The Bandwidth for Collaboration
Availability of high-quality internet has consistently been rated the most important by venue operators, meeting planners and suppliers across several editions of our study. Its importance is only growing with increasing reliance on cloud resources and collaborative technologies. As Director of AV Technology at Convene, Michael A. Judeh, puts it: “Internet access has become a basic utility like electricity and running water”. Attendees today come to meetings with not just one, but often two or three devices. When this is coupled with the varied and abundant technologies already present at venues that also use its broadband, it can spell trouble for those that have not adequately planned their internet infrastructure. As the use of these portable technologies grow, it must be met with an understanding of the connectivity requirements of these new devices. While our 2018 research found that only around 40% of venue operators indicated that their guest rooms, public spaces, and meeting rooms had 150Mb/s or less of bandwidth available, this year’s results paint a vastly different picture. Today around 80–90% of venue operators report that they have over 100MB or more of bandwidth available. This is evident of growing demands for improvements in bandwidth and connectivity. IACC’s Online Bandwidth Calculator, adapted for smartphone and tablet use, is a useful tool for planners and venues in evaluation.
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IACConline.org & IACCmeetings.com
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