Temporary WiFi for Events in South Africa: What It Involves

Event WiFi looks simple from the outside. A few boxes go up, a network name goes on the programme, and people connect. Behind that are a handful of practical questions, and the answers decide what it costs.

That is why we quote every event on its own. A one-day workshop in a hotel with good fibre and a three-day festival in a field are different jobs. There is no honest single price for “event WiFi”, so we do not publish one.

Here is what actually goes into it, so you can plan, and so you know what to ask whoever you hire.

1. Where the internet comes from

Everything starts here. The WiFi is only as good as the connection behind it.

The venue’s own line. If the venue has fibre and is happy for you to use it, that is usually the simplest option. The attendee WiFi then runs on its own network, kept separate from the venue’s own business network, so the box office, the card machines and the AV control are not sitting on the same network as a few hundred phones.

Mobile data. Where there is no line, or the venue will not share it, the connection comes from mobile data (LTE) on SIM cards. At outdoor and remote sites it is often the only option. Two things matter:

• Signal at the actual spot. Mobile coverage changes from one corner of a site to another. It needs to be checked where the equipment will stand, not at the gate.
• The data is a real cost. Somebody supplies and pays for it. A good quote says plainly which line is being used and who is paying for the data.

2. How many people connect at once

The number on the guest list matters less than how many phones try to connect at the same moment. Everyone reaches for their phone during the keynote, the prize draw and the first dance.

That peak decides two things: how many access points the space needs, and how much the connection behind them has to carry. Time and bandwidth limits per person keep it fair, so one attendee streaming a match does not take the room down for everyone else.

When you ask for a quote, give your best guess of the crowd at its busiest, and when that is.

3. Power at every spot

Every router and access point needs power, for the whole event. In a conference room that is a wall socket. In a marquee, a car park or an open field it takes planning.

Things to sort out early:

• Where the power points are, and whether they stay on the whole time.
• Generators, and what happens when one is switched over or refuelled.
• Cable runs, and where they cross walkways safely.

Access points can often take their power down the same network cable that carries their data, which means power is needed at fewer spots. It still has to start somewhere reliable.

4. A branded login page, and attendee details with consent

This is where event WiFi earns its keep. When attendees connect, they see a login page with your event’s name and creative. On a multi-day programme it can change from one day to the next. A sponsor’s advert can sit on that screen too, if you want one in the quote.

The login page can also register attendees. They give their name, email and cell number before going online, and POPIA consent is captured at the moment they hand those details over. That gives you a list for the follow-up after the event, made up of people who agreed to hear from you.

Two POPIA habits to keep:

• Say what the details are for. People consent to what they are told, so tell them plainly.
• Use them only for that. If the sign-up said event updates, do not add people to an unrelated newsletter.

After the event, you can also see connections and visitor counts by day, your busiest times and how long people stayed connected. Real figures for the wrap-up report, instead of a guess at the door count.

5. Set-up, testing and someone on site

Temporary WiFi has to work from the first minute, because there is no second chance at a registration desk. That means time to set up and test before the doors open, ideally with the floor plan and the power points confirmed.

Agree in advance who is on site during the event, and how to reach them. Our people work Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00 SAST. Outside those hours we help on a best-effort basis and cannot promise a response time. If your event runs in the evening or at a weekend, tell us when you ask for a quote, so set-up and testing are finished before the doors open. Venues that host events every week often use our monthly guest WiFi packages instead.

What we need from you to quote

The more of this you can give us, the faster and more accurate the quote:

• The date or dates, and the hours the WiFi must run
• The venue, and whether it is indoors, outdoors or both
• Whether the venue has an internet line you are allowed to use
• Your best estimate of the crowd at its busiest, and when that is
• Where power is available
• Whether you want attendees to register with their details
• Your branding, and any sponsor who should appear on the login page

There is more on how we run WiFi for conferences, weddings, festivals and pop-ups on our events and venues page.

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Tell us about your event and we will come back with a quote for that event. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00 SAST.