Free WiFi Spawns Cafe Backlash

[Suhit Gupta]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060710-7226.html' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060710-7226.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Raise your hand: who here has ever booth-squatted for hours in a Panera, nursing that bottomless cup of coffee, using the restaurant's free WiFi connection the entire time? It's a common enough scenario that cafe and coffee shop owners, long used to offering free WiFi as a way to get customers in the door, are fighting back. The Boston Globe has an interesting piece on these "WiFi wars." Cafe owners have found that WiFi brings customers, but also a host of problems. Some people purchase nothing at all, some buy the cheapest item on the menu, and most stay for hours at a time, tying up tables that are especially needed during the lunch rush. Others park outside and surf the Net from the comfort of their vehicles—for months on end. Coffee shop owners are now fighting back. Customers who purchase nothing are politely asked to do so, while WiFi is sometimes shut down at peak periods. Other shops have begun charging for the service, more as a way to limit access than to make money."</i><br /><br />Hmm, have cafes thought of advertising to subsidize some of their costs? Seems to work for Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. :) Anyways, I am surprised it too this long for the cafes to clamp down. Luckily this isn't a problem at the Panera near me, yet. Have any of you noticed this phenomenon?

[peterawest]

This looks like the same topic that's been discussed for three days over here:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=49932&amp;start=0&amp;postdays=0&amp;postorder=asc&amp;highlight=panera

[Damion Chaplin]

Right hand, meet left hand. You guys should coordinate more often. :lol:

Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes we get a little overzealous, and sometimes we can't always keep track of what our sisters are doing. :wink:

[BugDude10]

I'm not gonna pay for Wi-Fi access at any store or restaurant (I just don't need it that badly), so I rarely even try to use it when it's available. But, couldn't they simply time-limit the free access? (E.g., when you buy something, you get a code/password that gives you access for 30 minutes, encouraging you either to move along or to buy more.)

[Damion Chaplin]

Well, I can't speak for anyone anywhere else, but here in SF, there's an open WiFi router just about every block, whether on purpose or not. I never need internet access so badly that I would pay for it or even go through the hassle of getting a code every 30 minutes. Frankly, I'd just find somewhere else to drink coffee.

Besides that, even charging for access doesn't keep the squatters away. They just buy a monthly pass, buy one $1.50 coffee and stay as long as they want. I see them in Starbucks all the time.

[Phoenix]

Right hand, meet left hand. You guys should coordinate more often. :lol:

:lol: