What plugs into a brand activation network
Activations vary, but most combine several of these. Each is planned separately because each one fails differently.
Content screens and LED walls
Usually playing local content, sometimes pulling live feeds or a social wall. Wired where possible, so the crowd has no effect on playback.
Interactive installs
Games, touchscreens and sensors that call a server or cloud service. They need a stable, responsive connection more than raw speed.
Photo and video booths
The share moment: a guest takes a photo or clip and it's sent to their phone or posted. Every single share is an upload.
Sign-up and entry tablets
Your team's tablets for competitions or registrations get a steady connection; the data, consent and privacy side stays with your brand and agency.
Brand team devices
Staff phones, the producer's laptop and terminals for any sales. Working staff carry 1.5–2 devices each, so this network is sized like a small office.
Public WiFi (optional)
Some activations offer guests WiFi as part of the experience. It's sized separately and kept well away from the installs and payments.
Upload first: planning for the share moment
Most internet plans are built for downloading. Activations are the opposite. When a queue of fifty people each sends a photo or a short clip from a booth, upload is what fills up. Many standard plans have upload at a small fraction of download, so a connection that looks fast on paper can choke at exactly the moment the activation is busiest.
We plan upload first, then download. If a live stream is part of the activation, it needs 10–20 Mbps of steady upload on top, with headroom of roughly 1.5–2 times the stream bitrate. Large video files decide the plan on their own, so tell us if the booth sends full-resolution video. If the booth can queue uploads and send them as the connection allows, ask your supplier to switch that on.
Sizing activation internet: two weekend examples
Two typical weekend activations, worked through with our planning numbers. Final figures are confirmed on site.
| Planning item | Shopping centre court (indoor) | Outdoor plaza |
|---|---|---|
| Area | About 300 m², open | About 1,500 m² across a marquee and open ground |
| Brand team | 10 staff, 15–20 devices | 16 staff, 24–32 devices |
| Installs and screens | 2 screens, 1 interactive game, 1 photo booth | LED wall, 2 booths, 4 sign-up tablets |
| Public WiFi | None | Up to 100 guests at once, about 100 devices |
| Access points | 1, with screens and the game wired | 2 weather-rated for coverage, 3 once guest WiFi is counted |
| Connection | The centre's line if allowed, or a 4G/5G router | 4G/5G routers, one as backup, unless the site has a fixed line |
Outdoor sites without a fixed line rely on mobile coverage, which we test at the site. Mobile networks can congest when a crowd gathers around the activation.
Send a floor plan or the venue name. We reply with what the network needs and one written quote.
Indoor and outdoor experiential event WiFi
Indoors, the questions are about the building: whether the centre lets you bring equipment, whether there's a line you can use, and whether the centre's own public WiFi is already crowding the airwaves around your space. Shopping centres often have rules about what can be installed and when, so we ask early.
Outdoors, we use weather-rated access points mounted on structures you're already building: trusses, marquee frames, the back of the LED wall. Power comes from your event supply, so positions are agreed with the staging company. Lighting and sound can be coordinated with the network through our partner AV specialists; see event lighting and sound installation.
Activation WiFi brief for agencies
Send these with your production schedule and we'll come back with a network plan.
- Site address, plan, and whether it's indoor, outdoor or both
- Dates, trading hours and the bump-in window
- Every screen, install, booth and tablet that needs internet
- Whether booths send photos only or video too
- Expected guests at the busiest moment, and whether they get WiFi
- Power positions and structures we can mount on
- Venue or centre rules on outside equipment
Questions people ask
Do photo booths need their own internet at an activation?
A photo booth that sends images or video to guests' phones needs steady upload, and it works better on its own network than on shared public WiFi. Every share is an upload, and a queue of guests can fill a weak connection quickly. The booth's network lane and upload are planned before the activation opens.
Can you provide WiFi for an outdoor brand activation?
Yes. Outdoor brand activation WiFi uses weather-rated access points mounted on the structures you're building, powered from your event supply. Without a fixed line, the connection is usually a 4G/5G router, so mobile coverage is checked at the site first. Crowds can congest mobile networks, and that's factored into the plan.
Do you provide data capture or sign-up software for activations?
No. EventWiFi provides the network, not the sign-up or data capture software. Your agency's tablets and forms run on their own steady network lane, while the data, consent and privacy side stays with your brand and agency. If you're collecting emails, our guest WiFi best practices guide points to the relevant ACMA guidance.
How much upload does a brand activation need?
Activation upload depends on what's being shared. Photo sharing is modest per guest but adds up in a queue, video clips need much more, and a live stream needs 10–20 Mbps of steady upload. Many standard plans have upload at a small fraction of download, so the upload is planned first and the connection chosen to match.
Can the network go in the night before an activation?
Where the venue or site allows access, installing the network the night before gives your developers and booth suppliers time to test their installs on it before the public arrives. Bump-in times are set by the venue or centre, so tell us the access window when you book and the install is planned around it.
How much does brand activation WiFi cost?
Brand activation WiFi is quoted for each activation once we know the site, dates, devices and whether guests get WiFi. Outdoor sites, extra days and additional separate networks all affect the quote. There's no price list; ask and we'll walk you through a comparable activation setup.
