Utilities ordering (booth power and internet)

Nothing on a booth works without power, and power is a service you order weeks ahead from whoever holds the utilities exclusive — usually the venue or its designated contractor, at published tariffs with early-bird and late-order pricing tiers. A proper order specifies the connection size (amps and phase), where on the booth the drop should land, and whether you need 24-hour supply for fridges, servers, or product demos, since standard circuits are often shut off overnight. Internet follows the same pattern: exhibitors doing live demos, payments, or streaming should order a wired line, because shared show-floor Wi-Fi degrades exactly when the hall fills up. Commercially, organizers should care about the ordering experience even though the money flows to the contractor — utility surprises are a top source of exhibitor frustration, and confusing service manuals generate support load and resentment that attaches to the show. The common mistake exhibitors make is under-ordering to save money, tripping breakers on opening morning when every screen, kettle, and demo unit switches on together; add up the real load, then add margin. One honest nuance: the late-order surcharge isn't pure greed — on-site installs genuinely cost more — but the pricing tiers are also designed to train ordering behaviour, and the early rate is the real price.