Not all event WiFi providers are equal. Before you sign a contract, make sure you ask these 10 questions. The answers will tell you a great deal about whether a supplier can really deliver.
Choosing an event WiFi provider is not just about price. A cheap network that fails on the day costs you far more than a well-specced solution that works. These ten questions will help you separate genuine specialists from generalist IT companies who occasionally do events.
1. What backhaul options can you provide?
A serious event WiFi provider should be able to offer bonded 4G/5G, Starlink satellite, point-to-point microwave, and leased line overlay depending on your site. If they only offer one option, they may not be able to deliver reliably for your specific location.
2. Will you carry out a pre-event site survey?
RF planning based on a floor plan is better than nothing, but a physical site visit is significantly better. For outdoor events especially, terrain, vegetation, and nearby RF interference sources can only be properly assessed in person.
3. How do you manage bandwidth during the event?
Without active bandwidth management, a handful of users streaming video can saturate a network for everyone else. Ask how they prioritise traffic and what tools they use to manage per-user and per-application bandwidth.
4. Do you monitor the network in real time?
Network monitoring during your event — not just setup and hope — is the difference between catching a problem before it affects users and finding out about it when your MD's presentation grinds to a halt. Ask specifically whether they have a NOC (Network Operations Centre) watching your network throughout the event.
5. What happens if the primary backhaul fails?
Every professional event network should have automatic failover. Ask what the backup connection is and how quickly the switchover happens. Ideally the failover should be seamless and automatic, not something that requires a call to a support line.
6. Can you show me a reference event of similar size?
Any credible provider should be able to point you to comparable events they've delivered successfully. Ask specifically about events with similar attendee numbers, similar venue types, and similar technical requirements.
7. What security is in place on the network?
Event networks need client isolation (so attendees can't see each other's traffic), firewall protection, and content filtering if required. If you're running vendor payment systems or production equipment on the same infrastructure, ask about VLAN separation.
8. Who is physically on site during the event?
Remote support is valuable. On-site support is essential. Ask how many engineers will be present throughout your event and what their escalation process is if something goes wrong.
9. What does your pricing include?
Watch for pricing that looks low because it excludes site survey, monitoring, after-hours support, or de-rig. Ask for an all-in price that covers everything from survey to collection.
10. How quickly can you deploy if the brief changes?
Events change. Attendee numbers shift, venue plans change, and sometimes you need a network deploying at very short notice. Ask about their minimum lead time for deployment and whether they can flex their setup if your requirements change.
If you'd like to talk through your event requirements with our team, we're happy to help — no sales pressure, just a straightforward conversation about what your event needs.
