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How Much Tech Do I Need - Budgeting Bandwidth for Meetings

While you may be proficient at planning meetings and events, you may encounter some issues when trying to determine the amount of bandwidth your meeting or event may require. Let meetingpages help.

Q. In what context is this applicable? Meetings over a certain number of attendees? Or is it always an issue?

A. Fast and reliable internet service is a consistent issue for groups of any size. Small meetings of 10 attendees may require the same amount of bandwidth as groups of 80-100; it all depends upon the format of the event and type of content you will be sharing. Will usage be light with general surfing, medium accessing social media and some web demos or heavy with video, live polling, labs and more.

A major trend is the need for Internet services during breaks to allow attendees to check emails and/or perform quick web searches. Offering high quality Wi-Fi during this time can be a huge value to the attendees as they are able to keep up with work, without having to worry about finding cell phone coverage somewhere inside the venue. Here is where Wi-Fi services can be complimentary, but the quality may not be adequate for the group’s needs.

Any time you have a speaker or presentation that is going to be streaming information from the web, purchasing or securing dedicated bandwidth for that portion of your event would be essential.

Q. Do all conference/convention centers and venues charge for this?

A. While full-service event lodging and venues may offer basic complimentary wi-fi for daily internet service for hotel guests as well as internet connectivity inside the meeting space, you will need to review the download and upload speeds to determine whether or not this will provide enough bandwidth for your attendees. Typically for events that require training while streaming online, venues offer affordable bandwidth packages that allow for certain amounts per attendee to be dedicated to either a specific presenter or group of people to ensure seamless connectivity. Again, once the venue understands the content that will be shared, they will be able to recommend the appropriate amount of bandwidth needed per attendee so you may plan accordingly to ensure seamless connectivity.

Q. Do you always have a good idea going into the planning process what you can expect to pay for this?

A. During the sales process, the venue should discuss the need for internet services with clients so meeting planners know what the venue charges for each package as they begin their venue selection. However, from the planner’s perspective, you do not always know what your attendees will need for internet connectivity, nor will speakers always disclose their needs. Talking through this point at the beginning of the planning process assists the planner in budgeting for whatever level of Wi-Fi services may be necessary.

Q. How do you determine how much bandwidth you need?

A. One of the best tools available to estimate bandwidth needs is the Events Industry Council’s Event Bandwidth Estimator (see https://insights.eventscouncil.org/Full-Article/event-bandwidth-estimator). This tool will ask you the number of users and the level (Low, Medium, High) of internet connectivity you are looking for including if attendees will have multiple devices.

Another great tool for meeting planners to utilize is http://www.speedtest.net/. This website tests the upload and download speeds of the network in real time. It’s a quick way for the meeting planner to ensure they have enough bandwidth for their attendees or speakers. Occasionally, meeting planners use it for site inspections to evaluate the speed of internet access in a given area.

Q. What if you go over? Or, what if you are under?

A. There is not much negative consequence to buying too much bandwidth. If you are under the amount of bandwidth that you really need, it may mean that the speaker or guest experience for your event is going to slow down dramatically. Often this can be remedied quickly depending on the facility. To avoid this, it is advisable to plan in advance for the highest amount of bandwidth you are expecting to utilize.

Q. What are some tips for getting as close as possible to what you need?

A. Ask on your initial RFPs for pricing on Internet services and what amount of bandwidth that includes. Know the needs of your speakers up front and ask questions on what their Internet needs will be (if they are streaming any part of their presentation, are they requiring the attendees to be online during their presentation, etc.). The more details up front that are known, the more knowledgeable decisions can be made on the amount of bandwidth required.

Casey Romano, Publisher | meetingpages | casey@meetingpages.com

Creator of digital platform meetingpages complete event planning directory and resource delivering leads and national, regional and local exposure for event venues, suppliers and destinations in MN, WI, IA & CO markets. In her free time, this 19 year industry veteran enjoys dance, group fitness, and training her young golden retriever dog in competition obedience and confirmation.