$400 and the Wi-fi still ain't free
My flight back to C-town got delayed. I can hardy say that it was unexpected; I was having too good of luck with travel this trip. So here I sit with my laptop at the D1 gate of LaGuardia Airport for the next two freaking hours. I am sitting next to this French Canadian lady. (I’ll bet she got frisked. (Aren’t I terrible?)) As any Case student worth his video games would do, I decided to make the most of my time and get a head start on next week’s blog. (Yeah, dork.)
Maybe I could check my email and read my friends away messages. I haven’t done that in like 45 minutes. … … … Oh, Man! There’s no wireless connection! Why can’t every place be like the Case campus, where you flip open your laptop, and boom, you’re online. I guess I’ll just have to type this in Word first. I actually do that every week. I gotta keep a back-up in case the blog system explodes. And I gotta check for spelling and such. (For crying out loud, “gotta” is spelled right! Add to dictionary. (Not really.))
So they installed this Wi-fi system in the concourse; it’s even called “concourse”. (How creative.) And now they want $7.95. (Screw that!) Why can’t they just give us the darn internet? We are all laying down no less than four hundred smacks to be here. The least they could do to us delayed passengers is let us redeem the time through web procrastination. (Oop, the lady’s flight is boarding. Have a nice flight. You too. … Oh, hello Mr. Middle-Eastern-Man. Are you going to Cleveland, too? … Oh, you don’t even have an accent; just keep yacking on that cell phone. (I really am terrible.))
So I am still wondering if they really make that much money off of the wireless network feel. Wouldn’t the ticket fees dwarf the wireless revenues? It seems to me that it would better for everyone if they just provided it as a convenient distraction to their travelers.
Or am I wrong? (Let’s get one of those cheesy pretzels.) ($2.59 for a pretzel!)
Comments
Posted by: Lauren Georgeson
Posted on: November 28, 2005 12:43 PM
The airport prices are ridiculous! I cannot believe they charge for wireless. I remember I tried to get internet access once at an airport, and it was $9.95 as if I didn't pay enough for the air fare! I don't know why they just don't supply it, especially if your flight is delayed.
Posted by: Suzy
Posted on: November 28, 2005 07:54 PM
It would be so awesome to have wireless everywhere, even outside the Case campus (yes, it exists!). I think if there was wireless everywhere, many more people would become computer/technologically saavy and the rate of innovation would increase and we would be one step closer to having ubiquitous computing. Although it isn't a very realistic thought to have wireless everywhere, it would be nice :)
Posted by: Sheila
Posted on: November 30, 2005 11:28 AM
It might be just me, but I'd honestly just prefer a magazine. I have enough trouble giving that laptop an extra bin in the security line, so half the time I don't even bother taking it! Should they also have free computers available for use, then? Not too sure...
p.s.- if that was a knock against middle easterners, my half-Iranian self will beat you up!! :-p
Posted by: David Hagen
Posted on: November 30, 2005 04:36 PM
Well, they can't give out computers because that would cost a lot, as opposed to setting up a Wi-Fi network, which is pretty cheap to do. (Note: I actually saw that guy get off at the University Circle stop on the Rapid, and I think I saw him in PBL on Monday, which made the (very politically-incorrect) joke a little more funny in my mind.)
Posted by: Katie Riley
Posted on: December 2, 2005 02:40 AM
that was a funny blog..yeah isnt it ridiculous how expensive it is to connect to someone elses wireless especially in the airport! you reminded me of a study but im going to post that in my blog..
Posted by: Neil Ursic
Posted on: December 2, 2005 02:45 AM
Definitely the most engaging blog for the reader yet. Good point too about Wi-Fi at the airport. How much do you want to bet that 70% of the people that leave the airport are mad they just spent over 11 dollars on a pretzel and sending an email.
Posted by: Kenny Long
Posted on: December 2, 2005 10:25 AM
It's the airports it's like going to the fair everything is expensive there because if you want it you're gonna have to pay for it because there is no where else to go.
Posted by: steven chang
Posted on: December 2, 2005 01:23 PM
I wrote about this in my research paper. We've all come to expect free Wi-Fi, from the arabica cafe to wireless dorms, so its no surprise that when buisness charges for Wi-Fi, its going to be met with a lot of resistance. One analogy is the use of ATM's. It sounded ridulous in the 80's when banks charged people to withdraw their own money, but it ended up working when paired with free ATM's. Your paying for the convienence of an ATM right there, and now rather than go search for your own bank's free ATM. It's still a rip off though.
Posted by: David Hagen
Posted on: December 2, 2005 05:46 PM
I think that Wi-fi will eventually become free everywhere. It is relatively cheap to install, about hundred dollars in capital for the device, plus maybe $30 a month for the internet service that your employees will need anyway. The external benefits are so great that it should become taboo to not have one in any diner, coffee shop, transporation station, and place where customers normally wait for long periods of time.
Posted by: Maria Yelich
Posted on: December 3, 2005 08:18 PM
I was in Austin @ the airport. Thought maybe I would try and see if I could somehow get on to the internet... of course there was nothing. My computer located 3 available wireless connections... but not without a price... isn't T-mobile or Verizon creating a program that will allow you to have access to wireless internet wherever they have a hub if you are a member? that wouldn't be so bad.
Posted by: David Hagen
Posted on: December 3, 2005 08:22 PM
I guess that would work. Isn't Google doing something like this for free? I forget how they are going to make money on it though.