WI-fi state park takers few
March 28, 2005 by Mike Wendland
After more than half a year of wi-fi in Michigan state parks and along highway rest areas, the number of actual users can be measured in the dozens rather than the hundreds. Seems the public isn’t clamoring for wi-fi the way some bosters thought. Wi-Fi hotspots to grow, but when and who cares?
The problem is the cost and the lack of sites. It’s just not worth $8 for what little time you would use it at a rest area or $20 a month when there are so few sites throughout the state. $20 for county wide access would be nice though.
Frederick hit the ol’ nail on the head. I am not about to pay $8 a day to be able to check my email from a rest area or park. I already pay for internet access at home and I am not about to pay for it a second time. Unfortunately, some stuffed shirt in Lansing or at SBC is going to see the lack of usage as a lack of demand which I don’t believe is exactly true and not grow or continue the project. If prices were brought into a more realistic range, something EVERYONE would be willing to pay, they’d see the usage numbers go through the roof. Especially if they expanded the program.
I have to concur with the posters… this is a fundamental issue of price equilibrium. There is a demand and now there is a supply. A price just needs to be set that will meet the needs of both the buyer and seller.
Living in the U.P. - I often travel for work. I wouldn’t mind being able to check my e-mail mid-way. Say Clare, Indian River, whatever. But for the cost for the service, it’s just not worth it.
As for Wi-Fi at camp sites. I think it is just a matter of time. You can’t find a hotel these days that does not offer high speed connections. With many campers boasting satellite dishes, microwaves, air conditioners… it’s just a matter of time before the laptop is packed too.
I’ve noticed that in the arena of attracting customers, wifi is a good thing. For example, hotels are using it as an ammenity and people are going there for that reason. Panera Bread, who has what I consider to be fair to midland food gets my business solely because of their free wifi connection.
On occasion , about once or twice a month, I’ll be at Barnes & Noble in Royal Oak and pay the fee for 1 hour access, but that’s only because I’m killing time. I suppose I could just read books, but it lets me catch up with my web design people.
But until someone like comcast, wow, sbc include public wifi as part of their package, I’m not going to pay on a regular basis for it.
That’s funny that this came up now. We are playing a camping trip for June and the first thing I wanted to know was whether or not I could get internet access from the site. We will have power so that won’t be a problem, but the camp site we are going to doesn’t have it.
On another hand I don’t really see people spending that much time at a rest area that they could justify the amount they would pay to use the service there. I also agree with the comment on people not wanting to pay for what they already get at home.