There are a number of variables that matter to ensure your event is viable, which are mostly based around how many devices and what kind of internet usage your attendees engage in. Elements to consider include bandwidth and access points.
Bandwidth
The amount of bandwidth you require is primarily based around the number of users you can expect at your event. Let’s say you expect around 530 users in total. Medium usage can be estimated at around 1.75 devices per user, which in effect gives us 928 ‘users’; your bandwidth requirements in this case would be 76 Mb/s. Using a bandwidth estimator tool online can also be helpful in providing you a rough idea of just how much bandwidth may be required at your event.
The only other significant bandwidth requirement is the initial download of the app if you've opted to create a custom native app for your event. A good promotional strategy will greatly help to minimize this burden as you can likely get the bulk of your users to download the app ahead of time. For more information on how to promote your app, click here.
Other factors that influence your bandwidth requirements are the size of your event guide and the amount of content, as well as expected activities. To increase the download speed and minimize the total size of the app, we keep most of the images and all of your attached documents on our servers. This means that you will need to be connected to view them. Please note that if WiFi is enabled, attendees will use it for other websites and online activities apart from your event app.
Access Points
More important than the bandwidth is the number of access points, which determines how many people can connect simultaneously. Having really smooth highways doesn't really matter if there's only one lane. As mentioned, your attendees will use WiFi to facilitate all kinds of things if it's available at your event, and some may also use more than one device. We recommend having twice the number of access points as expected attendees to ensure that everyone can connect seamlessly, even if they have more than one device.
For the purpose of the app, it's also important to note areas and times of higher activity. For example, you probably want to have a number of access points around the registration desk if you're promoting the app there. Similarly, if you are running a live poll at a large session, you'll probably want to outfit the area with enough access points to allow everyone to participate.