Meet Dan Keyte
I’ve been married to Heather for 12 years and have 2 boys, Noah and Joshua.
Most of my spare time is spent coaching the boys’ football teams or playing cricket whenever I get the chance.
I have worked in Telecoms (connectivity) in various roles for over 12 years now, and my career highlights in the events industry include winning some large events, including Burleigh Horse Trials, IMEX Frankfurt and Adobe Summit – although admittedly, these were a while ago now, as I took a break from the industry recently, but have been drawn back in to work for Noba!
Why specialise in event connectivity?
I’m a tech enthusiast who enjoys staying on the cutting edge of technological advancements. I’m driven by the challenge of implementing the latest tools, such as 5G, fibre optics, and WiFi solutions, at events to ensure a flawless digital experience. Constant innovation in networking, communication technologies, and virtual platforms keeps my work exciting and ever-evolving.
What drew you to your role at Noba Event WiFi?
Noba specialises in delivering high-performance, tailored event WiFi services, making it an exciting environment for tech enthusiasts like me who want to work on innovative projects. They also work with a range of high-profile clients, so you get the opportunity to collaborate on prestigious events and contribute to their success by providing critical infrastructure. I also really love that it’s an opportunity to work with diverse industries, from corporate events to festivals. At Noba, you get to work on dynamic projects that require innovative solutions, such as setting up temporary networks in remote locations or handling high-density environments like conferences or festivals.
Explain how you approach matching the right connectivity solution to your client’s events?
The first step is to understand as much about the event, the client, the venue and the content as possible. I would usually break this down into the following areas:
1. Understand the Event’s Scope and Objectives
- Identify the type of event: The first step is to understand whether the event is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, as each format has different connectivity requirements.
- Clarify the client’s goals: What is the primary objective of the event? Are they focused on audience engagement, live streaming, networking, or content distribution? This helps tailor the connectivity solution to meet these goals.
- Audience size and demographics: The number of attendees and their tech needs play a major role in determining bandwidth requirements and the scale of the connectivity solution. For larger audiences, you need more robust and scalable solutions.
2. Assess the Venue and Location
- Site surveys: For in-person events, conducting a thorough site survey is critical to assess the venue’s infrastructure. This includes reviewing existing internet capabilities, identifying dead spots, and ensuring there’s adequate power and cable routing.
- Venue challenges: Each venue comes with its own challenges—whether it’s a remote location with limited infrastructure or an urban setting with high-density user demands. Tailoring the connectivity solution involves considering these unique aspects.
- Physical layout: The event’s layout (indoor, outdoor, multiple rooms, or stages) will impact how you design and deploy the WiFi and networking solutions. This is especially important for events that span multiple spaces or include a large expo floor.
3. Determine Connectivity Needs Based on Event Type
- High-density events: If it’s a large conference, trade show, or concert, the connectivity solution must support a high volume of simultaneous users. This means setting up high-capacity networks with multiple access points and load balancing.
- Streaming and virtual requirements: For hybrid or virtual events, stable and high-bandwidth internet is essential for streaming live content to remote attendees. This includes ensuring that the upload speed is sufficient for high-definition streams.
- Interactive elements: If the event includes live polling, Q&A sessions, or social media interaction, the solution must prioritise low-latency connections to ensure real-time responses. Mobile apps or AR/VR integrations might also require specific network configurations.
4. Bandwidth and Capacity Planning
- User device estimation: Calculate the number of devices expected to connect (often multiple devices per attendee) to ensure you can meet the demand. This involves estimating the peak usage times and ensuring the network can handle these loads without slowdowns or crashes.
- Required speed and throughput: Depending on the activities (e.g., HD video streaming, real-time data transfers, or live social media interactions), determine the required bandwidth for both download and upload speeds. This ensures a smooth user experience without disruptions.
- Redundancy and failover plans: For mission-critical events, having backup internet options, such as a secondary broadband connection or a satellite link, ensures that the event runs smoothly, even if there’s an issue with the primary connection.
5. Tailor Security Features
- Data security: For events that handle sensitive information (e.g., government/financial conferences or corporate meetings), ensure the network is secured with encryption, firewalls, and access controls.
- Private networks: In some cases, it’s necessary to create segmented, secure networks for event staff, VIPs, or media, ensuring their connectivity remains separate from the public network.
- Authentication and user management: For larger public events, implementing secure login protocols (e.g., captive portals or password-protected WiFi access) can help control user access and track usage.
6. Customisation for Attendee Engagement
- Mobile app integration: If the event uses a mobile app for attendee engagement, networking, or content access, ensure the network is optimised to support the app’s functionality without lag or downtime.
- Social media and live interactions: If part of the event’s strategy is to generate buzz via social media or facilitate real-time audience participation, the connectivity solution must enable attendees to upload photos, stream live video, and interact across platforms seamlessly.
- Exhibitor and sponsor needs: Many events have sponsors and exhibitors who require dedicated connectivity for live demos or interactive booths. Creating private, high-speed networks for these stakeholders is essential for their success and satisfaction.
7. Ongoing Monitoring and Real-Time Support
- Live network monitoring: During the event, it’s important to actively monitor the network for any performance issues, such as bandwidth overloads or access point failures. This allows for immediate troubleshooting.
- On-site technical support: Having a team of skilled technicians on-site ensures any connectivity issues are addressed in real-time, minimising downtime and attendee frustration.
- Post-event debrief: After the event, reviewing the network’s performance (e.g., bandwidth usage, connection issues, user feedback) helps refine future connectivity solutions for recurring events.
8. Cost Efficiency and Scalability
- Scalable solutions: As event professionals will know, live events are unpredictable, and therefore, the connectivity plan should be flexible enough to scale up or down depending on event size, ensuring that resources aren’t wasted on overestimating needs while still maintaining the ability to handle peak traffic times.
- Budget alignment: Work closely with the client to ensure the connectivity solution fits within their budget while still delivering the required performance. This might involve tiered service levels or offering optional add-ons, such as premium high-speed access for certain attendees.
What do you consider to be a key element to your role as Client Director, over and above providing your clients with the right solution?
There is now so much more emphasis on ensuring that events achieve their objectives in terms of ROI. Connectivity can play a crucial role in the success of an event, so I believe that post-event reporting and analysis are crucial elements of a connectivity service.
After the event, I aim to provide the client with a detailed report on network performance, usage statistics, and any areas for improvement. This data can help optimise future events and demonstrate the value of the connectivity services provided.
I also encourage clients to gather feedback from attendees about their experience with the event’s WiFi and overall connectivity can provide insights into how well the solution worked and where adjustments may be needed.
Noba also provides data analytics software, Crowdsense Analytics, that I am looking forward to using. It enables you to monitor and analyse your event attendees in real-time to manage congestion points, understand visitor behaviours, and adapt and improve your event accordingly.
Why would you recommend Noba’s connectivity solutions?
Because, we are a team of experts who specialise in event connectivity, enjoy a challenge and genuinely want to provide the ultimate service to guarantee a seamlessly connected experience for our clients. All done with good humour!
Do you have any life mottos?
Who Dares Wins
Get in touch to discuss your next event
0345 612 3008
hello@noba.co.uk
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