SEPTEMBER 2016 • LSIONLINE.CO.UK66

IN THE NEWS

UK - Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) isthe largest owner of theatres in the world,owning and operating a total of 45 venues inthe UK and abroad. The company has a policy of supporting its customers’ needsand ensuring that their experience is of thehighest possible quality. With that in mind,one of its most recent investments is inSennheiser’s MobileConnect technology.

Described as ‘an innovative system fortheatre, opera, musicals and cinema’,MobileConnect streams high quality liveaudio to a user’s smartphone via WiFi. Itdoes this via the Personal Hearing Assistantapp, which allows the user to easily adjustmany parameters of the sound, according toindividual hearing needs.

With so many people now carryingsmartphones as a matter of course, bringingassisted hearing into the realm of Bring YourOwn Device (BYOD) is an obviousdevelopment, eliminating the need for a separate hearing aid, such as the headsetreceiver for an infrared listening system.Sennheiser’s MobileConnect can be used toreplace traditional infrared and inductionloop systems, but its potential is far greater.

This concept was introduced to ATG in2014, not long after Sennheiser’s initiallaunch of the product, and the technicalteam at ATG quickly recognised that it couldbe the ideal solution to replace its existinginfrared systems.

“We’ve always kept an eye out for whattechnology is available to deliver as high a quality experience to our customers aspossible and we have a long relationshipwith Stage Electrics [UK dealer forSennheiser equipment], mainly regardingproduction equipment,” says ATG’s head oftechnical operations Stuart Graham. “StageElectrics’ Davie Bell started talking to ATGabout MobileConnect and how we might

support it. It was the right fit at the righttime and ATG was happy to be at thebeginning of the system trial.”

ATG chose to trial MobileConnect in fivevenues - Trafalgar Studios, the Duke ofYork’s, Apollo Victoria and Harold Pintertheatres, all in London, and the New VictoriaTheatre in Woking, Surrey - runningalongside the existing induction loopsystems. Stage Electrics supplied andinstalled the technology into the test venues,with Sennheiser’s technical team providinginitial field testing and continuing on-sitesupport alongside Stage Electrics.

“We put it in as an option a little over a year ago and it very quickly became clearthat, if we could get it right, the quality ofMobileConnect completely outweighsreinvesting in existing systems,” says Stuart.“I give a lot of credit to Davie Bell from StageElectrics for driving this product through.His passion for it is exceptional, hiscommitment to us and the product is highlycommendable.”

Stuart is unequivocal that the potential ofMobileConnect in ATG venues is very high.However, understandably, his priority is theexperience of ATG’s paying customers.

“The technology is right, but we need tokeep thinking about the user,” he says. “Formany, BYOD is a completely new way ofthinking, which brings with it a considerablenumber of challenges. It’s not just aboutclarity, how it links with WiFi and those kindsof technical issues. We know that the ageingpopulation will be a large proportion of ourcustomer base, which is reflected in the factthat we use it for hearing assistance andaudio description, and how technology isembraced could be a challenge for ATG andits customers.

“There is also a need for people to getused to the fact that the system is in use

“The feedback hasbeen good, which iswhy we’re goingforward with it. We believe it’s theright product andthe quality isunquestionable.”

Stuart Graham, ATG

Listening in to the futureLSi looks at how Sennheiser’s new MobileConnect technology is helping the Ambassador Theatre Group connect with the future . . .

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and to be prepared before theycome; simple things such asmaking sure they have a fullycharged phone - they’re relianton their device for many things,so they can’t sit for three hoursusing it and have it run out ofbattery.

“This is all the sort offeedback that we send toSennheiser, because we’re verykeen on knowing what ourcustomers think. It’s a learningcurve for all of us. We need toensure that we get as muchinformation as possible out toaudiences, highlighting thebenefits of the technology.However, while BYOD isundoubtedly a challenge at themoment, we know it’s the rightway to go.”

While MobileConnect iscurrently being used only inauditoriums, ATG has plans touse it in its cloud network,perhaps as part of a single appwhich brings together a numberof customer-focused services.For example, it could also be a latecomers’ device, allowingthem to watch a monitoranywhere in the venue, or listento the audio from the productionwhile elsewhere in the theatre.

“The feedback has beengood, which is why we’re goingforward with it. We believe it’s

the right product and the qualityis unquestionable. It’s a newway of working and we need tobe looking at the future for ourcustomers,” says Stuart. “I thinkinvesting in Sennheiserequipment is the right thing.During my career it has been‘the’ brand for customers in liveentertainment. I think they’redefinitely the people who candeliver this technology to a highstandard.”

“In our continuous journey ofmaking the future of audiotangible, we’re glad to becollaborating with companieswith a similar mindset such asATG, that is striving to introducenew technologies and enhanceuser experiences in everypossible way,” says Sennheisermanager - global strategicalliances, Nick Pemberton. “Weconsider them to be a strategicpartner, alongside existingpartner Stage Electrics, whoseteam has understood whatMobileConnect can offer, bothnow and in the future as itcontinues to develop. Workingas a three-way partnership isinvaluable and helps us all todevelop the right solution for theend user.” IP www.atg.co.ukP www.sennheiser.co.ukP www.stage-electrics.co.uk

B How it works . . . a MobileConnect system diagram

D Some of ATG’s theatres adopting Sennheiser’s MobileConnect system.From left to right: Trafalgar Studios, the Apollo Victoria, the Harold Pinter and the Duke of York’s

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