How to Budget and Plan Your Event Correctly for Internet and Power
Without a stable WiFi signal throughout your event area, you could end up dealing with presenters running into trouble giving their lectures, attendees unable to stay in contact with their associates, and news media facing challenges uploading stories about your event. Just as importantly, your event requires access to enough electricity so presenters and attendees can charge their devices, plug in display monitors during lectures, give their best performances and more.
Unfortunately, many venues lack the necessary infrastructure to furnish you with the internet and power that your event requires. Therefore, we put together this guide on how to plan your event correctly for internet and power. Keep reading to avoid the most common mistakes and problems.
Ensuring a Venue’s WiFi Is Sufficient for Your Event
Venues frequently suffer from poor WiFi connections that don’t permeate the entire facility—or connections that can’t handle the demands of an event with thousands of participants. Below are some tips to ensure that your venue’s WiFi network will do the job.
Beware of Overcharging
In today’s digital climate, WiFi is no longer a luxury; it’s a need. This has resulted in WiFi price gauging. According to GetToken, some of their event WiFi clients have reported being quoted as much as $20,000 for WiFi. Make sure that you fully understand the costs you’re signing up for when asking a venue—or a third-party provider—to supply WiFi.
Figure Out Who’s Providing the WiFi
In most cases, venues offer WiFi services through third-party providers. As a result, the venue may not understand how the WiFi works or how to determine if it’s sufficient for your needs. You should speak directly with the WiFi provider to discuss your requirements and request that a technician be present during the event to resolve any problems as they arise.
Estimate the Number of Devices that Need to Connect to the Network
The number of people attending your event will determine the level of WiFi “bandwidth” you require, so discuss this figure with the WiFi provider and get the provider’s assurance that the WiFi signal can meet these requirements. Also, remember that many of your event participants will want to connect more than one device, so you should plan for more connections than the actual number of people coming to the event.
Investigate WiFi “Dark Zones” to Ensure Complete Coverage
Your team should check the reach of the WiFi network by testing signal strength throughout the facility. If you encounter a WiFi “dark zone,” you or the WiFi provider may be able to solve the problem by installing additional routers or signal boosters to cover the dark zone. One way to prevent dark zones is to ensure that there is a clear line of site between WiFi routers and signal boosters. Also, remember that WiFi signals get blocked by concrete walls and walls made with metallic sheeting. Finally, for a more reliable connection, only work with WiFI vendors that use enterprise-grade hardware from Xirrus, Ruckus, Aruba or Cisco.
Satisfying a Venue’s Electricity Requirements
Some venues may be unable to supply enough electricity for your event’s needs, especially if your event has special electrical requirements—e.g., if it involves a large show or performance with extensive lighting, sound and other equipment. Below are some tips for ensuring a strong and reliable source of electricity for your event.
Discuss Your Power Needs With an Electrical Engineer
It’s vital to determine an estimate of your power needs with a professional electrical engineer. This way you can work with power companies and venue managers to ensure you supply the event with enough power. In the case of a remote event location, the power company may be able to provide a portable source of power.
Use Historical Data to Determine Past Demands for Electricity
By looking at historical data from previous events, you may be able to determine what the power demand for your next event will be and plan and budget accordingly.
Negotiate Energy Costs with the Venue
When negotiating rent and other costs with the venue, make sure to discuss your event’s energy needs and the potential electricity costs that will be added to your bill. In some cases, you may be able to negotiate energy costs down to lower your total budget expenditures.
Calculate Power-Usage Estimate
Useful tools on the internet can help you estimate your power needs. This shows the power requirements of the different items you’ll be using when running an event. Here’s another useful guide to help you calculate an event’s power requirements.
Magic Box @ The Reef Has Your Event WiFi and Energy Needs Covered
Magic Box @ The Reef can assist you with all your Downtown Los Angeles event production needs—including your power and WiFi concerns. We’ll make sure your attendees have consistent access to strong and stable WiFI and power during your entire event production. Learn more about Magic Box here!
Author Bio
Jeremy Hillpot’s background in consumer-investor fraud litigation provides a unique perspective on a vast array of topics, including event production, website technology, investments, startups, cryptocurrencies and the law. Contact Jeremy at legalwritingFINRA.com or [email protected].
Sources:
https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/test-your-wifi-supplier/
https://www.gettoken.com/how-to-avoid-wasting-money-on-temporary-wifi-for-events/
https://www.productionelectriks.com/power-usage-guide/
https://www.servercentral.com/blog/determining-power-requirements/
