WiFi at Conferences
So, I spent today at the NFAIS conference – with no wifi! Now, this is not the conference committee’s fault – this is the fault of the hotels where we hold our conferences. I don’t know what this particular hotel was going to charge for wifi, but I’m sure it was an insane amount!! I’ve been on the exhibit floor for several library conferences and the amount they charge us just for Internet in our booths is astronomical.
I think that all conference planning committees should get a couple of wifi cards from cell vendors (or whoever) and a couple of routers and provide their own wifi at these conferences – that might make hotels lower their prices – or maybe it won’t. Either way I wouldn’t have to post these news items in the short intervals I get access to the wifi from the food court…
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I think you are letting conference committees off the hook. Sure the list price charges are astronomical, but these things are negotiable when working out contracts. If the hotel wants to be unreasonable, there are other hotels.
Conference committees need to build this in to the cost of doing business and be prepared to negotiate for it like everything else. No wifi at conferences is really pretty tough in 2010. I can see making it pay-as-you-go [for some decent price, extra $5 maybe?] or something but just not there? Terrible.
Edward I’m with you – if the Hampton can offer free wifi for all guests – then I see no reason for these more expensive hotels to charge so much to their guests and do conferences.