Public Wireless internet

[andrew Black]

andrew Black wrote:
> Supplementary question - anyone know the business model for paying wifi 
> in pubs hotels etc.  Do BT closedzone, TMobile pay the pub for get custom.
> Put it another way, can I dive into such and outfit and not make any 
> purchase (without feeling guilty) :-)

ok - I suspect the place doesnt get any benefit, but it is no bad thing 
to give the message "I am coming in to use the wireless and if it 
doesnt't work I will go to another cafe.".

<rant>I don't mind paying for wireless, I don't mind paying for cofee or 
beer (and free wireless).I do mind  (but will tolerate if needed) paying 
for both. But I really mind
  - paying for cofee and then finding wireless doesn't work
  - paying for wireless (say 1 hour usage) and finding it is not 
reliable  enought to be useful.  </rant>

Seriously - on the latter point "fit for purpose" comes to mind, but it 
isnt worth the effort spending an hour on phone calls to get a refund of 
5 GBP.

PS - before we start the UKP v GPB debate, I notice that the chip'n'pin 
machine in smuggs debited my card by 10 _GBP_.