the competition appear on the spot long before the start of the sporting event they are interested in, so as not to miss anything.

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