Last Saturday, the Movistar Arena hosted an innovative initiative powered by Telefónica during Jorge Drexler’s concert. Thanks to connectivity and a range of technology solutions, the 7,000 attendees were able to access exclusive content and play an active role in the show, enhancing their experience beyond the live music itself.
The initiative began before the concert, when ticket holders received an exclusive video retracing the story of the tour, from the first songs conceived in the studio and the creation of the album to its arrival on stage and its eight Latin Grammy® nominations. The content gave fans deeper insight into the creative and artistic background of the show, setting the scene for the interactive experience that would later take place at the Movistar Arena.
As part of the initiative, attendees also learned that they would be able to influence the performance by choosing a song to be exceptionally added to the evening’s setlist. Through this initiative, Telefónica put technology at the service of a more connected cultural experience, furthering its purpose of providing people with new ways to access and engage with digital technologies.
Once at the Movistar Arena, the technology deployed by Telefónica made one of the evening’s most memorable moments possible. The audience was able to directly influence the show through a real-time vote to select one of the songs Jorge Drexler would perform. Their choice created a unique and unrepeatable moment, as La trama y el desenlace had not previously been performed at any other concert on the tour. The singer-songwriter also decided to perform the audience’s second most-voted song, Milonga del moro judío.
The experience continued beyond the event itself. The following day, attendees received a highlights video of their concert experience, accompanied by a special message from Jorge Drexler, reinforcing an initiative that brought together music, technology and audience participation to create new ways of connecting with fans.
In this way, Telefónica put its technological capabilities at the service of a more participatory experience, demonstrating how innovation can create new forms of interaction between artists and audiences.
A platform designed for thousands of simultaneous participants
Participation was simple, intuitive and secure. From 90 minutes before the start of the concert, attendees could scan a unique QR code displayed on the venue’s screens to access the voting platform. Without having to download an app or complete any registration process, they could choose from a selection of songs proposed by the artist.
To make this possible, Telefónica integrated a real-time engagement platform at the Movistar Arena specifically designed for large-scale events. The solution was able to handle thousands of concurrent users simultaneously and instantly display the voting results on the venue’s screens.
The infrastructure was supported by cloud technologies and integrated into the communications network deployed by Telefónica at the Movistar Arena. It also incorporated autoscaling capabilities, which automatically adjusted available resources according to demand, together with a content delivery network (CDN), ensuring performance, availability and a seamless experience even at peak levels of simultaneous participation.
A benchmark for connectivity at major events
This initiative forms part of the technological evolution of the Movistar Arena, one of the world’s most active music and entertainment venues. Telefónica’s presence has enabled a major optimisation of the venue’s mobile network, turning it into a benchmark for voice and data management during large-scale events.
The company has increased the number of mobile network node installations fourfold, significantly strengthening network capacity and quality to ensure an excellent connectivity experience for attendees. This upgrade has enhanced 4G coverage and, in particular, high-performance 5G and 5G SA (Standalone) coverage, incorporating advanced capabilities such as Network Slicing and Edge Computing.
The venue also features millimetre-wave (mmWave) coverage, compatible with mobile devices and designed for scenarios with extremely high concentrations of users. These improvements, deployed primarily in the Bowl area, enable faster browsing speeds, lower latency and a more efficient response to the traffic peaks generated during concerts and sporting events.
Through initiatives such as this, Telefónica takes on the clear challenge of becoming the best gateway for people to access digital technologies, bringing the opportunities of digitalisation closer to them through innovative experiences that combine technology, connectivity and entertainment. The Movistar Arena is further consolidating its position as a showcase for Telefónica’s technological leadership and its ability to foster new forms of interaction between artists, audiences and content.
