New sports arenas are being built across the country — over the world, in fact — and even more are in the works. The latest to be completed it the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the new home of the New Jersey Devils NHL organization, which will open its doors on October 25^th for the first of ten performances by Bon Jovi.

 

These new arenas, from California to New York are replacing old, outdated facilities that can no longer meet modern demands for capacity, concessions, team facilities, and more. Naturally, as these new, modern structures are being erected, they are also being fitted with the latest communications technologies, ranging from desk phones to in-seat ordering to giant HD video screens.

 

At the heart of the state of the art communications network in the Prudential Center is a suite of IP communications applications from Avaya (News - Alert), based on Avaya Communication Manager.

 

The system brings all the benefits of IP Communications to the facility, including mobile employees, like recruiters and scouts, who will be able to extend their desk phones to their mobile devices using Avaya Extension to Cellular — creating single number access and unified voice mailbox. When they return to the facility, they will be able to access their communications system through their desk phone, as usual.

 

Alternatively, as executives or scouts travel, they can use Avaya’s IP softphone on their laptops as a remote hub for their IP-based communications. Through the application, they will be able to make, receive, and manage their entire set of communications applications. Avaya Modular Messaging converts voice mails into email attachments, allowing users to play them back on their mobile devices in any order, forward, delete, or respond to them — just like any other email message.

 

In addition, productivity will be enhanced and the entire communications system will become more efficient through the use of Avaya’s SIP-based presence features, enabled by Communications Manager. Using the presence features, employees will be able to tell which colleagues can be reached and how to reach them.

 

The Avaya IP solution that will transform the communications capabilities throughout Prudential Center were designed and installed by Avaya Platinum Business Partner Consultedge. In addition to the communications network, it Consultedge also designed a high-capacity data network for the arena built on Extreme Networks’ (News - Alert) switched and VPN and firewall applications from Juniper Networks (News - Alert) — both Extreme and Juniper Avaya Alliance Partners, ensuring interoperability between voice and data applications.

 

The new Prudential Center, which will also be home to the Seton Hall University men’s basketball team and the MISL’s New Jersey Ironmen, seats 17,500 people for soccer, 17,625 for hockey, 18,500 for basketball games, and 19,500 for concerts.

 

The Devils will play their first game in the new Prudential Center on Saturday, October 27^th, when they will host the Ottawa Senators.

 

“As the first new sports and entertainment facility in this region in over 25 years, Prudential Center features a host of amenities that fans in this area have never seen before,” said Dale Adams, general manager, Prudential Center. “The technology provided by Avaya is going to play a big role in our goal of making Prudential Center the most efficiently-run arena in the country.”