Meeting and event professionals – including suppliers such as hotel and convention facilities sales staff -- need to be able to converse intelligently about High Speed Internet Access. If you are totally oblivious and think, hmmm, let’s let the ‘tech’ people figure this out, this webinar is for you. Learn about HSIA and why free may not be the best option for you. Planners know about the importance of event history and understanding projected needs such as F&B consumption, attendance numbers, etc., but many don’t know how much High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) bandwidth they use, how it is being used, whether they are receiving what they contracted for, and/or what level of service is required. Given the pace of technological change and consumer usage patterns, the concern is whether either side has sufficient knowledge to ask the right questions and achieve desired outcomes. Learner Outcomes: The factors driving Internet bandwidth consumption at events. Best practices for managing and reporting Internet bandwidth usage. Improving attendee satisfaction by providing adequate bandwidth at events This program was developed by and is delivered under the auspices of the CIC APEX Standards Review Council and its Bandwidth and Connectivity Workgroup. For more information see http://tinyurl.com/afmwshf

1. High-Speed Internet Access
(HSIA):
What You Need to Know
When ‘Free’ is Not an Option

2. © Convention Industry Council 2013
Presented by
MaryAnne Bobrow Michael Owen John Rissi
President CEO, Managing Partner Sr. VP, Operations
Bobrow Associates, Inc. EventGenuity® LLC PSAV® Presentation Services

3. Learner Outcomes
1. Understand the factors driving Internet bandwidth
consumption at meetings and events.
2. Learn best practices for managing and reporting Internet
bandwidth usage.
3. Improve attendee satisfaction and outcomes by providing
adequate bandwidth to support meetings’ growing
technology demands.

4. Bandwidth Defined
“The amount of data that can be transmitted
(upload) or received (download) per second.”
(Proposed APEX Glossary Definition)

5. Bandwidth Planning
Presenters Exhibitors
Show
Management Attendees

6. Top Reasons Why HSIA Fails
1. Inadequate Bandwidth
2. Inadequate Wi-Fi infrastructure
3. Wi-Fi interference
4. External Factors
5. Lack of Planning

7. #1: What is the Demand?
Number of participants?
Expected use of the Internet?
• Low
• Medium
• High
Number and type of devices in use?
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Laptops

8. #2 What Are Your Presenter Requirements
Does the presentation require Internet?
• Live demos
• Application training
• Remote collaboration
How much bandwidth is required?
• Low
• Medium
• High

9. #3 Shared or Dedicated Bandwidth?
 SHARED
 OK for casual use
 Non event-critical needs
 DEDICATED
 Presenters
 Critical event needs
 Large events

10. #4 What Should Be Shared/Dedicated?
Shared
 Analogous to airline overbookings
 Shared bandwidth generally
offered on a ‘best effort’ basis
– no performance guarantee
 Dedicated
 Set aside by provider and always available
for your use
Best Practice: Keep attendee bandwidth and
event operations bandwidth separate

11. #5 Verify Bandwidth Delivered
Verification:
 http://www.speedtest.net
 http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
 Ask your provider for usage reports

12. Introducing the Bandwidth Estimator
• Developed by - free to use and found at
http://www.conventionindustry.org/StandardsPractices/APEX/bandwidthconnectivity/bwidthestimator.aspx

13. #6 Exhibitors’ Wireless Networks
Exhibitors’ Wi-Fi equipment can interfere
with the in-house network
How do I manage this?

14. #7 Site Inspection & Evaluation
 Bandwidth availability
 How is it managed?
 Who manages the network?
 Wi-Fi system age / technology version
 Who is the on-site Expert
 Who is your expert?
Connect your expert
with theirs

15. #8 Pricing Models
• Bandwidth per
connection?
• Scalable?
• Sufficient?
• Verifiable.
• Scalable.
• Inform future
event planning.

16. #9 Bandwidth for Event Apps
Bandwidth – What does the app do?
 Basic event information (Low)
 Post pictures to social media
(Medium)
 Stream the event (High)
Wireless – How many devices?
 Need enough wireless access points
to handle all the devices

17. #10 Why not “Free”?
Rising costs
 Bandwidth
 Infrastructure
 Rapidly evolving technology
 Support expectation
Venues will decide
 Where might free work?
 How much bandwidth?
 What support will be offered?
 What level of re-investment is sustainable?

18. RFPs
• Information to provide to
the Venue
• Profile of the meeting
• Number of devices/bandwidth/ applications
• Prior event reporting
• Information provided by the Venue
• Wi-Fi and Bandwidth
• Support and Access Method

19. Post-Event Follow-up
• What went well?
• What didn’t
• How will you gauge attendee
experience?
• Reporting:
• Wireless Device Utilization
• Bandwidth

20. MaryAnne Bobrow, CAE, CMP, CMM, CHE
maryanne@bobrowassociates.com
Michael Owen
m.owen@eventgenuity.com
John Rissi
jrissi@PSAV.com
For more information and resources:
http://www.conventionindustry.org

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22. CMP CREDIT
• This session has been verified
by CIC to qualify for
continuing education credit.
towards the CMP
certification.
• Participation has earned you
.50 Clock Hours (30 minutes)
for CMP-IS Domain: A
Strategic Planning
• We will send you an email
with in 5 business days
following the webinar that will
give you a link to print proof
of your participation.
• Then you can simply list the
course on your year-end
detail.
• Thank you for participating!

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