COMMENT
Written in the lobby of a nice new London hotel that shall remain nameless, and despatched via an abnormally free wi-fi link to silicon.com
I have just been booked into a new hotel by a sponsoring company which is employing me most of the day tomorrow. The check-in was slick, the hotel staff obviously trying very hard and the service is excellent. The decor is very nice and the whole place is very clean and smart - so no complaints.
Before I arrived my PA had already checked out the availability of high-speed wi-fi access here and 20 minutes ago I looked all set to get some work done. I got a coffee, set up in the library and tried to log on. But in some perverse mode I have never seen before, my log-on screen came up with a verification number that I have to take to reception to gain authorised access. Ho hum, what fun - I have plenty of time to waste!
So having got authorised I'm now presented with a new screen demanding a payment of 30p per minute. What? But the good news (not) is they have a price cap of £20 per day! They gotta be kidding, really kidding.
I present them with the alternative model of free access because it costs nothing to provide the service and if it is free I'll be back but if not, I won't. And by the way there is a free access-point that serves coffee and food only a block away.
After a bit of arm wresting the management make me an offer of half price, ie only £10 per day. I don't think so! I make to pack up and leave - and they suddenly decide to make an exception and give me free access, plus a free room upgrade. So here I am, at last, all set to get some work done but it cost me 20 minutes of hassle and downtime. It might not seem like much but a third of an hour is really worth having, as is the lack of a £20 or £10 payment.
I am suddenly aware that I have slipped into the American mode of complaining in real-time on the spot, and not the polite EU mode which consists of writing a letter of complaint later in the week from my home. I gave them the full facts on the hotel operating costs, facilities charges, soap, towels, bedclothes and so on to contrast with the less than £1 per day for wi-fi provision. They don't charge me separately for the former so why the latter?
Anyway, the point is, if enough of us whinge and complain, and refuse to stay in hotels that levy absurd charges, we can change the world - a bit at a time. In about 10 years the EU might just catch up with North America, and perhaps the productivity will improve too? Now, to make up that lost one-third of an hour...
Comments
There are 12 comments. Join the discussion
1. Andrew Marr
Totally agree, charging for wifi is ridiculous when you consider how little it costs to provide. according to jiwire's free wifi finder (http://www.jiwire.com/hotspots-hot-spot-free-directory-browse-by-country.htm) there are around 180 free wifi hotspots in the UK compared with a staggering 6,300 in the US. How can this be?
if anyone knows a better free wifi finding tool please share!
2. Steve
Peter I completely agree. And congratultations on the result!
In the last few weeks I have stayed in hotels in the UK and the Netherlands and in all cases was expected to pay through the nose for WiFi access. In most cases I didn't have the option of threatening to walk out, but will do so in the future where I have a choice.
I have complained a number of times regarding the cost of WiFi on my blog at www.thedigitalcloud.co.uk, but I guess the moral of your story is its action that counts!
3. Rob Nicholson
Wi-fi still has a way to go. We had a company away day on Tuesday and I announced that we'd have a laptop available for access to Citrix is anyone needed to check their email etc. I was using the away day as an opportunity to try and overcome the reluctance and problems many users have connecting whilst away from the office.
Purchase the £10 card for 24 hour access which is steep compared to home broadband and proceeded to try connect and logon.
Trust me to pick the day when BT OpenZone authentication service wasn't working.... Boy did that backfire on me :-(
4. David Burdon
Getting access always seems such hassle. I'm with BTOpenzone. I end up struggling to get access in most hotels/bars etc.
5. Michael Saunby
Perhas the Fon (fon.com) model will win the day. Folks who are willing/able to provide free access in one place will get free access in every other place, and folks who expect others to pay must pay themselves.
6. CMylod
Very uplifting story.
One UK hotel chain has just implemented preimium rate (25p/min) numbers for calling the rooms - there's something about the hotel industry where it's wide open for scams such as charging for wifi and overcharging for phone calls despite the free dressing gowns and soaps.
7. Kevin Inskip
Well done Peter!
This is yet another illustration of how inflated hotels' standard charges are and how you can get significant reductions by haggling. I almost never pay rack-rate for rooms - simply stating that my employers overnight accomadation allowance is much lower usually elicits an offer of a special discount.
Peter, how about sharing with us the info you have supporting the costs you mentioned, so we can all have the best chance of negotiating zero charge for WiFi?
8. anonymous
i had the same experience but at an American hotel! I complained that they should be giving free wi-fi and eventually they relented--but i still need an activation code but i'm not charged $20/hr!
9. anonymous
Not free. But could this be of any help for specific circumstances?:
http://wifi.credecard.com/
10. Martin Owen
Raddison SAS hotels provide free wifi broadband in their rooms. That's made me a loyal customer. The Midland in Manchester on the other hand has an outrageous fee, and have lost a customer for that reason.
11. Patrick Gribben
Time for some structured and directed whinging. I'll make sure that Novotel get to hear of this. Any takers for other European hotel groups or airports?
12. Mike Durkin
Peter,
I beleive that market pressures are the best way to change things as your experience illustrates.
I propose that Silicon host a directory of WiFi and other internet access charges at hotels based on name, location, cost, type and access method.
The combined knowledge of the Silicon.com subscribers would enable us to give preferance to those hotels that provide reasonable service and enable us to pressure the others to follow the leaders.
Those that do provide free access often use some form of control to limit usage to paying guests, understandable but enventually one hopes pointless.
I make a point of asking up front before booking and unless pushed by time or other contraint will only use those that provide free internet access.
Let me kick off the directory, I have just asked for details from Jurys Clifton Ford Hotel & Health Club in London. Their charges are £10/hour or £20/day!
Mike Durkin