Etherlive – Event Technology Experts

29 Nov 2010

ADSL, Broadband, Connectivity, Event, Event IT, Festival, Satellite, VoIP, Wireless

Last week in the news much was made of a dedicated satellite launch for broadband Internet access (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11846237). Satellite Internet access is nothing new and varying levels of service are available today but this launch, along with a couple of others that are planned, do bring additional bandwidth and some improved services. With this in mind I thought it would be useful to cover the good and bad of satellite Internet and whether it can help at your event. At a high level the pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

Relatively quick to deploy at short notice
No requirement for any physical wired infrastructure to the site
Relatively high bandwidth (primarily download) can be purchased compared to low-end broadband

Cons

Requires line of sight (roughly to southern horizon and an associated Fresnel zone area)
Requires alignment (although automatic motorised systems are now available)
Very high latency (delay) impacts usability for some applications
Can suffer weather impacts such as rain fade
Higher bandwidth tends to require a larger dish
Tends to work out very costly for longer duration events

For an event organiser some of these points are very important, for example the high latency makes the use of most VPNs virtually impossible which is a real problem if for example you need to run a ticketing system connected via VPN. VoIP services also suffer with high latency meaning delays and ‘Darlek’ effects. There are some improvements with the latest generation services but the simple fact is that satellites are a long way away and will always suffer high latency. It is also important to not assume a satellite dish will have line of sight – there are many situations where getting visibility to the southern horizon is harder than expected and it is also import to factor in the Fresnel zone, this effect means that a small gap between two buildings or trees may not work as expected.

Not all satellite services are the same. Different satellites have different ‘footprints’ meaning they cover different parts of Europe. Many providers also use contention ratios on satellite services too in a similar way to wired ADSL/Broadband services. There are a range of speed options ranging from consumer type services up to more business/professional levels, some services are also optimised for digital video links rather than web browsing.

So, in summary, when should you use satellite? When there really are no other options. We can, and do use satellite from time to time but it is the last resort and requires careful planning to ensure the service delivered meets the requirements. We always work with customers to review all options and recommend the most appropriate solution.

UK Festival Conference 2010

19 Nov 2010

Event, Festival, Festival Conference

Spent the day at the UK Festival Conference yesterday, very interesting day with all the key players from across the industry together. A two minute summary/key points list around the different sessions below:

The Crime Busters

Partnership between festival organisers, security teams and the police is working very well with lots of up front intelligence.
Online ticket scams remain an issue, educate the ticket buyers
Festivals are very safe with much lower crime rates than typical towns and cities
One area of concern is organised criminals targeting smaller festivals now that the big festivals have well developed crime prevention

Non-Ticketed Events Should Be Banned

Overall opinion was heavily in favour of ‘No’ but with some strong points (below)
They must be organised by professional, experienced event management companies
Understanding the environment, location, draw, capacity, contingency factors are all paramount
Licence granters must not be the organisers

Best Practice for Leveraging Brand Activity at Festivals Without Selling Out

Expect another year of reducing budgets
Move is much more towards ‘experiential’ (hate that word) i.e. tangible benefit to attendees
It’s now more than just the attendees, it’s the whole position of the event within the market (especially online) with an appreciation of the broader number of followers
Looking for year round association, not just the few days of the event

UK Festival Market Report 2010

Market still growing, although exact data hard to define (approx 700 festivals)
PRS, Government Policy & Policing costs all possible issues
Average age of festival goers 31, average age of ‘first timer’ 18
Average spend £363 (inc ticket)
Average attendance 2.1 festivals pa
Biggest ‘downers’ – bands that clash, cost of food and drink
Reasons for choosing – line-up, being with friends, organisation
More of – cashless payment, Wi-Fi, festival information and of course toilets.

Making Your Festival More Profitable

Big variance and issue around policing costs, no easy answer
Focus on the bottom line from day 1!
Build and grow in a controlled fashion – you will not get 50,000 people in year 1!
Build partnerships and trust with suppliers, who grow with your festival

Battle of the Bands

Promoters want the cost of bands to come down, agencies want then to go up!
Market is changing now that a bands primary income is touring/festivals rather than album sales
Many bands are on the road continuously leading to a ‘staleness’, hence more reunion bands as they are attractive as they haven’t been on the road for a few years
It’s not all about the headliners, increasingly it’s about the whole festival experience and ‘like minded’ attendees

Dispatches from the Field

It isn’t easy getting to the top, there is no quick route other than a lot of hard work and a true passion for festivals!

Event IT: Key Points from 2010 to help you in 2011

10 Nov 2010

ADSL, Broadband, Connectivity, Event, Event IT, Festival, Technology, VoIP, Wi-Fi, WiFi, Wireless

As the outdoor events season quietens down a bit and focus moves to planning for 2011, I thought it would be useful to list out some of the trends we have seen during 2010 which can help with 2011 planning when it comes to IT and communications at event sites. Although focused on outdoor events most of the topics below apply equally to indoor events. So here we go:

Plan and Book early – Connectivity providers have a few terms they love to use to push up costs – survey and expedite being two common ones. These costs mount rapidly and can generally be avoided by early engagement and planning. Last minute installations can end up being 2 or 3 times the cost of a normal installation. Other things to watch for include the ‘miscellaneous labour charges’, which often appear if a provider has to run cables around a site. This can be minimised by agreeing ‘demarcation’ at a suitable location and then cables being run by the event itself (we do this at most event sites and it can save £1,000s for larger deployments)
PDQ / Payment Systems – In 2010 we have seen a significant rise in the number of events reporting problems with GPRS (mobile phone) PDQ machines – these are the credit/debit card machines used for merchandise, box offices, traders, etc. The problem stems from the fact that at events the mobile networks (Vodaphone, O2, Orange, etc) cannot handle the amount of data that users are trying to pull over the network, and with all the network congestion the PDQ machines cannot process transactions. The reason the problem is getting worse relates to the increase in smartphones using more data and also some reluctance by operators to put in temporary masts due to their high cost. However it is important to note that just because a temporary mast is installed is does not necessary mean that data services will be any better as most temporary masts are more for the benefit of voice calls. The alternative to GPRS PDQs are Wi-Fi PDQs – exactly the same machines but using a Wi-Fi network instead. Obviously this requires a Wi-Fi network to be in place but it means the network is fully controlled and transactions on the machines are much faster. There are options to rent Wi-Fi PDQs (we offer this service) but 2-3 weeks notice is required as the machines have to be configured with the relevant banking merchant id.
VPN for Ticketing Systems – VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are a method for creating a secure connection between two locations such as an event site and a central database somewhere. They are often used by ticketing and stock systems which are increasingly being used from event sites. There are two things to watch for, firstly VPNs require good network connectivity, especially upload, which means basic broadband will not support it very well. The second area is that VPNs often require special firewall configuration, particularly if multiple VPNs are to be used.
Wireless Spectrum Management – The use of wireless equipment on event sites continues to grow at a pace – general Wi-Fi, CCTV, ticket scanning, sound systems, audio and video links, etc. all make use of wireless solutions, many of which operate in the same frequency range. Harmony and reliable operation can only be achieved if everyone works together and early communication and coordination is key to ensure there is no interference.
Smartphone Hunting – The rapid increase in smartphone devices with Wi-Fi creates new challenges for onsite networks, even when the event network is not intended for public access. The issue is that smartphones will continually ‘hunt’ for Wi-Fi networks and when they find one they try to connect. This creates a small load on the network whilst they negotiate a connection (which will eventually fail if the network is secure) and with enough devices trying to connect this load builds up to the point where it impacts real users. The solution involves using wireless equipment designed for larger loads coupled with proper network management as low end Wi-Fi routers are not designed to deal with large numbers of users.
VoIP Phones – The use of VoIP phones at events is now commonplace and demand is growing as more people become frustrated with mobile networks at events. Use of VoIP is the best way to avoid having multiple BT lines and the only way to have a flexible solution allowing last minute deployment of additional phones.
Smartphone Apps – More and more events are now commissioning their own apps for use at events but few events are considering the full picture which is critical for success. Most of these applications (certainly the more useful ones) require connectivity at the event to get updates. Typically the mobile networks struggle with demand at events and so the user gets a poor experience and rates the app badly. Many users also turn up at the event expecting to download the app which creates further (significant) demand. One way around this is to provide a locally controlled Wi-Fi network for use by the app. This can then also be used to deliver local content direct from the site.
Public Wi-Fi Access – The increase in smartphones coupled with the massive expansion of publicly available Wi-Fi leads to more and more expectation that events will have Wi-Fi access. The costs of expanding an existing network being provided to site production, technical production, crew etc is not as high as people initially think and opens new avenues for sponsorship, advertising and rich content delivery.

As always, whether you a run a small event or a large event, we are always happy to provide advice, support and services to your event to ensure technology does not get in the way of delivering a great experience.

Etherlive Performs at the Showman’s Show

From the Office

24 Oct 2010

Event, Event IT, Festival, Lighting Tower, RFID, Showman's Show, Wi-Fi

A number of the Etherlive team enjoyed another great year exhibiting at the Showman’s Show. The weather was bright and sunny but cold, no pouring rain at the end like last year! The Show was relatively busy throughout but did die off very quickly on Thursday afternoon. We demonstrated some of the new innovations we will be bringing to the market including a crew accreditation system, to which customer response has been fantastic. A number of further enhancements are in the pipeline based on feedback from this year’s pilots.

Also on display at the indoor stand were our flight case communication systems, designed to deploy a network quickly connecting to whatever Internet connectivity is needed (satellite, leased lines, ADSL. 3G). We also demonstrated our VoIP handsets and Wi-Fi PDQ machines which can be configured for any merchant. Outside at the chilly (but dry and sunny) end of Avenue G our Mobile Command Centre (MCC) acted as the centre for the outdoor stand, complete with 17m pneumatic mast and flag. The MCC is used for large events, providing connectivity, hosting, network management and a support base for several engineers. The MCC is often coupled with our communications tower light which is specially designed to support Wi-Fi, wired network access, CCTV and public address along with being a much more environmentally friendly tower light. The outdoor stand was shared with one of partners, Aceplant, who were demonstrating their range of plant equipment for use at events.

Our ‘Venue IT powered by Etherlive’ brand was also on display at the show. The Venue IT brand will be increasingly used for permanent installation such as Showgrounds and for customers looking for a partner with which to discuss straightforward event communications.

If you didn’t get a chance to see us at Showman’s then we will be at the Event Production Show on 2nd and 3rd February 2011 at Olympia, London or you can get in contact to setup a visit any time.

Technology Trends for 2011: Event RFID?

18 Oct 2010

Event, Event IT, Festival, RFID, Technology

Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID as it is more commonly known, is not particularly new, having been around in various forms for a number of years. It suffered in the early days being seen as a technology looking for a problem to solve which, coupled with the high cost of deployment and issues around reliability, has seen it struggle to make an impact in the events industry.

Technology always takes a while to mature (I owned my first handheld smart device in about 1999 and it was hopeless by today’s standards!) As it matures the price comes down, the reliability and features improve and, most importantly, people have a chance to understand where it can used effectively.

RFID is in that position now. You do not think twice about using an Oyster card which is a great example of effective RFID use. The cost of RFID cards, stickers, wristbands etc has been falling fast and the reader technology is now widely available, positioning RFID nicely for an explosion in use.

Back to basics first though, what exactly is RFID? In simple terms it is a small ‘chip’ embedded into a card, sticker, wristband or other object which can transmit, receive and store small amounts of information when placed close to a special reader. It is this ability to store information on the chip which differentiates modern RFID with older systems such as those used in retail stores on high value items, and from where the term ‘smartcard’ comes. The second key feature of RFID is that the card or tag does not need to be inserted into a reader it can just be held close to a reader, making it ideal for rapid transactions.

Recently there have been a few announcements of exhibition venues, seen as a significant potential market for RFID, moving towards an RFID based solution for tracking visitors and over time I think this will increase but it probably will not be a rapid transition as there are already fairly good systems in place using bar codes and scanners. The real opportunity lies in other areas such as festivals and big shows where RFID offers real promise of solving a number of challenges.

Take music festivals for example, the holy grail maybe for every attendee to have an RFID enabled wristband that is used for access to the event and as a means of cashless payment but that will take a few years yet to become mainstream. More immediately RFID can be used to assist in the management of crew and equipment. Crew catering is a pain for many organisers, a hassle to manage and often a black hole of cost. Using an RFID ‘smart card’ for each crew member pre-programmed with their meal allocations, coupled with an RFID reader at the catering location and now meals are processed quickly and efficiently. That’s only part of it though as now the organiser has real-time information as to how many meals are being consumed, what the forecast is for tomorrow, even what the peak times are. These data points seem trivial but actually provide cost saving information when you discover for example that on average the crew are only consuming 70% of the meals allocated (and paid for).

Expand the ‘catering card’ to be the ID card (as it already has information such as name and contractor company programmed onto it) and it could be used for checking in and out equipment such as radios, plant and cabin keys. Away go endless pieces of paper replaced by a real-time screen showing who has what. Go one step further and program qualifications into the system and then the cherry picker or manitou can only be checked out by a crew card which has the correct accreditation. The same system then extends to authorisation for restricted areas, providing the ability to ‘cancel’ a card centrally if it is lost.

So what’s holding back wide-scale use of RFID? Cost was a problem but now the price point is much more attractive. Reliable networks at events is often cited but these days the networks at events are expected to be like an office network and a correctly designed RFID system has built in tolerance (for example Oyster readers process most information locally and then send updates to the central system later). The biggest barrier is probably the concern over the change to processes that are required when any new system is implemented. The solution to this is not to use a ‘big bang’ approach but a 2-3 year strategy that will reap long term rewards. The lessons learnt along the way will ensure the holy grail of full attendee RFID is a much smoother affair.

Showman’s Show 2010: Cashless Payments & Next Generation Wireless

18 Oct 2010

Press Releases

http://events.www.etherlive.co.uk

Event, Event IT, Festival, Technology, Wi-Fi, WiFi, Wireless

This week see’s the 25th Showman’s Show at Newbury Showground, Etherlive will be exhibiting on two stands (one indoors in the warm and one outside) demonstrating some of the latest event technology solutions. Press release follows:

For further information contact:
Becky Martin-Jones / Mark Hook
www.ascentpr.co.uk
etherlive@ascentpr.co.uk
T. 01454 629 741

Cashless payments and next generation wireless infrastructure hailed as priorities for 2011 event technology

October 2010 – Etherlive is hailing cashless payments and next generation wireless infrastructure as the key innovation priorities for the 2011 events season.

The event technology specialist, exhibiting at this year’s Showman’s Show[1], is exploring new opportunities to introduce cashless payment systems. This follows a pilot scheme this summer at WOMAD, which replaced paper-based crew meal tickets with electronic cards. In addition, Etherlive is currently planning trials of next generation wireless technology in advance of next year’s festival season.

Tom McInerney, event director at Etherlive explains, “We’ve had a busy 2010 season providing core communications technologies to some of the UK’s most prestigious events. We are now dedicating some significant time to delivering continued value and innovation by trialling new technologies including our 4G offering. Having a secure technology infrastructure with extended coverage means that event organisers have a sound foundation for new services like CCTV, off site sound monitoring and audience interaction.

“Working with festivals such as WOMAD has shown us how effective cashless payments can be and we’ll be looking at new ways to apply this technology. RFID technology is ready to be deployed in volume at festivals and the installation at WOMAD was a first.

“These are exciting times for the event sector – technology has so much potential to make a difference to user experience, and the bottom line of the event organisers.”

Etherlive will be exhibiting on stands 67 and 168 at Showman’s, which takes place on the 20-21^st October at the Newbury showground.

About Etherlive

A successful event depends on great performances. From WOMAD and The Green Man Festival to the Southampton Boat Show and the Three Counties Show, Etherlive is the one that makes IT work. Etherlive sits behind the scenes delivering reliable Wi-Fi internet, telephony, laptops, PDQs and interactive messaging. Whether in a field or a building, Etherlive makes connectivity simple.

[1] Showmans, 20-21^st October – http://www.showmans-directory.co.uk/theshow.asp

Should You Care about Public Wi-Fi at Events?

12 Oct 2010