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Bring your own Internet to your next trade show
Short answer: bring your own internet with a bonded cellular gateway such as MR·NET, which combines Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile for card payments, lead retrieval and demos; a first 3-day show on the $300 trial is about $900 with data, plus shipping and tax. Check your show’s rules first, and run it wired with Wi-Fi off where the venue’s provider restricts wireless devices. BYOI – Bring your own Internet to your next trade shows. It is cheaper, faster, and operationally smoother. So why don’t more people do it?
These are the three primary reasons I hear from people
0) Because that’s not how we usually do it
1) Venue / Show doesn’t allow it.
- The contracts are often intentionally vague and misleading. Venues and their network operators can’t legally block or jam personal hotspots (see FCC Enforcement Advisory DA 15-113), but a show’s own contract can still set rules, so read your exhibitor manual and ask the show if it’s unclear
2) My phone barely works, it won’t work
- That’s why you need a cellular bonding solution. Look for the one which aggregates all major networks without skipping any. Also make sure you have enterprise high priority data plans to avoid throttling in congested areas
3) I’m not technical, what would I do if something is not working?
- Managed service with premium support can address most of your concerns remotely better than a local, overloaded technician would
That is why exhibitors choose MR·NET for trade show internet. They get a simple, plug-and-play, all-in-one solution – including the triple-cellular aggregation, priority data procurement, and premium after-hours support services. The result? Predictably high-performing Internet access at every event, while saving an average of $7,000 per show.
For a closer look at what venues actually charge, and why, read why trade show Wi-Fi costs so much.
Wondering what your venue’s rules actually cover? Our trade show venue guides quote each venue’s equipment rule, show where it’s printed, and explain how exhibitors run a bonded gateway with its Wi-Fi off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a reliable booth internet option for card payments and lead retrieval at trade shows?
A bonded cellular gateway such as MR·NET, which combines Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile into one connection on enterprise-priority SIMs and plugs card readers, laptops and lead-retrieval devices in over Ethernet. Check your show’s rules first: some shows ban on-floor sales, and where the venue’s provider restricts wireless devices, run it wired with its Wi-Fi off.
Can I bring my own internet to a trade show?
Usually. Venues and their network operators can’t legally block or jam personal hotspots (FCC Enforcement Advisory DA 15-113), but a show’s own contract can still set rules, so read your exhibitor manual and ask the show if it’s unclear.
What does it cost to bring your own internet to a trade show?
With MR·NET, a first 3-day show on the $300 trial is about $900 with data at 25 GB a day, plus shipping and tax. The annual plan is $2,498 the first year with the gateway, then $1,499 a year, plus data at $8/GB.
Weighing every option? Compare every trade show internet option, from the venue line to bonded cellular.
