Business travellers deserve Fair Wi-fi

Wi-fi and other ways of accessing the internet come at a price and how much of that gets passed on to the end user varies. But, says Will Sturgeon, there is increasingly an argument for what he calls 'Fair Wi-fi' pricing and provision.

If you're using atlarge.com then you're clearly already somebody who believes in the importance of connectivity when you are on the move.

Business doesn't stop simply because you are out of the office and seamless connectivity and the 'always on' ethos are now an integral part of the 21st century worker's make-up.

atlarge.com has recognised the need of the business traveller to connect to the internet while at the airport. But of course his or her requirements don't stop when they leave the revolving doors of the terminal building.

Hotel internet access is arguably the most important piece in the connectivity jigsaw as a business traveller may be cooped up in their room for up to 12 hours per day (depending on the quality of distractions offered by the town/city/business park/airport car park immediately outside their hotel).

Upon trying to access the internet, however, the modern business traveller may well notice something outrageously amiss. Despite paying up to, perhaps, $400 per night for their room and getting all manner of things covered by their room charge - everything from linen and toiletries to a gym they may never use - they are still expected to pay for internet access.

This is despite the fact many four and five star hotels market themselves as perfect destinations for business travellers and rely heavily upon the repeat year-round bookings of the business set.

At best it suggests the hotel industry woefully misunderstands one of the major requirements of its core customers. But given this is an industry which somehow manages to sell bottles of water in rooms for £3 a pop without feeling the need for shame-faced self flagellation on a mass scale, it seems most likely the hotel industry is deliberately and exploitatively attempting to fleece customers it should show more respect for - even if it 'values' them in the most financially dependent sense of the word.

This is why the publication I write for, silicon.com, has recently launched its Fair Wi-fi campaign – highlighting the issue of rip-off charges, particularly in UK hotels which should be doing more to enable key customers and business travellers to work connected rather than putting up obstacles that limit everybody's ability to work effectively while they are out of the office.

Will Sturgeon is the managing editor of silicon.com.