The convention industry has been through upheaval in the past few years, shifting from a near complete halt to on-site events in 2020, to the advent of virtual and hybrid programs, and then a return to live conferences, which drove back large numbers of attendees. As exhibition centers evolve to meet this increase in conference-goers, they must adapt to technological developments for proper accommodation, which can include connected signage, other digitally based visual engagement, tracking systems and a massive amount of broadband.

Today, it’s all about flexibility. With the changing tides of the pandemic, venue managers sometimes offer hybrid sessions or outdoor spaces, along with better ventilation indoors. The first concern is providing wireless internet access, so ever greater bandwidth is going to be consistently more critical.

Trade shows and conferences that work in this environment are meeting demands for attendees’ attention and convenience, said Robin Clark, senior manager of event marketing and trade shows for conference technology solutions company Cvent, Tysons, Va.

“Back in the day, event attendees looked to business cards and other paper assets to do this,” Clark said.

Consider how much that has changed. By scanning a QR code or name badge, information can be stored, analyzed and imported directly into central management systems for follow-ups—and deeper connections to be made—after an event concludes.

Other features such as self-serve check-in kiosks are built with connectivity in mind to manage data related to who comes on-site and when, and the company they represent. Additional solutions include passive RFID in which overhead readers, portals or handheld devices at booths enable hosts to automatically track and measure the attendees’ journeys and individual booth success. Through these kinds of solutions, attendees can check in, check out and enjoy shows with minimal hassle, and trade show hosts can better prove overall event impact and return on investment, Clark said.

In-person versus virtual trade shows

Digital access to conferences helped serve the need for business interaction during the pandemic, but the virtual conference phenomena is not going away. With internet access, companies such as Cvent are helping businesses elevate the virtual exhibitor booth experience with live video functionality to increase engagement.

“These tools have helped our customers drive leads and facilitate discussions with attendees to increase event value for their sponsors and exhibitors,” Clark said.

The pandemic period helped companies learn what they can and cannot accomplish with technology. Event planners found that replicating the trade show experience in a virtual environment was difficult, she said, and therefore companies worked with Cvent to facilitate joint virtual and hybrid event experiences.

“It’s exciting that trade show hosts—like many other event hosts—are back to planning large-scale, in-person (and hybrid) events,” Clark said.

As a result, there is a crucial need to have technology infrastructure in place that can support those events while impressing guests and helping them feel productive.

Contractors and low-voltage integrators play a critical role here, ensuring the venue is ready for attendees, according to Clark. For event organizers, the technology they choose needs to help connect and build relationships wherever attendees are.

“We expect that event organizers will continue to weigh virtual and hybrid event formats as viable options, even as in-person events continue to ramp up,” Clark said.

In the meantime, other tools continue to develop, such as Bluetooth systems for wayfinding to send out signals to mobile apps, directing people in real-time to the correct location. These technologies can also enable geofencing as a location-based marketing effort by offering notifications, advertising or promotions when individuals enter a geofenced area.

On-site at Fort Worth Convention Center

In the past year, the Fort Worth Convention Center (FWCC) in Texas has begun a facility-wide expansion that included fully updated wireless access to provide the connectivity its attendees require, said Mike Crum, the center’s public events director. Since 1968, FWCC has hosted thousands of major national and international events including sports, concerts, conventions and trade shows. With total meeting space of almost 400,000 square feet, it is the premier event area in downtown Fort Worth, Crum said.

In fall 2021, the Fort Worth City Council approved $52 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to kick-start the expansion project. At the center of it is accommodation for connectivity. In recent years, the center has seen the convention industry transition from an all-physical to a more digitally integrated environment.

That point was made clear in spring 2022, when FWCC and Visit Fort Worth conducted four national customer focus groups to solicit feedback about design and meetings’ needs for the future. A top priority was reliable, fast and affordable connectivity for large groups.

FWCC employed Wi-Fi network provider Cox Hospitality Network (HN), which serves large and complex convention centers in other cities. Cox HN proposed flexible, more robust connectivity, affordable pricing options and introduced new services for return clients, Crum said. This also comes with complimentary service in breakout areas, and new arrays of lower cost, hard-wired lines in meeting rooms used for Zoom or livestreamed presentations.

There are several expectations about the technology that today’s event-goers bring to convention centers. 

“First of all, our customers want more access than ever,” he said. He noted that the average convention goer or exhibitor usually brings two to three devices on-site, e.g., a cellphone, laptop and tablet.

“If they’re relying on the venue for access to the web—that’s a lot of bandwidth,” especially considering there could be thousands of people in the building, each of whom is looking for the best quality of service, “as if they’re standing by their provider’s primary cell tower with five bars,” he said.

In the past, if an exhibitor wanted to communicate with the outside world during the show, they paid to rent a landline from the building. Today, event attendees expect to connect wherever they are in the world for free. 

In the past, if an exhibitor wanted to communicate with the outside world during the show, they paid to rent a landline from the building, Crum said. Today, event attendees expect to connect wherever they are in the world for free.

FWCC offers a combined approach. It charges for web access for exhibitors and attendees in the building, while also providing some basic access for free, such as the publicly available Wi-Fi in the meeting rooms and concourses.

The convention center can now achieve speeds of 500 Mbps, while also offering VoIP telephone service. The facility has a new analog phone system, and Cox HN found and repaired some Wi-Fi access points that were offline, which helped fill in connectivity gaps.

Due to the planned demolition of the arena, a spartan approach must be taken for installing new infrastructure there.

“Our architect design and construction firms are working closely with Cox HN to determine how the expansion and demolitions will impact all existing and future” installations such as MEP, cable and fiber, Crum said.

In the years to come, “I think you’re going to continue to see that concept of internet access and convention facilities become a commodity, and they’re going to expect the commodity to perform. So, you’re going to have to continuously be able to increase your bandwidth accessibility,” he said.

To stay on pace in terms of technology expectations, Crum said, the FWCC will be running more fiber and adding access points, as users and their devices require ever greater bandwidth. 

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