quote:

ALL park wifi should be free, and an amenity just like a sewer line at your site. JMO.

I am sure the RV parks agree. They just charge everyone an extra $2/night and then offer "free" wi-fi whether you want it or not. Yep, that's a good deal! As you said, JMO.

'Free' WiFi is becoming a tick-box, just like having a swimming pool. Someone pays for it, somehow, somewhere.

We do quite a few resorts and marinas. Sometimes its for pay where we take the risk and the subscriber buys time directly from us, sometimes its for 'free' where the resort or marina pays us and takes the risk themselves.

Either way, we get paid... Its a funny old world, but getting paid helps make it worthwhile getting out of bed in the morning. Particularly on the days when thunderstorms have just ripped your world apart yet again.

Its a beautiful thing!

George

There certainly was a time when, if you were the only RV park in the area that offered free wi-fi (heck, wi-fi at all!), you might be able to make up the cost of the system with your value added customer base. More people, more money. As wi-fi becomes a "tick box" item it is more likely that the campgrounds are being forced to provide this "free" service to stay competitive but it no longer brings in any new customers or dollars but keeps the existing dollars from going away. The only way to make up those additional dollars lost to wi-fi service is to charge everyone a bit more.
Am I the only full-timer out there that used to think it was offensive to pay $35-$40/night for a campground? Today, it's hard to find one that doesn't charge that much. That doesn't include any of the "RV Resorts" that charge upward of $70/night!

Well, Bill, you and George are right to a certain extent. I'm not arguing with your logic. Ultimately someone pays for it or the business goes under. However, in EVERY case that I have installed or designed a wifi service for a park the rates were not increased that year, and in almost every case, not the next year. But you are right, it is becoming an expected amenity. And someone is going to pay for it. In the next few years your assessment that it will prevent people from leaving (verses attracting them) I believe will be right on. I still see people attracted because of it, though. In fact, where I am now we keep statistics on why a new customer came to us. Wifi is not the first reason (Passport America is). But it is the second reason.

We just bought a new managed switch (HP Procurve) and an additional AP for here....and the rates are going up next year...guess I pushed the expenses over the edge