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This story was printed from silicon.com, located at http://www.silicon.com/

Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/research/specialreports/travel/0,3800011481,39159533,00.htm

Wi-fi users will vote with their feet
What's a hotspot not?

By Will Sturgeon

Published: Wednesday 14 June 2006

As cities and citizens gear up for an age of wireless working, it is becoming clear that some wireless internet hotspots are going to prove more popular than others.

Perhaps in the UK it's no surprise to hear that pubs - despite a slow start and a lack of knowledge among staff - look set to be popular. A poll of silicon.com readers has found that the humble boozer is the hotspot of choice for more than a third of all mobile workers (who may enjoy our guide to London's wi-fi pubs).

An impressive 35 per cent of respondents to a recent poll run on silicon.com said the pub would be the hotspot location where they thought they would be able to work best, given a choice which also included coffee shops, fast food restaurants, train stations, airports and open spaces and parks.

Least popular was the option of logging on in a fast food restaurant which didn't receive a single vote from the 200 respondents. Next was the train station which appealed to just four per cent of respondents, followed by coffee shops with 15 per cent of respondents saying they'd be most productive logging on while they sip a frothy coffee.

Some of these locations may be hampered by a perception of insecurity when it comes to taking out a laptop.

Airports meanwhile proved fairly popular, with 22 per cent of respondents, while public open spaces and parks appealed to 23 per cent - which suggests being outdoors isn't perceived as posing any greater security threat than being in a crowded coffee shop or fast food restaurant, while possibly offering more pleasant surrounds.

• Plus: Read our leader on why businesses should embrace mobile working