Since places of worship were allowed to resume services from 4th July 2020, several chapels have expressed interest in live streaming direct from from chapels.


Most chapels have no existing internet connection, and many do not have a landline phone connection, so what are the options?


Possible quick options


Some of the following maybe available:

  • Stream direct from a mobile phone, using Zoom or Mixlr Apps.
  • Use a mobile phone as a "hot spot" and stream from a tablet or a laptop.
  • Use a Mobile broadband dongle, or MiFi box, and stream from a tablet or a laptop.
  • Get agreement from a friendly neighbour to use their WiFi, and stream from a tablet or a laptop.
  • BT Wi-Fi hot spot.
  • Make a telephone call to a house, and stream from there.


Notes on mobile phone / mobile broadband signal.

The signal strength, and reliability can only be determined by testing.  Some network providers may have a better signal than others at your chapel. The number of "bars" signal strength showing on your phone is not the only factor, although can be helpful to find out where in the chapel the best signal is. Ideally you want 4G connection, but 3G may suffice in some locations. 


The following is a list of some things which can affect the 3G / 4G signal:

  • Many chapels - especially larger ones - have thick brick walls which absorb more signal than a thin wall.
  • If the chapel is surrounded by tall buildings, they may block the signal.
  • Metal window frames absorb some signal - worse if the panes are small. 
  • The strongest signal is likely to be higher up - there might be a better signal in the gallery, or even putting the phone as a "hot spot" in the attic.
  • Thatched roofs - or the wire netting often used to hold thatch down - absorbs a lot of signal


If you use WiFi between the phone / mi-fi and the PC / tablet, this can be affected by:

  • The number of other WiFi systems in the neighboring properties.
  • Microwave ovens in the neighborhood. 
  • Thick walls between the Mi-Fi / phone and the PC/tablet. - a clear line of sight between Mi-Fi / phone and the PC/Tablet is best.

If there is good 3G/4G signal close to the laptop / tablet, then a direct cable connection to the Mi-Fi / phone (typically USB cable) is often best.


Getting best results when linked to a  mobile device


What is the best mobile device?

You might think that a using a laptop connected to a dedicated MiFi unit would work better than with a mobile phone. But the opposite may be true sometimes. I have found an old iPhone 6 give a more stable connection than a new EE 4GEE Mini Mi-Fi box (with the same SIM card)


Saving Bandwidth.  

It should be obvious to close all other applications when live streaming, but check the applications that startup automatically when the PC is started and disable any you do not need.  


Most PCs and tablets are designed to frequently download updates. This can use a lot of bandwidth, and reduce quality of your live stream. In Windows 10, set your network as "metered" to reduce usage of that network by Windows Update.


If you are trying to use both Zoom and Mixlr, you need double the bandwidth. It is possible to use Zoom alone at the chapel, and have a PC (e.g. back at home) left on listening to the Zoom meeting and broadcasting it on Mixlr. 


BT WiFi

If there is a BT WiFi  network nearby, you may be able to use that. If you have home internet with BT you can use it for free. Otherwise you can purchase access at www.btwifi.co.uk
It may be adequate, but speed can vary, depending on other users connected to the same hot spot.
If it is a home based BT Internet router, most of the available bandwidth is reserved for the home user, so available speed to you may drop significantly when the home user is using it.


Longer term


If there is a wish to Stream from chapel longer term, or the above options are not or satisfactory, then it is probably necessary to get an internet connection.



Connecting the chapel audio amplifier to the streaming device.


In most cases this is possible, but because of the variations in audio amplifiers, and devices used for streaming, is beyond the scope of this article. 

Please contact us if you would like further information.