Ever attended a conference and struggled to connect to the venue’s WiFi network? It’s becoming an all too familiar situation, and we’re sure that everyone has found themselves dealing with this headache at some point.
Staying connected to the rest of the world is a given these days, just like light and running water! It’s not acceptable to attend an event only to find you have to deal with flakey WiFi throughout the day.
Most venues will tell you they have WiFi, but will the WiFi support your event? So many event organisers will ask the venue the question ‘Is WiFi included?’ but that’s not enough in this day and age. Not when you consider the amount of event tech that can potentially be used across an event cycle; everything from event registration, conference apps, live streaming and social walls all require good and reliable connectivity to run efficiently. Not to mention the delegates that simply need to stay connected, usually with a minimum of 2 devices!
The demand is high these days when you consider all of the above, so it’s crucial that the right questions are asked when investigating which venue to use for your event.
Questions to ask your venue
If you are an event organiser, these simple questions will help you to make a calculated and more informed decision as to whether the venue has the right WiFi service to support your event:
- WiFi Infrastructure – what equipment is used by the venue? e.g Ruckus, Cisco, Aruba, other
- What speed is the WiFi network operating at? 802.11 bg?/n?/AC?
- How many wireless access points are installed into the event space? Do you have floor plans showing the locations?
- How is the managed wireless system configured? e.g what is the login process for devices? Is there a device inactivity disconnection timeout set? Are traffic preferences set on the current WiFi network (QoS)? Is there a splash page?
- Does the Wi-Fi cover the whole event space, including any breakout areas?
- Is there a separate login process for the event space?
- Will there be on-site support? What is the process when technical issues arise?
- Is the internet bandwidth on the event wireless network dedicated to this network or shared with the rest of the venue?
- What is the Internet bandwidth speed and type of internet connection (FTTC, Leased Line) for the event?
- Can any further customisation be configured on the Wi-Fi network (eg. SSID, device redirection, splash page)?
If you need help once these questions have been answered, and perhaps are unsure what the answers tell you, then please get in touch here or call our team on 0345 612 3008.
A poor WiFi network is bad for business. Delegates will get frustrated if they can’t continue to stay connected to the rest of the world or use the various event technologies provided at the event, so be prepared!
Further things to consider…
Security
Many corporate companies will not want their delegates connecting to a public or hotel network. Most venues will only offer a flat network, so whether you are an attendee or hotel guest you could be connecting to the same network and receiving the same quality of service.
Most companies such as banks, law firms and financial services will quite rightly want a private, secure network for their delegates to connect to in order to make sure there is absolutely no risk of devices being hacked whilst connected to the conference network. Security on the network is the highest priority. Make sure these questions are put forward to the venue to check they have processes in place for protecting your delegates’ devices.
The Human Touch
They say being an event organiser is one of the most stressful jobs out there, so we’re sure dealing with the WiFi is the last thing on their mind. From speaking with our clients, most of them would say the reason they want a 3rd party company like noba is down to having that ‘someone’ who can advise, be on hand if any technical issues arise, and generally take care of things so it’s one less thing for the organiser to worry about.
Summary
A seamless WiFi connection should be a priority for any conference, with the logistics and productivity of these events being so dependent on a strong and reliable WiFi connection. If event organisers are unprepared, visitors will leave disappointed and frustrated, potentially resulting in a bad experience of your event.
Learn More
Noba provides a wide range of temporary and permanent connectivity solutions to the events industry. For the past decade, we have had our fingers on the pulse of the latest developments in event technology, and we can advise on the ideal solutions for all types of event, big and small. To find out more, get in touch.
