No WiFi?… Holiday ruined, we won’t be back

holidayLogging in while on holiday can be a tricky thing for families and rules need to be drawn up so nobody gets too pissed off.

The one that is currently in favour in my household is to go online for an hour at breakfast; all members of the family on their devices – kids doing games and Instagram, parents doing work. After that, it’s over to the analogue world of swimming, running, basking and dreaming.

But for many people on holiday, especially those staying at hotels, unreliable or non-existent WiFi can ruin a holiday and in process destroy a hotel’s reputation and brand. Moreover, one in three holidaymakers will never return to the same hotel chain after such an experience.

These data comes from a report by wireless network provider NETGEAR who polled 2,000 people on their WiFi expectations on holiday. An inefficient service can even lead to some lurking in hotel corridors or perching on window sills to get online… or temporarily leaving their family to spend hours in local coffee shops.

“WiFi access on holiday is now a basic need. Hotels must wake up to this fact and take action. Guests should be allowed to choose for themselves whether or not to connect, not to have that decision made for them by the hotel,” said said Jonathan Hallatt, regional director UK, Ireland & South Africa for NETGEAR.

To read the full report, please click here.

Monty (709 Posts)

Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.


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About Monty

Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.