Wireless Hotspots Heat Up
Network Computing magazine has done a survey all about the commercial WiFi hotspot business – and they’re believers in it. They think that it’s a huge opportunity, and seem to brush off those who are less convinced. Their reasoning, though, is that it’s cheap to set up. They don’t seem to consider what users actually think – and how much they’re willing to pay (especially when confronted with the option of free WiFi services at the same, or similar, locations). However, there are some useful stats in the survey, including the fact that many people say they’d be willing to pay $25-$50/month for WiFi. Besides doubting the validity of an email poll, I also wonder how many people who say they would pay that much actually would. At those prices, it makes sense if you are constantly on the road – and in locations that have the service. However, if you travel once every few months, any of those “monthly” deals don’t make any sense. The survey also found that most users couldn’t care less whether or not their hotspot provider has any connection to their mobile phone provider.
