Queue-Fair

Queue-Fair Virtual Waiting Room

Queue-Fair is a cloud-based Virtual Waiting Room that protects websites and applications during high-demand periods. It controls visitor flow to prevent server overload, maintain availability, and ensure stable performance. Users exceeding defined thresholds are held in an online queue away from Customer's infrastructure and admitted at a controlled rate.

Features

• Cloud-based virtual waiting room managing website/app traffic surges.
• Fully customisable queue pages, branding, messaging, and capacity thresholds.
• Real-time traffic dashboards with exportable reporting and analytics tools.
• Queue notifications delivered through web components, API, or email.
• Integration adapters available for all common government and commercial platforms.
• Automated detection of abnormal load patterns and bot blocking.
• Comprehensive event logging with downloadable audit and governance records.
• UK-hosted infrastructure with defined performance, capacity, and availability metrics.
• Adjustable queue order settings including FIFO or optional randomisation.
• 5-minute install and Free Tier for rapid PoC deployment.

Benefits

• Maintains your service availability during high-demand digital events.
• Eliminates risk of website or app overload causing downtime.
• Provides transparent, fair user access during peak activity periods.
• Reduces pressure on support centres during major demand surges.
• Supports UK data residency and government security requirements.
• Enables predictable performance for public-facing online services.
• Supports controlled user access during scheduled or unscheduled demand spikes.
• Provides a perfect visitor experience when your service is busy
• Helps manage planned events requiring controlled visitor throughput.
• Enables real-time communication of waiting times and queue position

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at support@queue-fair.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

594658686441131

Contact

Matt King
03335432108
support@queue-fair.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Customer relationship management

  • Digital commerce
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: None.
• System requirements:
  • Queue-Fair is used to protect websites, APIs and apps
  • Not suitable for managing physical in-person queues
  • Not suitable for queuing for physical points of presence (tellers)

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: 24-hour UK hotline for on-the-day support - call us and we help you immediately. We also provide email and online chat support for all customers. Email queries are handled with a target response time of within 2 business days, but it's normally not more than a few hours. Live web chat is available during UK business hours. Support tickets are created automatically from incoming emails and are monitored continuously.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), 7 days a week
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: We have tested our web chat interface using the TalkBack screen reader on Android to confirm that messages, input fields and controls are accessible and operable with assistive technology.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Support for the service is included at no additional cost. Telephone support is available 24/7 for urgent issues. Email support is available and web chat support is available during UK business hours. All customers are allocated a technical account manager and have access to a support engineer when required.; If on-site assistance is requested, it can be provided at £150 per hour, although this is rarely required as the service is delivered remotely. No other support tiers or additional charges apply.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Most Customers, large and small, like to start with a Free Tier account from https://queue-fair.com/sign-up . We provide a structured onboarding process to help organisations adopt our virtual waiting rooms. Customers receive guidance on the initial setup, including creating queues, defining activation conditions and selecting an appropriate integration method. Integration options are open-source and supported by step-by-step documentation covering client-side, server-side and network-edge deployments, as well as mobile app integration. Additional guidance is available for configuring admission-rate values, appropriate queue messaging, display behaviour and managing assets used by queue pages.; ; Comprehensive online documentation is available throughout onboarding and includes reference materials, configuration explanations, troubleshooting information and examples of common deployment patterns. Customers may also access REST API documentation to automate elements of configuration if required. The intuitive Portal interface includes explanatory text and contextual help to support users carrying out configuration tasks.; ; During the onboarding period, Customers may contact the support team for technical guidance, typically delivered via Google Meet. Training is provided remotely and focuses on enabling customers to understand configuration options, adjust queue behaviour and verify that the service is operating as expected in their environment. No onsite training is required, but can be provided.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • ODF
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Customers retain full access to their service data throughout the contract period and may export it before the contract ends. The service provides options to download queue configuration data, event records, reporting information, audit logs and relevant analytics in commonly used machine-readable formats such as CSV or JSON. Data can be exported directly through the administrative interface or, where applicable, via the REST API.; ; Customers may retrieve queue definitions, activation conditions, traffic records, token information and other operational details required for audit, reporting or archival purposes. Assets uploaded by the customer, including HTML content and associated files used for queue pages, can also be downloaded prior to service termination.; ; After the contract ends and once the customer confirms that all required data has been extracted, the service follows its data-retention and deletion processes. Remaining customer data is removed from operational systems in line with documented data-handling policies and applicable UK GDPR obligations. No customer data is retained beyond the defined retention period.; ; However, customers do frequently request that we do not delete their accounts at the of the contract so that they can be easily re-enabled when they next find they need Queue-Fair, enabling seasonal and occasional use.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract, customers retain access to their service data for export prior to service suspension. The service allows customers to download queue configuration information, event records, reporting data, audit logs and operational details in commonly used formats such as CSV or JSON. Assets uploaded by the customer, including HTML content and associated files used in queue pages, may also be downloaded. Data can be exported through the administrative interface or, where applicable, via the REST API.; ; Customers may perform exports at any time during the contract period. Support is available to assist with questions related to data retrieval or transition activities.; ; Some customers do ask us to delete all data at the end of the contract, in which case the service performs deletion in line with documented processes and applicable UK GDPR requirements, but this is rare.; ; Customers normally prefer that we mothball the account as a courtesy, facilitating easy re-activation when they find they need Queue-Fair again, for seasonal, per-event or occasional use.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
  • Other
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The service works the same on mobile and desktop devices. It can look the same, or different depending on the Customer's requirement. Queue page layouts adapt responsively to smaller screens. For native mobile apps, integration can be completed using our open-source iOS, Android and React Native mobile Adapters, which launch the Queue Pages in a webview inside the app when required.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Description of service interface: The Queue-Fair Portal at https://portal.queue-fair.net is the central web interface where Customers log in to manage their account and report on, edit or configure any aspect of their queues. MFA and SSO (SAML) are both fully supported, and are included as per individual Customer requirements.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: We have tested our Portal interface using the TalkBack screen reader on Android to confirm that input fields and controls are accessible and operable with assistive technology.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The https://api.queue-fair.net service provides a REST API that allows customers to manage key aspects of their queue configuration programmatically. Through the API, customers can create, update and delete queues; modify settings such as admission rates, timing values, display behaviour, queue messages and branding elements; and configure rules that determine when visitors are placed into a queue. The API also supports management of assets used by queue pages, including uploading, updating and removing HTML content, images and related files. Endpoints are available for retrieving queue status, configuration details, token information and diagnostic data for monitoring systems or automated workflows.; ; Activation-rule endpoints allow customers to define and adjust conditions under which queueing is triggered, including path matching and other configuration parameters. The API provides validation responses and a structured error model, including standard HTTP codes and machine-readable problem details. Customers may use the API to synchronise settings across environments, support automated deployments and update queue behaviour during live events.; ; User-management functions and administrative role configuration are not accessible through the API and must be handled through the administrative portal. All API requests require an authenticated, account-specific API key, are transmitted over encrypted HTTPS and are subject to validation checks and rate limits.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Customers can fully customise the HTML, appearance, structure and content of their queue pages to match their branding, messaging and user-experience requirements. This includes modifying page layout, text, colours, styles, imagery and other visual elements. Customers may upload and manage HTML, CSS, images and other assets used within their queue pages, and can determine which components are shown to end-users during the waiting process. Default templates are provided for immediate use, and organisations can either update these or replace them with fully customised content, including video.; ; Multiple displays and/or languages for the same queue are also supported.; ; Customisation can be performed through the Portal by users with the appropriate permissions or the REST API. This allows organisations to integrate queue-page updates into existing deployment pipelines or automate changes for specific events. Customers may also adjust configuration settings that control queue behaviour, display rules, user messaging, capacity thresholds and timing values associated with their queues.; ; Uploaded assets are stored within the service’s content delivery infrastructure, and changes are applied once published. All customisation options are optional, and customers may operate with the default configuration if preferred. ; ; Uniquely, Queue Page content can also be dynamically customised and personalised to specific visitors on-the-fly.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Queue-Fair ensures queues for one customer are not affected by queues for other customers by isolating queue components, regulating traffic with a plurality of high-availability active/active VMs, and use of serverless auto-scaling cloud functions. Most UK customers prefer to use our standard UK queue server cluster, but customers may also request dedicated VMs for their account if desired.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Queue-Fair provides real-time and historical metrics to help public-sector organisations monitor, optimise, and report on online queue performance. Key metrics include current queue size, estimated wait times, and user throughput (number of users passed per period). SafeGuard admission rates, activation rule performance, and API usage volumes are tracked to ensure efficient traffic management. Historical queue statistics and per-HTTP-request logs enable audit, compliance, and post-event analysis. Asset usage metrics monitor waiting-room page performance. All metrics are accessible via the Queue-Fair Portal dashboards or REST API, supporting transparent reporting, operational insights, and evidence-based service optimisation.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: Yes

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure
  • Data Erasure
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase
  • Physical Destruction / Hardware containing data is completely destroyed

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export their data at any time during the contract period. Through the administrative interface, authorised users may select queues, event records, reporting periods or configuration details and download them in standard formats such as CSV or JSON. Uploaded assets, including HTML content and related files used for queue pages, may also be downloaded.; ; For automated extraction, the REST API provides endpoints for retrieving configuration data, queue activity records, status information and audit-related details. Data extraction is included at no additional cost. At contract end, the account is suspended and data is retained or deleted according to customer instructions.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: JSON
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • JSON
  • HTML
  • Standard web asset formats (css, js, Jpeg, Png, Webp etc)

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Queue-Fair is delivered through a highly resilient, active/active cloud architecture designed to maintain continuous service during periods of exceptional demand. Google Cloud is used by default, or AWS upon customer request. Multiple queue servers operate in parallel across geographically distributed cloud regions, supported by synchronised replicated databases to avoid any single point of failure. Traffic delivery is backed by global distributed CDNs, and automatic failover mechanisms ensure that hardware issues or maintenance events do not interrupt live queue operation or affect stored queue data.; ; Availability performance is underpinned by the reliability of Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services, both of which maintain industry-standard uptime and fault-tolerant infrastructure. Queue-Fair’s own architecture is designed to align with this level of resilience, ensuring continuity without the need for customer-managed redundancy.; ; All commercial plans benefit from the same high-availability platform, with pricing determined only by usage structure (such as flat-rate, per-event, or per-visitor models). Queue-Fair’s operational model prioritises architectural robustness and proactive monitoring to maintain consistent service delivery for public-sector organisations.; ; This structure provides predictable, scalable performance during high-demand events while maintaining transparency about the underlying, widely recognised cloud availability model. 99.99% uptime is guaranteed, with pro-rated refunds available if not met.
• Approach to resilience: Queue-Fair is designed with a strong resilience model built on a high-availability active/active architecture. Queue servers run in redundant clusters across distributed cloud regions at Google Cloud or AWS, supported by master/master database replication so that no single machine or component failure can interrupt service or cause loss of queue data. Maintenance events or outages affecting individual servers or cloud zones do not impact user flow, ensuring continuity even during peak-demand periods.; ; Queue pages and assets are delivered through a global CDN, providing geographic redundancy and latency and reducing dependency on any single datacentre in line with the government’s “Asset Protection and Resilience” cloud security principle. The platform can scale horizontally and vertically, enabling additional queue servers and queue server capacity to be deployed rapidly to handle extreme or unexpected traffic surges.; ; Queue-Fair’s separation of the queueing environment from customers’ own web infrastructure further protects public-sector services by preventing overload or cascading failures during high-demand events.; ; High-level information about Queue-Fair’s resilience model is publicly documented, while detailed datacentre configurations, failover procedures, and disaster-recovery arrangements can be provided to buyers on request for assurance or procurement due diligence.
• Outage reporting: There is a public status dashboard. Email alerts can be configured by our customers. Outages are also visible in our REST API.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: Most customers prefer email/username and password login to the Queue-Fair Portal, which is supported. MFA can be made mandatory upon customer Accounts for all their users upon request. We also support or require SAML integration upon request, which uses public key authentication. Login via Google, iOS and Microsoft SSO services is also available should our customer require it.
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: We restrict access to all management interfaces and support channels using strict RBAC and the principle of least privilege. Only authorised, vetted staff can access administrative systems. Authorized keys are preferred. All access requires encryption and strong authentication, including MFA. Privileged actions are logged, monitored, and regularly reviewed. Support access to customer data is limited to staff with an operational need, and all sessions are auditable. Administrative permissions are reviewed at onboarding, role changes, and offboarding to prevent excessive or outdated access. Continuous monitoring detects unauthorised or anomalous activity, and access logs feed into our security and incident-response processes.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: We restrict access to all management interfaces using strict RBAC and the principle of least privilege. Only authorised, vetted staff can access administrative systems. Authorized keys are preferred. All access requires encryption and strong authentication, including MFA. Privileged actions are logged, monitored, and regularly reviewed. Management permissions are reviewed at onboarding, role changes, and offboarding to prevent excessive or outdated access. Continuous monitoring detects unauthorised or anomalous activity, and management access logs feed into our security and incident-response processes.

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • CSA CSM version 4.0
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Esssentials
• Information security policies and processes: We maintain a formal Information Security Policy document that covers data protection, access control, secure operations, incident management, and supplier oversight. The policy is reviewed on a periodic basis by senior management and aligns with recognised frameworks such as the NCSC Cloud Security Principles, UK GDPR, and government expectations for cloud services. All staff read the policy and complete regular security awareness training as part of our governance process.; ; Controls include role based access management, multi factor authentication where appropriate, and modern TLS encryption. Stored data is encrypted, and administrative access is restricted to authorised personnel based on job responsibilities. Our vulnerability management process includes scanning, assessment, remediation, and monitoring of software dependencies.; ; System activity is logged and monitored to support early identification of unusual behaviour. We operate a documented incident response process that ensures suspected or confirmed security issues reported via any of our support channels are escalated to the Security Officer and Security Chief for investigation and resolution in a timely manner.; ; Accountability for information security sits with the Security Chief (a Director), while a designated Security Officer manages daily operations and risk reviews. Internal checks, periodic audits, access reviews, and supplier assurance activities ensure ongoing compliance.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: We maintain an authorised configuration baseline for all production systems, including platform settings, firewall rules, software versions, and access controls. Proposed changes—functional, security-related, or infrastructure-level—undergo assessment for security impact, compatibility, risk, and rollback requirements. Impact analysis, staged testing in a non-production environment, and0 review are completed before approval. Version control is used for code, configuration scripts, and deployment artefacts to ensure traceability and controlled release management. Changes are logged and monitored in a central register, with periodic audits to detect unauthorised modification. Configuration and change-management processes are reviewed annually.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: We operate a continuous vulnerability-management process covering all components of the Queue-Fair service. Potential threats are assessed through automated scanning, dependency reviews, configuration audits, and monitoring of public CVE feeds, vendor advisories, and cloud-provider and Debian security bulletins. Vulnerabilities are triaged by severity, exploitability, and service impact. Critical issues are patched within 24–72 hours; medium-risk issues within scheduled maintenance windows; and all updates are tested in staging before deployment. We verify remediation through re-scanning, and continuously monitor systems for abnormal activity to ensure rapid detection, response, and effective protection of service integrity and availability.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Queue-Fair uses continuous protective monitoring across all systems, including log aggregation, anomaly detection, access-pattern monitoring, and automated alerting to identify potential compromise. Indicators such as abnormal traffic patterns, repeated authentication failures, unexpected configuration changes, or deviations from baseline behaviour trigger automatic responses and human investigation. Incidents are triaged by severity, with high-priority alerts addressed within minutes. Our incident-response procedure covers assessment, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review. Affected systems can be isolated where required. All events are logged, analysed, and escalated according to priority to ensure timely remediation, service integrity, and customer protection.
• Incident management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: We operate a formal incident-management process with predefined runbooks for common events such as service degradation, security alerts, configuration issues, and system failures. Incidents can be reported by users via our support email, phone call or account manager, and all reports are logged, prioritised, and triaged. Our team investigates, mitigates, and resolves incidents following a structured workflow: identification, containment, remediation, recovery, and post-incident review. We provide customers with incident reports on request, including timeline, root cause, impact, actions taken, and preventive measures. Major incidents trigger immediate escalation and direct communication to affected customers.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: There is a free-forever companion service with limited features - search G-Cloud for Queue-Fair Free Online Queue - most Customers like to start that way. Also available, a Free Trial of this service, without the feature limitations, time-limited to two weeks and 1000 visitors. Get whichever you prefer at https://queue-fair.com/sign-up
• Link to free trial: https://queue-fair.com/sign-up

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 20.01%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 50.01%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 60.01%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 70.01%
• Over £5,000,001: 80.01%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: EY CertifyPoint
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Friday 10 May 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: The ISO/IEC 27001 certification that covers the Queue-Fair service is held by our cloud infrastructure providers, not by Orderly Telecoms Ltd.; ; Queue-Fair is delivered exclusively using ISO/IEC 27001-certified cloud and hosting providers, including Google Cloud Platform (our default hosting environment, with the details given above). AWS can also be used by special arrangement.; ; Their certifications cover the security of the infrastructure, data centres, physical security, network security, and many of the technical and organisational controls used to operate the Queue-Fair service.; ; Orderly Telecoms Ltd does not currently hold a standalone ISO/IEC 27001 certificate. We are Cyber Essentials certified and operate internal security, access control, monitoring, risk management, and incident response processes aligned with ISO/IEC 27001 principles.; ; Any organisational controls not covered by our providers’ ISO/IEC 27001 certifications are managed directly by Orderly Telecoms Ltd.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 0eab7d87-6071-41a4-99ae-76a71da244c9
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: None of the criteria
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at support@queue-fair.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.