Two standards govern interpreting booths. ISO 2603 covers permanent booths built into a venue. ISO 4043 covers mobile booths brought in for the event. They share the same functional requirements; ISO 4043 adapts them for something that must be lightweight, sturdy and assembled on site.
Why compliance is not optional
Professional interpreters, particularly AIIC members, can and do refuse to work in non-compliant booths. This is not preciousness. Poor sound insulation means the interpreter hears the room as well as the feed, which causes fatigue, degrades output and is a genuine occupational health issue over a full day. If you are hiring qualified interpreters, you are hiring compliant booths.
Check the venue first. Permanent ISO 2603 booths remove the rental line entirely, typically saving in the region of 1,500 to 3,500 per booth per day. It is the single largest saving available on an interpreting quote and it costs one email to find out.
What a compliant booth needs
- Sound insulation between booths and from the hall, so neither the room nor the neighbouring booth bleeds in.
- Clear sightlines to the speaker, the screen and the platform. A booth behind a pillar or at a sharp angle is unusable regardless of its specification.
- Ventilation that does not add noise. Two or three people work in there for eight hours.
- Working surface and lighting for documents, glossaries and a laptop.
- Space for the team - two seats minimum, three on multi-day events.
What it costs
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile ISO 4043 booth | 1,500 | 5,000 |
| Permanent ISO 2603 booth in venue | 0 | 0 |
| Receivers, per delegate | 12 | 25 |
| Sound technician | 500 | 1,000 |
Questions to ask the venue
- Do you have permanent interpreter booths, and to which standard?
- Is there floor space for mobile booths with clear sightlines to the stage?
- Are there sufficient power outlets near the booth positions and the transmitter?
- Can you provide a clean audio feed from the house system to the interpreter consoles?
That last one matters more than it sounds. Interpreters cannot work from room audio at scale - they need a direct feed, and discovering otherwise on the morning of day one is a bad time to find out.
Price this in about a minute
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