RE: Internet access from Hotels

["Malcolm Surgenor" <malcolm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'll be interested to see how others reply but in my experience travelling
around the country you need to be prepared for every eventuality!  In my
laptop bag I usually carry a couple of modem/phone cables and an network
cable and I'll always have my mobile with me.

I find it's rare to use WiFi - there just aren't enough hotspots around
and,
for whatever reason, I can't always connect.  T-mobile and BT seem to be
the
most common and will let you sign up there and then with your credit card.
I've found WiFi connections in the US more frequent and usually easier to
sign up to.

More often than not though I end up connecting to my mobile using Bluetooth
(which is fine for email but not surfing). I was using my own ISP's dial up
service (Zen) but now I just dial UK2 which seems reliable.  The last
resort
is the hotel's phone/data line but it's not always easy to find out the
costs before hand.

HTH

Malcolm
-----Original Message-----
From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
Mark Harrison (Groups)
Sent: 11 August 2005 11:19
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Internet access from Hotels


Hi all,

A mate of mine in Canada has just bought a Sports Car in the UK, and
intends to spend about 6-8 weeks per year over the next couple of years
touring over this side of the Atlantic.

He's the kind of person who can only go 48 hours between checking email,
and asked me what's the best way to get online with hotels.

I said that the two options were:

- Wireless (802.11b) hotspots
- GPRS data

... both of which would have usage charges.

The costs for GPRS data I can do (though he may have trouble finding a
mobile phone supplier who will sign a contract with a Canadian
resident?)

Has anyone got any experience of the various "802.11b hotspot
providers". I know that T-Mobile have a service, and BT has a service,
etc., etc. What he's really looking for is one of the national networks
where he can sign up for a month, and use any of their access points
around the UK WITHOUT signing up for an annual contract OR paying each
hotel individually. Any ideas?

M.


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