Its hard to believe but research is finding again and again that free Wi-Fi is one of the most important criteria for many customers. Whether in a Hotel, Pub or Café customers are expecting and demanding free Wi-Fi.
In the old days many cafes would simply take a standard ADSL service, install a modem / router, setup a onetime password and start offering free Wi-Fi. While the number of devices out there was still small and the bandwidth demand similarly limited, these solutions did a great job. Unfortunately these type of solutions just don’t work anymore.
With the high number of devices out there and with the enormous growth in data consumption, low end solutions just can’t keep up. With just 5 customers watching YouTube videos at the same time the system wont be able to share out a decent experience to everyone using it. The trend is also getting worse. Data consumption continues to rise. Services like Netflix have recently launched in Australia with an expectation that half of Australians will be moving to streaming TV.
In Wi-Fi terms this creates a major issue. One option is to open up speed limits and data limits and let your customers download whatever they want. Your customers will be exceedingly happy, but you will start facing potential bills of hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per month. The option that seems most palatable is providing your customers with a good level of free Wi-Fi, enough to browse the news and sports, check out what’s going on today and perhaps watch a YouTube video. However after 200Meg, or 1 hour or whatever you decide is the limit, customers would then need to pay something to continue to use your Wi-Fi.
These premium plans can be offered with large data limits and importantly can be set to work at higher speeds than what the free service comes with. Some of our customers are even offering free Wi-Fi based on what you spend. A coffee gets you 15 minutes, a meal gets you an hour!
It’s a basic and understandable proposition. Yes we offer free Wi-Fi for basic usage, but if you want the fast speeds and big limits, then that comes at a small premium.
Delion is a leading Wi-Fi solutions provider targeting the Café, Pub and Hotel markets. We will be exhibiting at the Café Biz Expo in Brisbane on May 23rd and 24th. Come and see us, check out a demo and discover some of the opportunities that Wi-Fi can bring to your business.
t. 1300 576 369
