From July 17 to 19, MEO Marés will usher in a new chapter in its history in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos. Over the course of three days, the venue will welcome thousands of festivalgoers and function as a true temporary city, requiring a robust technological operation capable of ensuring continuous communications, operational security, and an uninterrupted digital experience.
As the festival’s official partner and naming sponsor for the 13th consecutive year, MEO is once again providing all of the event’s technological infrastructure, reinforcing its position as a strategic partner for major national events and demonstrating how connectivity is now a central element of the festival experience.
The move of MEO Marés to Leça da Palmeira required adapting the festival’s entire technological infrastructure to the specific characteristics of the new venue. To meet the demands of an event that welcomes more than 100,000 people over three days, MEO implemented a new communications infrastructure designed to ensure connectivity, live broadcasts, operational communications, and security systems.
The operation includes more than 32 kilometers of fiber-optic cable—about five times more than in the last edition—as well as enhanced 2G, 4G, and 5G mobile coverage and approximately 155 pieces of network equipment, ensuring the necessary capacity to support communications for festivalgoers, the organizers, partners, and the media present at the event.
In addition to the connectivity experience provided to the public, MEO’s infrastructure supports operations critical to the festival’s running, including live radio and television broadcasts, streaming services, production feeds, and coordination among all teams on the ground. MEO also ensures communications between the festival organizers and security and emergency response agencies, complementing this operation with surveillance and continuous monitoring systems that enable the rapid identification of and response to any incident.
"Today, festivals are veritable temporary cities, where thousands of people rely on the network to communicate, share experiences, follow content, and ensure the smooth running of the entire operation. At MEO Marés, we provide a robust technological infrastructure that supports not only the festivalgoers’ experience but also venue security and innovative accessibility solutions, putting technology at the service of people,” said Luiza Galindo, Director of Brand and Communications at MEO.
Technology for Inclusion
As a result of the remarkable growth of the partnership with the festival, MEO’s technology at MEO Marés now goes beyond connectivity. The infrastructure supporting the festival also serves as the foundation for a range of accessibility solutions that make the experience more inclusive for all festivalgoers.
Through the “Música com Sentido” initiative, which has been carried out in partnership with Access Lab since its first edition, the Fundação MEO a set of technological tools designed to promote a more independent experience for people who are deaf, blind, or have low vision.
One of the featured solutions is the SENTIDO app, developed by Fundação MEO, which allows users to follow, in real time and directly on their cell phones, the interpretation of the Palco MEO concerts in Portuguese Sign Language, as well as access audio descriptions of the venue. This solution helps eliminate barriers to accessing information and cultural experiences, promoting fuller participation on an equal footing.
The accessibility offerings also include sensory vests, which allow people to feel the music through vibrations synchronized with the sound, providing a new way to experience concerts, and a break room, designed to accommodate people who need a quieter, more controlled environment given the typical stimuli of a festival. Together, these solutions reinforce the commitment of MEO and the Fundação MEO making culture and entertainment increasingly accessible to everyone.
MEO and Fundação MEO commitment Fundação MEO more inclusive experience also extends to families. In partnership with the PSP, the “Estou Aqui! Crianças” initiative will once again be present at MEO Marés through the free distribution of identification wristbands for children, helping to enhance the safety of the youngest attendees and providing greater peace of mind to parents and caregivers during the three days of the festival. This initiative reflects the goal of making MEO Marés an increasingly accessible, safe, and welcoming space for audiences of all ages.
With a new location in Matosinhos, full 5G coverage, a technological infrastructure designed specifically for the new venue, and innovative accessibility solutions, MEO Marés will reinforce its ambition in 2026 to provide a festival experience that is more connected, inclusive, and equipped to meet the challenges of major contemporary events, thereby solidifying MEO’s role as the leading technology partner for festivals in Portugal.