What's The Most Expensive WiFi You've Seen?
from the ah,-tethering dept
I do a fair bit of traveling and, while I try to avoid it, there are times when I really have no choice but to pay up for WiFi (and why is it always the expensive hotels that charge more for it, while the cheap hotels offer free WiFi?). At times, the prices seem really crazy, but Parker sends over a screenshot of the cost of WiFi that he discovered at Toronto's International Centre, which seemed a bit extreme: $6.95 for just 30 minutes. Or $99 for a full day. You could get the two day package for a bargain at $159. I'm not sure I want to know what the difference between "Ultra-Lite Wireless" (the prices you see here) and "Extreme Wireless" might be, but it seems doubly ridiculous to think that $99 per day only gets you "ultra-lite" wireless.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: overvaluing, wifi
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I had no idea...
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Re: I had no idea...
http://www.google.com/search?&q=CAD+to+USD
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Heh, I always thought CAD was "Canadian Dinar." I have a bunch of Dinar from several countries, and their money is always labelled like BHD and IQD, so I figured CAD was just another type of Dinar.
Then again, I got confused when I saw USD. As far as I am aware, the name of money in the US is either "cash" or "plastic", so United States Dinar doesn't seem to work.
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Re: I had no idea...
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Those prices make my wireless carrier's fees for tethering my smartphone look perfectly reasonable.
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Probably some very creative astroturfing:
"If we make all the options look even worse, people won't object to ours!"
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If you act now, you can get half the wireless speed for twice the price!! But you must act soon, offer ends soon.
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Free vs paying
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Re: Free vs paying
Just like the trolls that post here, they believe: Price=value.
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Re: Re: Free vs paying
That is, the expensive hotels don't lose anything by charging a premium for their wifi, while a cheap hotel doing so would just send business down to the hotel offering free wifi down the street.
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Re: Re: Re: Free vs paying
And, no, I can't stay at the $300/night hotels, unless there's really no choice.
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http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/e2uui/why_is_wifi_free_at_mcdonalds_but_when_i_stay_a t/c14uxmj
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That doesn't mean you don't pay for them (TANSTAAFL), just that they don't have a line item cost associated with their use. And yet, the demand for toilets is pretty inelastic. EVERYONE needs them eventually. So there's no separating consumers that are willing to pay for them from those that aren't, so you simply include it in the price of your goods. That's partly why the $300/night hotel costs $300/night.
There's no way to say that the COST of WiFi is the reason one charges and the other doesn't. But the demand for WiFi at McDonalds, where you aren't likely (or technically even allowed) to stay for more than an hour, isn't nearly as great as the room you will stay in all night. WiFi can even be seen as a loss leader for McDonalds, where they don't mind losing a little money to get you in the door. It's not a necessity, but if it gets you in the door, it will pay for itself. And, again, it's not really "free," it's included in the cost of the Big Mac.
Cheap motels will also use free WiFi as a loss leader. Where there's heavy competition and all the rooms are in the $50/night range, free WiFi suddenly becomes a factor in your decision of where to stay.
At an expensive hotel, however, they're competing on a lot more than the WiFi. Nicer rooms, the restaurants in the hotel, the nearby attractions, conferences, etc. They're also marketed towards a different clientele, namely business versus consumer. And businesses pay more, period. And a business traveler has no problem paying the extra fee for WiFi so they can do their work.
Plus, since demand for WiFi is more elastic (you can usually still use it free in the lobby, use your smart phone, or just live without it for a while), it makes sense for them to charge extra.
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Price list
https://wifi.internationalcentre.com/portal/showfloor/rates
FFS, the frame of reference is a bit off... does anyone at a Rogers Cent"re" meeting still use dial up?
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It gets better (read: worse)
IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY:
The International Centre is the exclusive provider for wired and wireless services for the Facility and has in operation a wireless 802.11 b / g system. The wireless service offers Internet access at varying speeds, servicing exhibitors as well as attendees. The actual maximum bandwidth available depends on how many users are accessing the network simultaneously at any given time. Routers, Streaming Applications, VoIP, DHCP, NAT or Proxy Servers are not allowed with this connection. The International Centre can engineer custom dedicated network(s) to accommodate such special requests. Please call for quote. Wireless is an entry level service ideal for web surfing and checking web based email. The International Centres Wireless Network can be accessed throughout the Facility by using a Wi-Fi compatible 802.11 b / g network card or one of our rental bridge units (limited quantity of bridge units, call for availability). Wireless service is inherently vulnerable to interference from other devices that transmit similar radio frequency signals or that operate within the same frequency spectrum. The International Centre cannot guarantee that interference will not occur. The International Centre does NOT recommend wireless service for mission critical services such as product presentation or demonstrations. For demonstrations or to present products and other mission critical activity, via the Internet, the International Centre highly recommends Customer(s) purchase hardwired services. If you are unsure which of our products will best suit your needs, please call our Telecommunications office at (905) 678-5615. Restrictions and Special Requests. Due to the extensive coverage the International Centre provides for the Facility, NO Customer provided access points are authorized for use within the Facility without the Telecommunications Departments prior approval. Customers who attempt to set up their own wireless system can interfere with the International Centres Wireless Network. The International Centre requires all Customers showcasing their wireless products to contact the International Centre 21 days prior to the show move-in so that we may engineer a cohesive network operating without interference. Misuse of any wireless service may result in service interruption to yourself or other Customers and can lead to disconnection of the Customers equipment. Unsecured Wireless Networks are not tolerated within the Facility. Your service will be disconnected if you are found to be broadcasting an unsecured wireless signal. ALL WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE ARE PROHIBITED. By using or activating an account, I hereby attest that I understand the limitations and vulnerabilities of the wireless service provided by the International Centre. I also understand that if I use this service for any reason including, but not limited to, demonstrating, showcasing or presenting my product(s), the International Centre will not be responsible for possible interference that I may experience. Refunds will not be given for service issues found not to be the fault of the International Centre.
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Re: It gets better (read: worse)
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And for CAD$200.00 you too can find the link to the comedic clip on YouTube...
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Re: Price list
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The obvious dodge is
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Re: The obvious dodge is
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Holland is worse!
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Economics
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It's always that ridiculous
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Afghanistan
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Even Cellular is Cheaper
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He's getting closer to disclosure...
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Pretty cogent on a site that is primarily devoted to defending pirates.
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Again, I swear you'll join the rest of us in the real world one day and participate in a real conversation, where you'll address the actual opinions of the people you attack. One day...
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/here endeth the toddler-style argument. I hope.
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Awesome idea.
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Awesome idea.
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Dialup also makes a handy backup for those times when the hotel's router is down.
One a side note, it seems that dialup accounts are similar to Hotel Wi-Fi regarding the fact that price has little correlation to quality. In my experience the $5/month dialup accounts are essentially no different than the $25/month dialup accounts.
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not exactly the same thing here i know... but still a pretty steep price for that.
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Bogus arguments abound!
OK, fine...but they also have more rooms! So they have more income! The better question to ask: do larger hotels have to have more equipment per room than smaller hotels? I'll skirt the obvious observation that larger hotels tend to charge more per room.
(It's like the argument about why you can't have people hand-counting votes in the USA like we do in Canada. Yes, the USA has ten times the population so there are more votes to count. But the USA has ten times the population, so there are more people which can count the votes.)(Complicated-er ballots notwithstanding, eh.)
Next thing you know, they'll claim that they have to charge extra for the bed sheets - because they have to have more washers and dryers than small hotels.
Besides: 20 switches to service 120 access points? What am I missing? Maybe they need to stop buying their equipment at Staples or Best Buy and get switches with more than eight ports.
While I'm not a network installer, my customers have moderately-complicated LANs which I have to work on sometimes. They'll often have 120 computers hard-wired in and two wifi access points. Three or four switches, two routers, a dial-up modem and a phone, data backup equipment, file servers, a monitor and keyboard, and two UPSes. It all fits in a cabinet 3ftx3ftx7ft.
Large hotels only need: a router, three or four switches spread out throughout the hotel (to reduce cabling), some small UPSes, high-power wifi access points, and proper antennas.
The reddit commenter mentionned $300/night. At that rate, I'd demand that Internet access be included in the room rate, just like at a Howard Johnson, instead of gouging the customers.
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Congratulations on getting an iPhone, Maz.
Will you be getting an iPad or AppleTv? AppleTVs are great fun, because they are directly connected to your wallet for purposes of comedy delivery... On a flatscreen TV that is.
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I remember when this was funny.
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A few years from now after all the Federal Reserve quantitative easing and other monetizing of the US Federal Debt the Canadian Dollar will be worth 10 times more than the US Dollar.
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I take this as the default assumption for any AC trying to make a "point" while attacking Mike. It's served me well so far. At least this one bothered to state one of the "facts" he's basing it on so we can all see how clueless he is first hand.
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That's current market data as of the time of this post. Try again?
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You've clearly never taken a cruise
The cost for Wi-Fi access through your own laptop is:
Base rate is $.65 per minute or choose from one of our prepaid packages:
$35 for 60 minutes
$55 for 100 minutes
$75 for 150 minutes
$100 for 250 minutes
$150 for 500 minutes
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Re: You've clearly never taken a cruise
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Re: You've clearly never taken a cruise
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I don't know where...
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South Africa during the world cup
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expense account
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Vegas
Kind of surprising, since as Mike mentioned, usually the high-end hotels are the ones who really gouge on the amenities. It's usually your Residence Inns and Hampton Suites that give away the wifi for free.
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Sharaton Hotel
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Re: Sharaton Hotel
Still can't figure out why they would give one kind of customer access to wifi but not another.
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A quick googling showed these two articles: Burstein cites the example of the San Diego Convention Center, which charges $1,195 for Internet access with one IP address and $150 per each extra IP address. http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2011/04/11/weekly10-Trade-Show-Internet-sees-growth-in-low-cost- show-floor-Internet-access.html
-or-
If you are attending a typical trade show and want Internet access during your three day stay, you need to fork over $1,200. And if you decide to buy that connection at the last minute, your fee would be a whopping $1,800. A super-fast connection could set you back over $10,000.
http://www.letstalktradeshows.com/3573/some-call-it-highway-robbery-do-you/
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april fools
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Competition, please drop by Canada when you get a chance. I think you would be shocked by what you find.
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I smell a business opportunity...
Of course, you'd have to deal with Maple Leaf fans, but there are always hazards in business...
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Wifi
Lee Bergeron
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Wifi On Cruises
The only thing I can say is don't use pay as you go while on board, else you could be spending hundreds of dollars per day.
Info taken from here.
Even with some of the packages they offer, you could be spending your day handing out money willy-nilly.
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Suggest me the best Wifi
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