Olympics Test Network As IPhone-Toting Visitors Clog UK

British telecommunications companies serving London’s Olympic Park say they have created a wireless system capable of handling a large city. Legions of iPhone- toting visitors are about to put them to the test. Annual smartphone purchases have risen almost fivefold worldwide since the Beijing Olympics four years ago, according to researcher IDC, and many fans and athletes in the 2.5-square kilometer (0.97-square mile) park in east London will be watching video on iPads, chatting with friends and e-mailing photos as they take in the games that kick off with today’s opening ceremony. London’s Oxford Economics estimates the city, with a population of 8 million-plus, could draw 6 million more over the course of the games, many of them crowding into the park for events. Analysts question whether preparations are enough to serve so many accessing mobile and Wi-Fi networks at once.