If you have already decided on the type of hardware your going to purchase and know that its already compatible with the software your next step is to pick the best software to restrict content filtering, restrict bandwidth and easily manage your splash pages.
There are hardware providers such as Ruckus and Meraki that offers you built in software in their cloud based access point and controllers but they don't offer you the option to fully deploy the social WiFi media aspect. Ruckus and Cisco Meraki are great products but they work even better when you deploy a solution such as Aislelabs or purplewifi. Aislelabs a well known company in the Greater Toronto area works with a well known vendor www.connectsim.ca.
The second solution to start a social WiFi offering is to purchase the additional hardware from a technology vendor and not have to worry about additional costs of licenses and monthly fees. The only additional monthly fees you would need to maintain are the hosted monthly social WiFi fee which ranges between $25cad/month and up to $50cad/month depending on features you require. Based on our knowledge and from what the majority of restaurants and retail stores are following is that they are mostly selecting a managed service offering and not choosing the route of purchasing their own hardware. When trying to manage your own hardware a restaurant owner will have to worry about compatible hardware with the hotspot social WiFi application.
We've worked with many technology advisers and the best route or choice is to select a company who can manage all the aspects of your social WiFi campaign. Connectsim.ca a local based company in the greater Toronto area offers a unique package that we haven't seen. They offer you a fully managed WiFi social media solutions as well as corporate branding, signage and social media management. Connectsim.ca will print you a 33"x 80" vinly roll up banner that displays your new WiFi social network with new specials or offerings you. They provide you a new restaurant design menu and on each page has a "free WiFi Zone icon", they also provide you witih Free high end glossy coasters (not cheap ones) that displays a message to log into the WiFi zone with your social media account of choice (Twitter, Facebok or LinkedIn). They also create you a Facebook website and Twitter Website as well as manage it throughout the year. This is just part of the package we've seen from them. They also incorpoate an SEO package that includes 3 keywords to be optimized when you sign up with their mid to high level packages. Their packages start at $299/month.
We approached Connectsim at a local restaurant trade show to ask them the typical costs to start a campaign with them and how long a typical contract runs. From our quick 10 minute conversation with Connectsim their mid Social WiFi package starts at around $500/month with a 1 year commitment. For what they offer in this package is a steal (signage, branding, coasters, large signs, facebook management and twitter design pages and more)
To summarize what you'll need to run a basic social WiFi campaign is the license from Connectsim that will cost roughly $25-$30/month but this doesn't include any assistance or setup just documentation from their website. This monthly fee is for one sensor or access point ,if you require more wireless coverage you will need a second license. Basic fees from many vendors will not include the advanced features of coupon management, splash screen management, content filtering or bandwidth filtering. Its best to contact a local managed WiFi social provider in your area. Connectsim ships through North America and all you'll have to do is send them a diagram with your retail or restaurant schematic and they'll ship you out a fully configure splash page Social WiFi product.
There are hardware providers such as Ruckus and Meraki that offers you built in software in their cloud based access point and controllers but they don't offer you the option to fully deploy the social WiFi media aspect. Ruckus and Cisco Meraki are great products but they work even better when you deploy a solution such as Aislelabs or purplewifi. Aislelabs a well known company in the Greater Toronto area works with a well known vendor www.connectsim.ca.
The second solution to start a social WiFi offering is to purchase the additional hardware from a technology vendor and not have to worry about additional costs of licenses and monthly fees. The only additional monthly fees you would need to maintain are the hosted monthly social WiFi fee which ranges between $25cad/month and up to $50cad/month depending on features you require. Based on our knowledge and from what the majority of restaurants and retail stores are following is that they are mostly selecting a managed service offering and not choosing the route of purchasing their own hardware. When trying to manage your own hardware a restaurant owner will have to worry about compatible hardware with the hotspot social WiFi application.
We've worked with many technology advisers and the best route or choice is to select a company who can manage all the aspects of your social WiFi campaign. Connectsim.ca a local based company in the greater Toronto area offers a unique package that we haven't seen. They offer you a fully managed WiFi social media solutions as well as corporate branding, signage and social media management. Connectsim.ca will print you a 33"x 80" vinly roll up banner that displays your new WiFi social network with new specials or offerings you. They provide you a new restaurant design menu and on each page has a "free WiFi Zone icon", they also provide you witih Free high end glossy coasters (not cheap ones) that displays a message to log into the WiFi zone with your social media account of choice (Twitter, Facebok or LinkedIn). They also create you a Facebook website and Twitter Website as well as manage it throughout the year. This is just part of the package we've seen from them. They also incorpoate an SEO package that includes 3 keywords to be optimized when you sign up with their mid to high level packages. Their packages start at $299/month.
We approached Connectsim at a local restaurant trade show to ask them the typical costs to start a campaign with them and how long a typical contract runs. From our quick 10 minute conversation with Connectsim their mid Social WiFi package starts at around $500/month with a 1 year commitment. For what they offer in this package is a steal (signage, branding, coasters, large signs, facebook management and twitter design pages and more)
To summarize what you'll need to run a basic social WiFi campaign is the license from Connectsim that will cost roughly $25-$30/month but this doesn't include any assistance or setup just documentation from their website. This monthly fee is for one sensor or access point ,if you require more wireless coverage you will need a second license. Basic fees from many vendors will not include the advanced features of coupon management, splash screen management, content filtering or bandwidth filtering. Its best to contact a local managed WiFi social provider in your area. Connectsim ships through North America and all you'll have to do is send them a diagram with your retail or restaurant schematic and they'll ship you out a fully configure splash page Social WiFi product.
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Try a FREE demo of our Social WiFi offering, or see it online. We ship across North America Social WiFi Toronto www.connectsim.ca