Organisers of this year’s Isle of Man Open Crown Green Bowling Festivals will be able to publish the results faster than ever before thanks to Manx Telecom’s 4G superfast broadband network. There are two festivals each year, with the first running from June 22nd to 26th. Hundreds of bowlers from Manx clubs and the UK take part, and for the first time organisers will be using 4G mobile broadband to help them post results online as fast as possible.
Bowling festivals director Steve Moore said:
“Manx Telecom have very kindly supported the festivals for several years by lending us 3G ‘dongles’ to give us mobile internet access so we can upload results. This is important not just for players taking part, but for the many players off-Island who can’t attend the tournament but who are keen to see the results on www.iombowls.com and on social media. The tournaments get bigger each year, and the June festival has received the highest number of entries we have seen for over a decade. This means more data needs to be uploaded so we are delighted that Manx Telecom have loaned us a 4G MiFi unit which will allow several of the organising committee to use mobile data at the same time, enabling us to get the results uploaded as soon as possible.”
4G MiFi units work by creating an internet hotspot using a mobile network. This means that several users can access the internet at the same time and enjoy superfast mobile broadband speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.
Mervyn Harvey, Manx Telecom Mobile Product Manager, said:
“4G MiFi units are ideal for event organisers to use on location for uploading results as close to real-time as possible and they have been used successfully at other events, for example, the Manx Telecom End2End Mountain Bike Challenge. We’re delighted to continue our support for the bowling festivals by providing access to the Island’s fastest mobile network with the best coverage.”
There will be another Isle of Man Open Crown Green Bowling Festival held from September 7th to 11th. Over the years both festivals have grown from strength to strength and include new and innovative competitions as well as the highest prize pot of any bowling festival in the UK. There are competitions for men and women, mixed pairs and tourism and consolation competitions. The festivals are also structured so that even if players lose every game they can still play for four of the five days, which is especially important for overseas players visiting the Island as it ensures that their trip is not wasted if they lose their opening game. The tournaments will be played on the three greens at Noble’s Park, and also at venues in Onchan, Finch Hill and the Villa Marina.
For more information about the bowling festivals go to www.visitisleofman.com/bowlsfestival – or go to www.manxtelecom.com/4g to find out how to upgrade to Manx Telecom 4G.
