Hosting a large event within a small area

[Hosting_events]

I am organising an event to host 30,000 people within a 3 acre area. Can O2 support us with sim cards? And can your network cope with so many people in such a small area? 

[Anonymous]

@Hosting_events You will need to call customer service. This is not O2. This Is a customer forum 

https://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

[Bambino]

@Hosting_events Are you looking for O2 to supply you with 30,000 sim cards?

[madasaf1sh]

o2 cs wont be able to help, you will need to contact the enterprise team.. 

to add o2 will only provide contract sims on a 12mth contract as a minimum, and they charge £8.52 per sim card.. 

They wont do this for free... 

[Anonymous]

I’m reading this post as does the OP hope O2 provide a temporary mast for whatever this is?

[Bambino]

There's no mention of temporary mast in the OP's post, but until they come back and explain, it can only be speculation as to what they meant.

[Hosting_events]

The event I'm organising will only last for 9 days, I am not looking for a contract with O2 for any period of time. 

I'd be looking to get PAYG sims which the guests top up themselves. 

Can O2's existing infrastructure cope with 30,000 people in the same area all using their network? 

[Bambino]

@Hosting_events As O2 have in excess of 25 million customers I'm sure another 30,000 won't make much of a difference. If everyone was being given a new PAYG sim to top up themselves they'd have to do it in advance of the event. https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/How-to-Top-Up-PAYG/ba-p/1156408 Another factor would be where you're planning to hold this event, and what the signal strength of any nearby masts would be. https://status.o2.co.uk/  You'd have to discuss this with customer service before going any further. https://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

[Anonymous]

I'd think discussing the deployment of a temporary mast with O2 in advance might also be a good idea as that number of connections in an area might have a negative impact on the guest experience or other users in the vicinty.

@Hosting_eventsI'd look up the Business team https://www.o2.co.uk/contactus and ask them but they may ask for some money to do it on the basis that you are just going to be using PAYG.

[Hosting_events]

I've spoken to O2 business and O2 enterprise and they've still not given me an adequate answer. 

I am an O2 business customer myself and have over 25 numbers on my business account with them but they've not been very forthcoming with this request. 

Anyone have any ideas on who the best contact is for this type of requirement? The business team I spoke to a couple of hours ago suggested that I'd need to get planning permission myself, but if O2 are providing the temporary mast wouldn't it be best for them to do it?