Internet should be free

As posted a lot earlier. Does anybody know what the approximate costs are to install suitable Wi-Fi on a typical club site?

Colin

The fact that no one answered should tell you.

What good would it do you to know? You would also need to understand occupancy rates, any upkeep costs and tax liabilities on income for that figure to be meaningful.

I am reminded of the old adage – exceptions prove the rule. If you want to make the point that this Wifi provision had absolutely no cost to you, because you paid no more to stay at the site than you had to pay when there was no internet, then one cannot argue. Plainly, your assertion that the WiFi was thus "free" is difficult to dispute.

However, such a literal way of looking at this is not what this is about and I think it misses Micky’s point.

He was making a generalisation about how business works; I do not think you can call him out with anecdotal examples, especially because, as CLs, they might not be a valid case. In any case, he did himself mention that some may treat the cost as a loss leader; but, as he said, it remains a cost.

In the short term, your CLs have decided that the cost of the Wifi can be paid for within their existing rates; perhaps they are hoping they will maintain the profit that they were making because the free internet will bring in more customers. If it doesn’t then, in the long run, they will have to put up prices, charge for the internet, or take a loss. The “free” internet is short term.  

If it does bring in more customers then it just means that each customer is to a tiny extent subsidising the Wifi – by having more customers they cover the cost of the WiFi, but the owner makes the same (or more) profit or less loss. But it is still a cost that each customer is covering. I might argue that whilst they were not offering free WiFi, they were overcharging. 

There are two follow up points. Firstly, CLs are different and not a good example of a business model. In most cases they represent a supplementary source of income and a lot of costs are spread over other revenue streams.   

Secondly, I wonder how much it would cost for a CL to provide Wifi. I don’t know the answer, and it will obviously vary from CL to CL, but I understand that a reasonably standard modern router will reach up to 92 metres outdoors. It might well be – I don’t know, I am just guessing – that the CLs did not actually have to pay a great deal more than they already pay for their own private or business WiFi and that, in fact, it had very little marginal cost to them at all. But whether it did or not, it doesn’t alter the case that Micky and others have made in this thread. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, everything has a cost!

Absolutely right Gradyjames on all points. At the end of the day sites will have incurred costs for WiFi, both for installation and running, as they will for water along with several other ‘hidden’ to us costs.  All will eventually need to be factored into that realistic budget which, in turn, will inform and determine that end user pricing structure.  That’s how budgets work. To us punters pushing so called ‘free’ WiFi may just be a far better advertising ploy than suggesting ‘free’ water. Neither are free. Starbucks, Costa Coffee, restaurants, hotels and the like will without doubt all factor these costs into their budgets and determine charges accordingly.

It would be a starting point for members to put the cost in perspective. At present we are commenting on an issue without being aware of the real costs.

Colin

When you consider that not one site on the clubs network ,is the same and would require a bespoke WiFi system for each site to give coverage i doubt that any accurate figures could be given

I can’t see that the real cost would matter to us one iota. We don’t know the full story and are never likely to. Whether it cost £5 or £500k, our bleating counts for nothing as, if the club says it's chargeable, that’s the end of the story. There really is no need for the likes of you and I to debate costs.

Sounds like this thread has come to an end..For me it has just confirmed my booking of a main site will continue to be a last resort. I will just continue to use the club for the diminishing number of services it offers that give excellent value and quality.

Colin

If having inclusive to cost wifi is so important, and for me it isn't even on the list anymore, then a club site is best avoided at the present time.  

It ended before it started, EM. It’s been debated umpteen times before.

If internet access is so important, I think you'd be better off making your own arrangements as many of us do but whether it's charged as an extra or part of an inclusive price, the quality won’t be affected by the method of payment. If you like club sites, it seems rather strange, if I may say so, to stop using them over such a small issue as chargeable and rubbish Wi-fi. The good bit is that, at present, you don’t have to pay at all.