topic Re: Internet on the hoof in Plusnet Feedback

Internet on the hoof

trishukdish — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:42:45 GMT

While traveling this last four days in England I had to live without the internet or pay stupid prices at the hotel.
It occurred to me that I used to have a dial up connection in the past and maybe this could be a way to keep paying customers still online and happy.
As far as I know the only wireless connection you can purchase is with BT which costs an arm and a leg.
Suggestion:
Offer your customers that are traveling the wireless option (with a usb stick) or even dial up option at a respectable purchase rate when traveling in the UK only.
I know there would need to be restrictions to prevent abuse but I so would have loved to have an hour or two on the net in my hotel room without having to pay £15 for it or even £6 per hour. I am sure if you offered a service to your existing customers they would be willing to pay a reasonable fee to have the use of the internet for the duration of the travel period.
Perhaps purchased when logged in to their customer area so that you know then you are only supplying your actual customers by charging the same card as registered with them for payment of regular services. The order for travel internet could be logged for specific numbers of days.
Trish

Re: Internet on the hoof

pierre_pierre — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:00:23 GMT

you can get USB phone sticks from a variety of people, Vodophone, O2, 3 for starters, I have a 3 one cost £10 PAYG for 1 month (Limited) only top it up when I want it. Watch the coverage though, 3 claim they have good coverage, but at the moment it is virtually only on Trunk roads.
or pick your hotel carefully, just did a weekend in a Holiday Inn Express, the room WiFi cost an arm and a leg but was free from the Bar/Lounge area.
Going to another chain in Eire in September, free WiFi. Bed Breakfast in Cardigan, got the WiFi free, should have been charged but wasnt on the bill

Re: Internet on the hoof

pierre_pierre — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:19:10 GMT

ITV locations on Astra 2D in PDF below

Re: Internet on the hoof

itsme — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:43:44 GMT

If you have a mobile phone are you aware that most can be used as a modem so the you can access the GPRS network? I know that both Vodafone and O2 cap their daily use to £1. So if you are in the right place with a 3G phone you may experience speeds up to 1.8Mbps With Edge it's 384kbps and normal GPRS it's 48-57kbps.
One thing to be aware of if there is 3G coverage in an area it probably will not have edge coverage. I live in a large town with 3G coverage and have an Edge mobile but can only get speeds of 57kbps. I can drive to a small village a few miles away where there's no 3G and then I get the higher 384kbps Edge speeds.

Re: Internet on the hoof

chillypenguin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:53:12 GMT

Plusnet would have to rely on one of the existing providers, and unlike fixed broadband there is no wholesale market for mobile broadband. So any service offered would bring little but increased cost.

Re: Internet on the hoof

mal0z — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:42:04 GMT

many places now have free wifi,
such as libraries, coffee shops, Wetherspoon pubs etc etc etc.

Re: Internet on the hoof

Santiago — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:47:25 GMT

Quote from: trishukdish
While traveling this last four days in England I had to live without the internet or pay stupid prices at the hotel.
I know there would need to be restrictions to prevent abuse but I so would have loved to have an hour or two on the net in my hotel room without having to pay £15 for it or even £6 per hour.

Which hotels charge £15 and £6 for internet use? I have never paid for internet use in a hotel.
I don't use hotels in this country now but in hotels abroad an internet connection is deemed to be in with the price.

Re: Internet on the hoof

pierre_pierre — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:52:34 GMT

Quote from: chillypenguin
Plusnet would have to rely on one of the existing providers, and unlike fixed broadband there is no wholesale market for mobile broadband. So any service offered would bring little but increased cost.

PlusNet used to link with one, but stopped about 2 years ago
@Santiago, the Hol Inn Express room rate I think was over £10 per day

Re: Internet on the hoof

itsme — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:53:46 GMT

You must travel west as travelling east to Europe, Singapore and Thailand they still charge. As pierre stated earlier Holiday Inns charge for wifi in the rooms but not in the public areas. This was the same in 2 Holiday Inns in Thailand last year.
Edit: Just remember the Holiday Inn in Bangkok didn't have any free WiFi, can't remember whether the other one did. But did have free wifi in public places in a hotel in Krabi.

Re: Internet on the hoof

pierre_pierre — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:47 GMT

Just checked the Local Premier inn, no free WiFi, they wouldnt be drawn on room rates just said it is PAYG charged to your card, but a scratch card is available £10 for up to 1000minutes over 24 hours

Re: Internet on the hoof

Santiago — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:05:39 GMT

Quote from: itsme
You must travel west as travelling east to Europe, Singapore and Thailand they still charge. As pierre stated earlier Holiday Inns charge for wifi in the rooms but not in the public areas. This was the same in 2 Holiday Inns in Thailand last year.

USA, Canada, Middle East, China

Re: Internet on the hoof

MisterW — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:03:24 GMT

Here's a tip for low-cost occasional internet access, as long as you've got an 'unlocked 3g phone'.
Get a free '3' PAYG sim ( from their website ). Put it in your 3g phone, register it and put £10 credit ( either by voucher or by registering a card ) on it and then you have initially 150Mb internet access free ( lasts for 90 days ).
Your £10 credit lasts forever, when your 90 days or 150Mb has run out just convert some of your credit to an 'Internet add-on' , 50p/day , £2.50/week or £5/month. Then use your phone as a modem. Strictly speaking its against the T&C's I guess since its designed for internet access from the handset, but as long as you use it sparingly... how would they know ?