The short answer
A compact one-day operational setup can start in the hundreds of pounds, while a managed multi-zone festival network normally moves into the thousands. Our planning calculator starts at £650; no VAT is currently added. The guide then increases for days, zones, structures, backup connectivity and support.
01 · Cost drivers
The six things that move the price.
Separate coverage areas
Each distant or obstructed area can need additional access points, switches, cabling or point-to-point links.
Physical layout
Containers, marquees, stages, walls and changes in height can block or reflect radio signals.
Internet backhaul
Starlink, 4G/5G, venue broadband or a combination are chosen around location and failure risk.
Duration and access
Extra live days, short installation windows and immediate removal all affect equipment and labour.
Support level
Installation with remote support, live monitoring and an on-site engineer are distinct service levels.
Travel and logistics
Remote mainland and island projects can add accommodation, ferry planning, spare kit and earlier arrival.
02 · Example budgets
Three common project shapes.
| Project | Typical requirement | Budget behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Compact food market | One day, one or two areas, payments and organiser devices. | Usually the lowest-cost managed deployment. |
| Medium outdoor event | Several zones, entry devices, staff network, backup and monitoring. | Usually a multi-thousand-pound project. |
| Large festival | Long links, multiple compounds, dense use, engineers and redundancy. | Needs a tailored design and site plan. |
The event WiFi price calculator deliberately stops at a medium event. For complex festival WiFi hire, a location list and site plan are more useful than pushing sliders further.
03 · Scope
What a managed quote should include.
- Internet connection or connections
- Named coverage areas and device types
- Installation, testing and removal
- Separate networks and traffic priority
- Monitoring and live support
- Backup allowance and spare equipment
- Travel and accommodation
- Power, access and mounting responsibilities
04 · Control the budget
Prioritise the network that earns or protects money.
Guest WiFi across an entire site adds capacity and coverage. A payment-and-operations network across only the critical zones can be far more cost-effective.
- Prioritise bars, tills, ticketing and operations before guest access.
- Freeze the site layout early and issue revised plans promptly.
- Provide suitable power at agreed network locations.
- Confirm early access where pre-event installation avoids a larger event-day crew.
- Count simultaneous users rather than total ticket sales.
05 · First quote
The first enquiry can be simple.
Send the event date, venue or postcode and what must stay online. For a more accurate response, add the number of bars or traders, coverage areas, device types, existing internet and a site plan.