Large gatherings of smartphone users – like those found at football and basketball games – can put quite a strain on local wireless networks.

A new partnership between University of Virginia Athletics and Ting, announced Wednesday, should ease that particular strain by leaps and bounds – starting Saturday.

UVA is partnering with Ting, a high-speed network provider, to roll out Ting’s 5-gigahertz service at Scott Stadium, utilizing 168 access points placed throughout the facility. The service will be available starting with Saturday night’s Homecomings football game against the University of Miami; fans can connect by selecting “Ting@UVAAthletics” from their wireless menus.

“We are excited for the partnership with Ting and the opportunity this provides to improve the game-day experience for our fans,” UVA Director of Athletics Carla Williams said. “Based on survey data and fan feedback, we knew adding Wi-Fi was a priority. The team at Ting worked hard to make this project happen in a short period of time. We look forward to our fans enjoying Wi-Fi and sharing their experiences at Scott Stadium.”

Similar service is on its way to John Paul Jones Arena, too, according to the announcement.

“You do not get a bigger stage, or a better partner, in Charlottesville than the University of Virginia Athletics,” Ting manager Caleb Ward said. “This state-of-the-art network represents a new standard in stadium wireless and sets the bar for what’s possible.”