Every event organizer has been there: you’re setting up for your event, everything is going smoothly, except… the internet is painfully slow.
Whether you need access to your demo site at an expo, a stable connection for streaming your hybrid event, or just to help attendees get online at your next meeting, great WiFi is a non-negotiable for events. But if your venue’s WiFi isn’t up to speed (quite literally), what are your other options?
Why consider bringing your own WiFi?
Stable, fast WiFi is crucial for many modern events. Often, presentation slides or videos will live online, and if your speakers forget to save a local copy to their devices, it can be very stressful when it’s time to present if the venue WiFi is slow.
Large events, such as expos and congresses, often suffer from overloaded WiFi, meaning vendors, attendees, and presenters struggle to get online. This isn’t just frustrating, but can also be a nightmare if you’re looking to create a slick, engaging event experience. If your booth videos are constantly buffering, your interactive presentation polls won’t load on attendees’ devices, or your salespeople are struggling to navigate through your demo materials, it will likely lead to unfair negative impressions of your brand.
On top of that, many attendees (and speakers) will bring more than one device to an event. If you have 100 attendees, that doesn’t just mean 100 devices connecting to the WiFi – if they all bring their cell phone, a laptop, and a tablet, that’s suddenly 300 devices! Your attendees won’t be impressed if they have to create personal hotspots for their own devices, so ensure that great WiFi is a priority when you’re considering your event technology.
That’s why bringing your own WiFi is a great idea if you’re reliant on an internet connection for the smooth running of your event (and let’s face it: these days, who isn’t?).
Temporary WiFi for events
One way to guarantee that internet access won’t cause problems at your next in-person event, whether that’s a 20,000-person expo or a 20-person meeting, is to install temporary WiFi.
There are vendors worldwide who will set up a temporary connection for your events, providing you with all the bandwidth you need on your event days. They generally provide routers, data SIMs, internal/external antennae, and support, helping vendors maximize the speed and reliability of their connection at any event.
In general, installing a temporary WiFi service for your event isn’t very expensive, but it will provide you with peace of mind that everything will keep running smoothly, even if the venue WiFi fails or gets overloaded.
It’s also possible to prioritize web traffic related to your event. For instance, a keynote speaker’s connection can take priority over a delegate who is watching a YouTube video between sessions, ensuring the key elements of your event run smoothly without being affected by non-event internet usage.
When could I use temporary WiFi?
The sky’s the limit for temporary event WiFi, but some of the places you could consider using it include:
- Large expos, congresses, or trade shows
- Live seminars
- Hybrid events with live streaming
- Employee meetings
- Customer events
- Product launches
- Outdoor events
- Events in rural venues
- Events taking place in ‘busy’ locations (for instance, in big cities on the same day as an important sporting event)
Of course, not all events are made equal – you won’t need the same bandwidth for a small internal sales meeting as you will for a giant international congress, so only get the bandwidth you need to avoid paying more than necessary.
Do I always need temporary event WiFi?
Ideally, temporary event WiFi should be the exception, not the norm. Most dedicated event venues should have stable, fast WiFi, so you shouldn’t need to worry.
Before you select your venue for any event, ask what their WiFi provision looks like, and if they have any backup options if their primary internet fails.
Even the best-established event venues can have internet problems, especially for very large events with thousands of attendees. If you want to be absolutely certain that your event goes off without a hitch, bringing your own WiFi could be the best solution to avoid any last-minute mishaps.
I'm still not sure if I need event WiFi! Now what?
If you’re looking for secure, stable WiFi for your next event, we’re here to help! American Meetings’ event professionals have helped organizations assess their WiFi needs and add temporary WiFi to their event setup if necessary.
We’d love to help you decide what you need for your next meeting and find the best vendor for your needs. We’re ready when you are – simply tell us what you’re looking for here and we’ll do the rest.
