PreGameLobby - Wireless air card

AZRaiderH8r · 08-28-2007, 12:03 PM

We've got an upcoming promotion that will involve having a booth set up at a large concert in Phoenix. The booth will have a couple of plasmas with GHII and the Wii set up (and probably H3 as well). We'll also have a promotion running for concert-goers to sign up for GYG on a notebook.

Here's the catch. The concert will be out in a field in the middle of nowhere, so my wireless card won't pick up the local signal. The only thing that I can think to do is to get an Air card, but I don't want to sign a 2 year contract for one day of using the card.

Does anyone know of a place that rents these out, or have any other suggestions? Thanks!

ZoomZoom71 · 08-28-2007, 12:49 PM

Go to your local Verizon or other wireless provider who offers it. They may let your do a 7-day trial, or something like that.

Quo · 08-28-2007, 12:50 PM

If you have a friend that has one, I'd ask them if you could "rent" it... use it and pay his cell phone bill that month or something.

That's my best shot at this. I'm useless.

The Milk Man 09 · 08-28-2007, 12:57 PM

Get a really really really really long cat 5 cable?

MadBryan · 08-28-2007, 01:49 PM

Is air card the same as evdo? I've heard alot of good things about evdo, and hey "you gotta spend alittle to make alittle"

who's your carrier? evdo is Sprint I think

MadBryan · 08-28-2007, 01:51 PM

By the way, I hope you'll have insurance on those plasma's cause wii motes get slippery in drunk concert goers hands.

lovekeiiy · 08-28-2007, 02:21 PM

There is probably some place that does the rental thing. You're going to have to someplace that rents to businesses. It you're only setting up a few consoles for the 360 and Wii, why do you need internet access? Are you going to allow these people to play online? At best, you may want to setup an ad-hoc system to allow people to play against each other without doing a split screen deal. Plus, I don't know if the wireless cards are fast enough for online gaming yet.

As for the TV protection, I would just setup a pexiglass shield in front of the TV for any flying wiimotes. I would be more concerned with loosing a wiimote or nunchuck.

ZoomZoom71 · 08-28-2007, 02:30 PM

lk, he needs the aircard so people can sign up for GetYourGames accounts, on site.

AZRaiderH8r · 08-28-2007, 03:00 PM

Exactly! And what better time to sign up some new customers than when they've had some adult beverages?

We're with Verizon right now; I'll have to stop by and see if they have any options for us. And MadB, thanks for the suggestion about the insurance. As one of the vendors with this event, we're required to provide $3M in insurance coverage for just that reason.

MadBryan · 08-28-2007, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZRaiderH8r

we're required to provide $3M in insurance coverage for just that reason.

Ooch! I guess you are already spending alittle to make alittle then huh? Good luck mang! might I suggest maybe a giveaway promo at the show, like getting an email address to enter so you can notify the winner (of say a game) then sending a link to your sign up page to all incase people just don't wanna be bothered at the time to sign up. Sitting infront of my monitor in my underwaer, eating Cheeto's has been when I've made some weird online purchases. I've got the blueblocker sunglasses to prove it.

A SpecialFriend · 08-28-2007, 03:48 PM

As far as I know, there really isn't a place to "Rent" them. You would have to go purchase one, and make sure you return it within the "Buyers remorse" Period. Sure the rep will be pissed because he looses commission on it, but it's the best way to go. You will most likely be billed for only the days you use it. For example: If your monthly cost is $49.99 and you have it for 2 days, they would pro-rate that $49.99 for 2 days.. Make sense? At least that's how we did it at T-Mobile. Your also going to want to make sure there is coverage out there. If you go to T-Mobile.com and type in the address of the venue in the Personal Coverage Check, it will tell you how good or how bad the signal strength is out there. As far as I know, Verizon does not have anything like that, so your going to have to take the reps word for it, or go out to the venue before you buy it and try to use your phone out there. If your phone works, your Air-Card will work, but it also comes down to whether that signal your getting is high speed EVDO or just regular 1xRTT. You would definitely want the EVDO though. Hope this helped!

Oh yeah, by the way, T-Mobile does not have high speed data cards. They are capable of getting a Wi-Fi signal, but I doubt that you'd get that out there. Verizon or Sprint would be your best bet.

lovekeiiy · 08-28-2007, 03:50 PM

I don't know how hot to trout I would be to want to sign up at a concert having to enter a credit card number with people standing near me to see the card info, unless you're doing some kind of voter booth thing. Granted, drunks my not be that wary of thier privacy, but as a merchant, you have to watch out for you customers. And besides, there should be some way to store the info locally, and then upload to the server after the event.

And $3M insurance isn't bad for a major concert event. Be glad you're not in construction. Some of the sites you have to have more than that just to do repair work on things such as a bathtub. It's a big thank you from the law suits that people have lost.

The Milk Man 09 · 08-28-2007, 03:52 PM

Hope the event is a success either way...

A SpecialFriend · 08-28-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovekeiiy

I don't know how hot to trout I would be to want to sign up at a concert having to enter a credit card number with people standing near me to see the card info, unless you're doing some kind of voter booth thing. Granted, drunks my not be that wary of thier privacy, but as a merchant, you have to watch out for you customers. And besides, there should be some way to store the info locally, and then upload to the server after the event.

Good call. I've done plenty of outside events with T-Mobile, and you'd be surprised how many people would give me all of their information right there, and then for me to relay it over the phone. I think the best way to do it would be to come up with some sort of Application that they fill out with everything you need to sign them up, then you physically right there will enter that info into the computer, Do not let them sign themselves up. A.) How can you make sure they are entering the right info. B.) They may be drunk and misspell something or damage your computer. You and only you, or the people you have working should be allowed to enter the personal information. Also, Make sure they have an ID. A VALID one. Cross-reference the info they put on the application to the info on their ID for accuracy.

Also... Always stand up. In front of your booth handing out literature.. Business Cards, Flyer's, Magnets, whatever, but always be active and visible. Sitting behind the table will accomplish nothing. Trust me, I've done at least 50 outside events. If you have any other questions or just need some advice, I'd be glad to help.. Just PM me!

AZRaiderH8r · 08-28-2007, 03:59 PM

Thanks for all the info guys! We're thinking the exact same way about the security/privacy issue, so we're designing the tent layout with that in mind. We'll have the tv's displayed prominantly to lure people over, and we've got 4 people working the booth, each with a specific role. Also, we'll be giving away a Halo 3 Legendary pack to anyone who signs up that day, along with a GYG backpack full of swag.

It's definitely exciting, but a lot of work too!

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