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on Saturday, October 20th, 2007 at 8:46 am and is filed under Question, Technology.
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This one will never make sense to me, unless someone comes up with an amazing esplaination. My only guess would be that more expensive hotels count on a large portion of their customers to be using expense accounts or to just not care about the extra charge since they need it to check up on emails. Cheaper hotels on the other hand use the huge “FREE INTERNET” banners as adds to get people to choose them over the other cheap place across the street. Come on esplainit, there has to be a better esplaination to this one.
I agree with you Dave. It seems logical to me. I just think free internet should become standard. Maybe that’s just me being a consumer. Maybe if I really thought about it with a business sense I would think otherwise.
Possible esplaination. although now that I think about it more, not really. This more explains why Hotel WiFi should have a password that is only given once you are registered as a guest. On occassion, I have gone to a hotel, found out it was pricey, gone to their parking lot, logged on their wifi, and then booked a room online for cheaper sometimes at the very same hotel. Then you go inside with your confirmation number and save some bucks.
David Pogue recently presented this very question at the top of his list of Pogues Imponderables. There are a few great responses in the comments that I will try to sum up here.
Hotels want to maximize profits. Large, expensive hotels are used by business travelers and rich vacationers. These hotels, for the most part, have no trouble filling their rooms. For them, wireless internet fees are seen as an additional revenue stream. Small hotels, especially non-chains, have much more trouble filling their rooms. Wireless internet is used by them as an additional draw for winning patronage. Did I just reiterate everything Dave said? Yes.
There are a number of related factors, such as ratio of wifi fee to room cost, elasticity of guests’ wifi demand, and, again as Dave noted, the responsible party for the hotel bill.
Logistically, a large expensive hotel with thick walls is much harder and more expensive to blanket with wireless coverage than a small hotel with thin cheap walls. Also, the types of guests staying at expensive hotels are more likely to demand corrective service for any wifi problems since they require it work for their business. The hotel must cover its possible costs to supply such service.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:46 am
This one will never make sense to me, unless someone comes up with an amazing esplaination. My only guess would be that more expensive hotels count on a large portion of their customers to be using expense accounts or to just not care about the extra charge since they need it to check up on emails. Cheaper hotels on the other hand use the huge “FREE INTERNET” banners as adds to get people to choose them over the other cheap place across the street. Come on esplainit, there has to be a better esplaination to this one.
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I agree with you Dave. It seems logical to me. I just think free internet should become standard. Maybe that’s just me being a consumer. Maybe if I really thought about it with a business sense I would think otherwise.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Possible esplaination. although now that I think about it more, not really. This more explains why Hotel WiFi should have a password that is only given once you are registered as a guest. On occassion, I have gone to a hotel, found out it was pricey, gone to their parking lot, logged on their wifi, and then booked a room online for cheaper sometimes at the very same hotel. Then you go inside with your confirmation number and save some bucks.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:42 am
David Pogue recently presented this very question at the top of his list of Pogues Imponderables. There are a few great responses in the comments that I will try to sum up here.
Hotels want to maximize profits. Large, expensive hotels are used by business travelers and rich vacationers. These hotels, for the most part, have no trouble filling their rooms. For them, wireless internet fees are seen as an additional revenue stream. Small hotels, especially non-chains, have much more trouble filling their rooms. Wireless internet is used by them as an additional draw for winning patronage. Did I just reiterate everything Dave said? Yes.
There are a number of related factors, such as ratio of wifi fee to room cost, elasticity of guests’ wifi demand, and, again as Dave noted, the responsible party for the hotel bill.
Logistically, a large expensive hotel with thick walls is much harder and more expensive to blanket with wireless coverage than a small hotel with thin cheap walls. Also, the types of guests staying at expensive hotels are more likely to demand corrective service for any wifi problems since they require it work for their business. The hotel must cover its possible costs to supply such service.
I suggest reading this NYTimes article and this Slate article, as well.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:48 am
As we all thought. I guess it’s just annoying, and doesn’t need much esplenation.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:03 am
Yet another reason to stay at a cheap motel.
FREE WI-FI OR DIE!
I’m so punk.