In which Mary wonders why the internet is so slow at fancy hotels

Fri

Apr '08

The room is expensive and then they also charge for wireless. Why can’t they pony up for a fast connection?

Otherwise, Austin seems fine. I’m enjoying meeting SFWA members with whom I’ve corresponded but not met.

Willis Couvillier

It is always a neat thing to be able to put a face to a name…

http://faerye.net Felicity

I’ve noticed the hotel phenomenon as well — sometimes it seems luxury level and ease of internet access really are inversely proportional. Only a couple of years ago, I lucked into a stay at a palatial resort that didn’t have ANY wireless, just pay-to-play ethernet. Even in 2005, that seemed ridiculous. Especially since a month before, in my own price bracket, I had enjoyed free wireless at a La Quinta!

http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

It doesn’t make any sense.

http://www.chrisbillett.net Chris Billett

Wireless is so cheap (free, after installing the hardware, and if they have the connection it’s for sure not going to cost them more to provide it to people…) that I don’t know why people charge. It’s weird. It seems to be a chain thing, with the large chains being the most evil. I had free Wireless at The Standard when I was in Los Angeles last year, but then had to pay per day at The W at another show later that month (San Diego).

Is the Tribeca Grand a large chain? I know they have the Soho too, but I don’t know about outside of New York. They charged me, but normally I find smaller chains don’t, and even a lot of the cheaper hotels – possibly because they cater to a less wealthy and/or less ‘living on expenses’ clientele?

http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

I honestly have no idea. There was an article in the NYT about why this happens, but I can’t remember when I read it.

http://www.chrisbillett.net Chris Billett

Yuh, on the tech. side rather than cultural (which I was thinking about re: hotel charges), I guess the line is split, and it depends on users. Ergo it’s probably a lot faster at 4am than 10pm… you’d think they would account for it. What I don’t get is the fluctuating signal strength that seems to be hotel syndrome for wireless… unless people are slinging open lead doors then shutting them again, I can’t think why it should be up and down so much!

But now I’m nerdy out, so I’ll stop.

http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

And yet that wasn’t true here; it was never fast. They gave me a wireless booster and at 2 am, the internet was still slow.

http://www.chrisbillett.net Chris Billett

Crikey. Bizarre. Where was the Austin hotel? Was it the same one we were all at for WFC 2006?

http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

It was the OMNI downtown and not the same hotel as the WFC one.

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