Electric Events

Broadband and Mobile Technologies

Meeting planners and companies exhibiting at trade shows are reaping other benefits from the expansion and increased affordability of wireless broadband Internet service. Whether it’s Wi-Fi hotspots, Evolution Data Optimized (EDVO) mobile phone broadband technology, or the emerging worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMax), event specialists have plenty of new wireless options and mobile devices that can enhance the show experience.

Exhibitors once had few choices when it came to onsite Internet access; often they were restricted to paying for access through a show production company at daily rates of $500 or more. But with the advent of affordable EVDO technology—which provides broadband Internet access directly to laptops—from carriers such as Verizon or T-Mobile, exhibitors can acquire their own high-speed links and routers that enable many users to access the Web.

"All it takes is one good contact at a show to make the time and expense worthwhile, and helping attendees connect with the right people is invaluable," Ball says.

Ball describes how the technology might be applied on the exhibit show floor: “Imagine strapping on a backpack that has a portable battery, laptop, and EVDO card plugged into an EVDO router. Also plugged into the router is a Webcam that has been attached to a helmet on your head. You now have a wireless, portable, go anywhere Webcasting solution.” Combine that setup with a wireless Bluetooth headset that plugs into an EVDO phone, and you can provide interactive tours of the show floor with two-way communication that is broadcast back to a Web site. In this way, planners could significantly increase the visibility of their show floor and exhibitors.

New applications using cell phones and other handheld devices also can help planners provide a better event experience for attendees. One example is the “event assistant” from Netherlands-based company Log On (log-on.nl), which enables attendees to use cell phones, PDAs, and laptops to access conference agendas and exhibit product directories, network with fellow meeting participants, receive travel information, and more.

Ball says cell phone–based city guides and mapping programs also are becoming increasingly helpful to convention goers visiting unfamiliar cities. He also believes that social networking applications—essentially event-based versions of Web sites like Facebook or MySpace—will eventually emerge and serve a valuable purpose for the meeting industry. “All it takes is one good contact at a show to make the time and expense worthwhile, and helping attendees connect with the right people is invaluable,” Ball says.