The Project:
Founded by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), the World Defence Show (WDS) was a brand new, major international expo featuring the latest technology and capabilities in the defence sector. The event infrastructure includes a large exhibition space, pavilions, outdoor static displays and demonstrations, as well as conference and seminar spaces for an estimated audience of 10,000 per day.
The event was hosted in March 2022, in a brand new purpose-built venue outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Any event the size of WDS will typically have temporary network and telecoms requirements above and beyond the venue’s day-to-day normal operational state. Not only are there event organiser network requirements such as registration systems, food and beverage (F&B), security, production WiFi and show control/command centres to consider; but also a wide array of exhibitor network requirements. Self-build exhibition stands and shell scheme exhibitors expect to be able to order from a rate card of bespoke services in addition to having access to high-speed WiFi.
Whilst exhibitors having this flexibility with connectivity and technology on their stands and pavilions is usually essential and key to them being able to deliver a high-end experience in their spaces, it’s also important from an event point of view that this process is controlled with robust policies, to ensure stands are not causing interference with each other or with your own systems in the venue.
For a major international event, robust and reliable public WiFi will also be critical to the delegate experience. This includes a high-density WiFi deployment that covers not only the indoor exhibition spaces but typically demonstration and outdoor display areas too, which might not be considered as part of the normal venue.
