Recently the FCC has put their foot down on the fight over WiFi Blocking in hotels, they have ruled that commercial establishments cannot restrict consumers from using their personal Wi-Fi hotspots.
With how important internet access is for travelers these days, hotels caught doing this are subject not only to fines, but also open themselves up to negative reviews and a tarnished public image.
So why run this risk in the first place?
For those properties that are still charging for WiFi, guests bringing their own access could diminish a revenue stream, but how many reservations are they losing by not offering free WiFi? Many search sites have the ability to filter out any hotel that doesn’t offer free WiFi, and this is quickly becoming a mandatory requirement for many travelers.
A small rate increase across the board would not only cover the cost of the internet used, but generate more revenue from those not using it and offering internet access as a complimentary service can draw in more guests.
In the recent case where Marriott was blocking personal hotspots, they claimed it was an effort to protect their guest’s privacy by removing any suspicious or fraudulent networks operating in the area.
via WiFi Security Concerns for Every Hotelier. – Tuesday, 10th February 2015 at 4Hoteliers.
