The Five C's of Reliable Wireless Internet: Connectivity (part 5 of 6)

November 24, 2012

This is the fifth part of a six-part series on WiFi at events. The next “C“ you need to consider when designing a good network is connectivity (or bandwidth).

If, for a moment, you think of internet access like water, the first “C’s” we addressed covered your sprinkler system. 

Now, you need to make sure you have enough water traveling through your pipes if you want the sprinklers to work properly. Even the best sprinkler system in the world is not going to effectively water your lawn if your pipes are too narrow or if there isn’t a sufficient supply of water flowing through them. The same is true for WiFi.

No matter how good the network infrastructure is, the user experience will be painfully slow if you do not have enough bandwidth. To keep the analogy going, bandwidth is the rate of data transfer through your pipes. Bandwidth is measured in bits per second. For large events, you will be purchasing bandwidth in terms of millions of bits per second (Mbps or Megabits or Megs) or billions of bits per second (Gbps or Gigabits or Gigs).

Many venues like to charge for Internet access per IP address, Ethernet drop, or by some other means. While these may be convenient billing methods, they have very little to do with one of the largest cost components and underlying determinants of your network experience – bandwidth.

With any WiFi access or Ethernet drop purchase, you must ask how much dedicated bandwidth you are receiving since the speed of your network is contingent upon it.  Be extremely wary of any network provider who won’t commit to giving you “dedicated bandwidth” or quote speeds in terms of upload and download.

Calculating the proper amount of bandwidth to purchase for your wireless network is partly an exercise in estimation and partly an exercise in arithmetic (but don’t worry, you can use a calculator). 

To help our clients estimate the amount of bandwidth they need for a WiFi buyout, we use a formula that estimates the maximum number of devices you expect to be on the network at any one time. The formula is as follows:

Total Bandwidth Needed = A x D x W x B x M

A = # of attendees

D = average # of devices per attendee

W = % of devices using WiFi (reduced by cellular 3G/4G offload)

B = average bandwidth required per device (in Mbps)

M = max % of devices online at any given time

If you have no idea what these values are or do not feel comfortable estimating them, you should contact an IT person who is familiar with networks. This can be either someone from within your organization or a third party network consultant. 

For the purposes of illustration (aka - insert disclaimer here), we would recommend that for every 1,000 devices, under a casual usage scenario, you obtain no less than 20 Mbps of dedicated bandwidth. 

Purchasing bandwidth from your hotel or convention center’s in-house provider can be expensive, sometimes over $1,000/Mbps, so you obviously don’t want to be buying more than you need. 

That said, skimping on bandwidth is a surefire way to guarantee an unpleasant internet experience for all. This is because each additional person that connects to the network will be using up a portion of the available bandwidth. The more people that get on the network, the slower it will be for everyone. 

If you drastically under-purchase bandwidth, the network can slow to an unusable speed, leaving attendees dissatisfied and organizers frustrated. Obviously, this can happen even if you spend $20,000 on 20 Mbps when you really need 100 Mbps.

There are two ways to get bandwidth into a building: the traditional way of using a copper or fiberoptic cable, and the newer method of using a point-to-point microwave wireless signal. 

If you’re not aware of all bandwidth options, you may erroneously conclude that your venue has a monopoly on bandwidth and you have to pay their price for their circuit. But fear not, you do have a choice when it comes to who will be providing the bandwidth (and the overall network) for your event.

Our last and final blog post in the series will focus on your freedom of choice.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact