QUOTE(drmcleod @ Jul 18 2008, 06:18 PM) [snapback]12323[/snapback] It does not cost more to allow the whole campground access to your broadband service. I agree with you on this. It's the same things hotels do, some offer it free as a perk and others are greedy like RV parks that charge for it.\ Fortunately, we have a USB air card and don't have to rely on a campground doing the right thing with this.
One thing that needs to be kept in mind as we consider what park owners should do is that they must get a return which will pay their bills and provide a reasonable income/return on investment from whatever means that they choose to charge. I think that most of us look at any business and prefer that they charge in some way that favors the way that we use their services. We often believe that what is fair is the way that gives us most for the least expense. Each service that an RV park supplies has some cost to it, no matter what we may believe. For a park to have truly good wifi coverage which will serve every customer at every site and perhapes even all of them at the same time, is not without some added cost to what he would need just to supply the needs of himself and the business. To say that it is a no cost service indicates a lack of understanding of the equipment required, and the maintenance of it. Very few RV parks are operated as "not of profit" and we need to consider what we would want from each one if it were our money and efforts that supply the services. We do not rely upon the RV parks for internet services and so do not even care if they have them available, but when we first went on the road we did and so we wanted it provided.
I am staying tonight in a campground in Travares City, MI. We picked this park becasue it had free WiFi. My computer would not pick it up and even when I switched to my hi-tec antenna, I was only barely able to get service. Page loading time is horrible and I keep getting cut off. I wonder if campground owners realize that WiFi service is important to some of us. We have been bookdocking for 6 days and I have had very spotty service and was really looking forward to sitting down and getting caught up. This is not fair for them to just lie about it.
What do you expect for free? Responses like this reminds me of the Biill Engval "Here's Your Sign"..... Everyone expects something for free, a good wifi service COSTS MONEY!! someone has got to pay for it, either the camper or the campground.... QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Aug 28 2009, 08:44 PM) [snapback]18655[/snapback] I am staying tonight in a campground in Travares City, MI. We picked this park becasue it had free WiFi. My computer would not pick it up and even when I switched to my hi-tec antenna, I was only barely able to get service. Page loading time is horrible and I keep getting cut off. I wonder if campground owners realize that WiFi service is important to some of us. We have been bookdocking for 6 days and I have had very spotty service and was really looking forward to sitting down and getting caught up. This is not fair for them to just lie about it. but you PAY for your air card service now don't you??? QUOTE(rangiebob @ Jul 29 2009, 07:06 PM) [snapback]17868[/snapback] I agree with you on this. It's the same things hotels do, some offer it free as a perk and others are greedy like RV parks that charge for it.\ Fortunately, we have a USB air card and don't have to rely on a campground doing the right thing with this.
QUOTE(spinsister @ Aug 29 2009, 08:44 AM) [snapback]18658[/snapback] but you PAY for your air card service now don't you??? Yes, we do and we always can rely on getting good service! We're currently at an RV park in the Denver area that personifies greed. They charge for so many things that no other park we've ever been to charges for, so I will happily pay for my air card just so I don't have to give these people another cent over and above what I am already paying.
To the original question - owners should feel free to charge for wifi. However, I will not use it and will find another place where it is free.
QUOTE(rangiebob @ Aug 29 2009, 02:00 PM) [snapback]18665[/snapback] Yes, we do and we always can rely on getting good service! We're currently at an RV park in the Denver area that personifies greed. They charge for so many things that no other park we've ever been to charges for, so I will happily pay for my air card just so I don't have to give these people another cent over and above what I am already paying. There can be NO business that charges for more things than the wireless phone companies. Somehow my $59.95 per month plan cost around $90.00 per month by the time they charge their taxes, internect fees, line fees, FCC fees, State access fees, fee fees and on and on. I like it when campgrounds charge extra fees for things I do not use, like WiFi, cable TV, pool, gameroom, laundry, mini golf, health club, spa etc., it makes my costs lower than just raising the price and making everyone pay.
QUOTE(kcmoedoe @ Aug 29 2009, 05:11 PM) [snapback]18669[/snapback] I like it when campgrounds charge extra fees for things I do not use, like WiFi, cable TV, pool, gameroom, laundry, mini golf, health club, spa etc., it makes my costs lower than just raising the price and making everyone pay. Yes, I agree with you there. But this park charges extra for parking a trailer in an out of the way spot which no park has ever charged us to drop our trailer when it wouldn't fit on our space. And this is not a space that they can rent out. Plus they charge for electricity for staying a few days using their daily rate. I am okay with paying electricity when we use a monthly rate, but daily? Never saw this before. Plus this park charges for children over 4 ($5.00 each per day) when they are with 2 adults in their coach. I'm glad I don't have kids as to me, this is not family friendly at all.
QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Aug 28 2009, 09:44 PM) [snapback]18655[/snapback] I am staying tonight in a campground in Travares City, MI. We picked this park becasue it had free WiFi. My computer would not pick it up and even when I switched to my hi-tec antenna, I was only barely able to get service. Page loading time is horrible and I keep getting cut off. I wonder if campground owners realize that WiFi service is important to some of us. We have been bookdocking for 6 days and I have had very spotty service and was really looking forward to sitting down and getting caught up. This is not fair for them to just lie about it. I agree 100%. If the park advertises it for free, than it should work, period. If they say it costs an additional few dollars for WIFI, that is fine also. Just give us what you advertise, plain and simple. This also applies to other amenities, not just WIFI. Don't use false advertising to lure us there and then say no refunds. It has gotten to the point where I have actually refused to check into a park until I have verified that the advertised WIFI does work. I will respect the rules of the park, and do not mind paying for a service, but I will not tolerate a park that advertises one thing, and tries to pass off something entirely different. Much as I don't like to do it, I will boondock somewhere rather than spend money at a park that resorts to false advertising.
I agree, it is a question of false advertising. I brought it up and they told me something that was not true. They lied or didn't know about their own park and I have mentioned it in their review so others might know. I sometimes base my park decisions on what I read and what I get from the rangers. If they lie, then, I lose. I would hope that others would warn me and that I would warn others. An air card is way to slow for internet surfing for me. I realize that interent is not really fee, it is just added into the price, but I compare the rates with this in mind. Some services like Nomad also have a max number of bytes you can have in a day. I just don't need that kind of hassle.
WiFi is a tricky thing. So many variables. I traveled all over and thought it was lousy WiFi service until I had my computer checked and it was my antenna. I had it fixed and the only time I had a problem was when someone in the park I was at kept bogging down the system using their computer as a telephone, watching TV and downloading large files. At the pool I mentioned how slow the internet was and this man told me he could set my computer so I could circumvent the system and be able to do it to. I told him he was a very inconsiderate man. He laughed and told me he liked to call overseas on his computer and talk to a friend of his and by watching movies from Netflix on his computer he got twice as many for his money. WHAT A JERK!!!
I guess I will add my 2 cents. You are paying for it by staying at the campground weather you pay an extra charge or not. The campground has to pay his bills to survive and must charge accordigly or fail. I do agree that it should be figured into the total cost and not an add on. And yes you can just plug a router into your DSL line but not all spots in the campground will have an adequate signal. We have 2 antennas 2 routers and a bridge with a 3MB DSL line and can accomodate our small park, 49 sites on 4 acres quite nicely. Usually have 10-20 users on at a time. But many people do not understand that a system can work very good until someone uses skype or downloads movies or streaming audio and the system that works well most of the time becomes slow by a careless person with disregard for others and the campground gets the blame for a bad system when misused by a small group. When the cable goes out people accept it when WiFi is out people go crazy. Just my 2 cents.
We have been traveling several months and have not had WiFi for 4 days. I needed to update my website, do banking, and catch up on "fun" stuff. We pulled into the KY Welcome Station on I 65 and they gave you 15 minutes and then charged you $2.95 for an additional 2 hours. I have used free WiFi at many, many welcome stations allover the US, but being charged by the state is beyond the pale in my opinion. What a ripoff. I did not buy the additional time. We have been doing a lot of boondocking and I have been unable to "borrow" any WiFi. Not a campground as in the thread, but I thought I would mention it.
Love it when people always expect something for free.... Starbucks (ATT/Wayport provider varies per location): 2 hours wifi = $3.99 McDonald's (ATT/Wayport provider) = $19.99 per month, & Cost varies at each location, some free some not, 9 times out of 10 generally it will cost you. Barnes & Nobles (ATT/Wayport provider varies per location): Cost varies at each location, some free some not, 9 times out of 10 it will cost you. The list goes on and on.... Now would you spend $70 to $300 per month for internet service then give it away free to your neighbors? Think about it.... I suppose there will always be those who are selfish and think that they are always owed something for free? QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Sep 10 2009, 08:35 PM) [snapback]18837[/snapback] We have been traveling several months and have not had WiFi for 4 days. I needed to update my website, do banking, and catch up on "fun" stuff. We pulled into the KY Welcome Station on I 65 and they gave you 15 minutes and then charged you $2.95 for an additional 2 hours. I have used free WiFi at many, many welcome stations allover the US, but being charged by the state is beyond the pale in my opinion. What a ripoff. I did not buy the additional time. We have been doing a lot of boondocking and I have been unable to "borrow" any WiFi. Not a campground as in the thread, but I thought I would mention it.
QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Sep 10 2009, 07:35 PM) [snapback]18837[/snapback] We have been traveling several months and have not had WiFi for 4 days. I needed to update my website, do banking, and catch up on "fun" stuff. We pulled into the KY Welcome Station on I 65 and they gave you 15 minutes and then charged you $2.95 for an additional 2 hours. I have used free WiFi at many, many welcome stations allover the US, but being charged by the state is beyond the pale in my opinion. What a ripoff. I did not buy the additional time. We have been doing a lot of boondocking and I have been unable to "borrow" any WiFi. Not a campground as in the thread, but I thought I would mention it. Lindsay, you usually make good logical points, but you really went to the dark side on this one. Why should the taxpayers of Kentucky provide you with WiFi for free? Just because the government helps pay for new cars and wants to start giving you all the medical care they think you need doesn't mean they should give you internet access. I do, however, think they should give me free cell service, I use it a lot more than the internet.
QUOTE Why should the taxpayers of Kentucky provide you with WiFi for free? Probably for the same reasons they provide me with all of those expensive slick multiple color brochures. The idea of a Welcome Station is to welcome people to the state and make them spend money to help the local businesses. My home state of Florida has been giving out free orange juice at it’s Welcome Stations before there was I-75. Many states have free WiFi and dumpsites at even many of their rest stops. It says, hey tourist, we like you and we want to give you a little something to make your stay in our fair state a pleasant one. When I was in business, I used to give away free stuff and it made me a lot of money in the long run. Charging for WiFi at a Welcome Station says, screw you Charlie. They also get only a small % of the fees anyway. I can remember last year driving out West and checking for open sites with my WiFi detector as we passed rest stops. We also stopped and used many of them. One of the first things we did was look for campgrounds and things to do. Internet advertising is a cheap way to get business and many (if not most) states take advantage of it. One KY pinhead official who has never had to meet a payroll probably decided to generate a little money and is making the tourist mad. I know, because I am a tourist and it made me mad as you can see. I am writing this at a Panerra Bread store. My wife and I just spent $14 on a nice dinner and are utilizing their free WiFi as we frequently do when boondocking. We choose them because of the free WiFi. Works out great for both of us.
Included in that meal price is a charge to cover that free WiFi. Free seems to be going to the way side. Look how many states are closing dump stations and rest areas are next. With the economy as it is, federal, state, county, city and private company's are all charging for free items one way or another. Times are tough.
QUOTE With the economy as it is, federal, state, county, city and private company's are all charging for free items one way or another. Times are tough. Giving away free stuff to encourage more business has been a sucessful way of encouraging customers to use your business my whole life. This goes back to the free toaster when opening a bank account to a free smilely face glass with a gsdoline fillup. In tough times, the business people (or state tourism depts) that think smart will be the winners. The folks who cut back on their marketing and save pennies to lose dolllars will be the losers of the recession. Tough times require smart people to survive. Believe me, it works.
QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Sep 19 2009, 01:16 PM) [snapback]19024[/snapback] Giving away free stuff to encourage more business has been a sucessful way of encouraging customers to use your business my whole life. But what you are asking is only going to encourage people to sit at the welcome center using wi-fi - better to lower their sales tax, lower their income tax, so you pay less at their businesses - the businesses that you decide to spend your money. There is no such thing as a free lunch - someone has to pay for it. And I can't believe this thread has gone ten pages.
Free is good.... not really free, but included in the price. Charging over $8 a day like Don Laughlin's Riverside RV park is absurd.
