Connectivity is transforming the concert experience

Growing demands in the area of connectivity

Kristof Duran is the Marketing Director at be•atOpens a new window , which runs seven major concert and theater venues. In 2025, more than three million tickets were sold for concerts and performances at iconic venues such as the AFAS Dome and Forest National. For Kristof, connectivity needs come into play at various levels. “Safety is our top priority at every event,” he explains. “The footage from our security cameras is one example, but there are also business-critical aspects such as ticket scanning. At the same time, the public’s expectations regarding connectivity are rising all the time.”

These challenges also serve as the starting point for the MUSIC project, in which various use cases have been tested and refined under real-world conditions.

Joffry Bellavia, 5G MPN Consultant at Proximus NXT

MUSIC pilot projects as a test environment

When the FPS-Economy launched a call for proposals for 5G pilot projectsOpens a new window , be•at and Proximus NXT jointly submitted the MUSIC proposal. For two years, they have investigated how 5G can make real improvements to the concert experience and the organization of concerts.

Joffry Bellavia highlights the unique opportunities that MUSIC has offered. “We usually work on projects that are expected to yield immediate, tangible results. MUSIC has given us the opportunity to experiment under real-world conditions and test various possible solutions. A good example of this is a project for the hard of hearing that we rolled out within MUSIC. During the tests, we found that we could only transmit the music optimally using a customized protocol. Using these insights, we’re now working on a practical application.”

Kristof Duran, Marketing Director at be•at

Co-creation for a smoother experience

Duran adds: “It’s a privilege to work with Proximus NXT to develop or optimize new applications, as true co-creators. We know the concert industry inside-out, while Proximus NXT excels in the areas of connectivity and technology. MUSIC has given us the time and space to brainstorm, test, and make adjustments. As a project, it hasn’t had to lead to a specific solution right away. More than once, we’ve adjusted our approach along the way and ultimately reached our final goal, thanks to new insights or different technologies.”

Adjusting applications based on practical insights

Proximus NXT expert Kris Van Cauwenbergh uses a second subproject to illustrate how MUSIC works in practice. “Cashless payments have become the norm in the concert and festival industry. When we realized that the payment terminals weren’t yet fully compatible with 5G, we decided to modify the scope and, for the time being, connect the handheld scanners via the 5G network. MUSIC provided the flexibility needed to adjust the starting point and explore new avenues.” In practice, MUSIC demonstrates how these possibilities can be converted into genuine applications and practical insights.

Those insights only become truly meaningful when you can view them in the context in which they are actually used.

Kris Van Cauwenbergh, 5G Expert at Proximus NXT

Concertgoers as content creators

Van Cauwenbergh has observed a very specific phenomenon at concerts and festivals. "Before a concert starts, data use remains within reasonable limits. But the moment the first note sounds, everyone pulls out their phones. You hardly ever see such peaks and troughs anywhere else. Standard networks are primarily geared toward downloading, but today’s concertgoer is a content creator who needs a lot of upload capacity. Combined with the many digital applications, this calls for a suitable solution.”

Coralie Berael, Venue Director at Forest National

Rising expectations backstage

“It’s not just visitors who are raising the bar,” Berael emphasizes. “Artists and their entourages also have specific expectations. Productions are bigger than they used to be. Teams are often quite large and bring a lot of equipment with them. A group of about a hundred people is no exception. A team that’s that big wants to be able to stream and upload without any problems.”

All of these needs and applications demonstrate why 5G is best understood in a practical, real-world context.

5G as a catalyst for critical applications

A 5G mobile private network (or 5G MPN) addresses those needs and expectations. As it is a private network, additional capacity can be allocated to specific zones or applications. Bellavia explains: “Network slicing, in which a network is divided into different segments, has been around for a number of years, but this is the first time we’ve used it over a standalone 5G network. This allows the venue operator or organizer to take full advantage of the benefits of 5G on a local network. Critical applications have optimal connectivity at all times and remain isolated from the network for visitors.”

New opportunities for innovation in the concert experience

For Berael, MUSIC is not an endpoint, but a starting point. “Together with Proximus NXT, we’re constantly thinking about the next steps in innovation. In the United Kingdom, we’re already seeing people order food and drinks at kiosks. When it comes to merchandise, too, more and more visitors are opting for self-service, after which they share their purchases on social media. This places even higher demands on connectivity. Virtual reality and artificial intelligence are also opening up new possibilities. With a technology partner like Proximus NXT, we’re ready for the future.”

From concert halls to the entire events industry

The findings from the MUSIC project extend beyond concert halls alone. In more complex environments, such as festivals — with temporary infrastructure, extensive grounds, and high connectivity requirements — they offer valuable insights into how 5G can be used to address operational challenges, ensure the continuity of critical services, and enhance the visitor experience.

In this way, MUSIC serves as a true test environment under real-world conditions, with potential for the entire events industry.