New WiFi at Smoky Mountain

[Kozman]

I just checked into Wyndham Smoky Mountain. They just instituted a new WiFi policy. Now you have to log in using a voucher. Your choice is free standard speed. Or, pay extra for faster speed. Supposedly 6 times faster. The cost is approx. $9.99 per day or approx. $50 per week. Standard speed is up to 4 devices. I believe I saw the 'pay' speed is unlimited.

 

[comicbookman]

I just checked into Wyndham Smoky Mountain. They just instituted a new WiFi policy. Now you have to log in using a voucher. Your choice is free standard speed. Or, pay extra for faster speed. Supposedly 6 times faster. The cost is approx. $9.99 per day or approx. $50 per week. Standard speed is up to 4 devices. I believe I saw the 'pay' speed is unlimited.

Wyndham National harbor has the same arrangement. You get 4 devices per unit, regardless of unit size. I was just there over Thanksgiving.

 

[Kozman]

So far the 'free' works fine for e-mail and browsing but don't even think about streaming or downloading.

 

[ronparise]

So far the 'free' works fine for e-mail and browsing but don't even think about streaming or downloading.

Thats the point

If you want to stream,you gotta pay. I experienced this at National Harbor too Its the system of the future for Wyndham.

I like it.

 

[Kozman]

Fortunately my cell phone carrier gives me 9 gig of high speed hot spot connection for only $5 extra per month!

 

[am1]

All Wyndham resorts should offer free wifi. How much of the high speed internet cost goes to manage it and collect the payment?

I will be very happy when internet coverage is everywhere and the router/modem is built right in the computer.

 

[Kozman]

All Wyndham resorts should offer free wifi. How much of the high speed internet cost goes to manage it and collect the payment?

I will be very happy when internet coverage is everywhere and the router/modem is built right in the computer.

They do offer it for free. It's just not much bandwidth. It's not like we aren't paying a handsome MF to them.

 

[am1]

They do offer it for free. It's just not much bandwidth. It's not like we aren't paying a handsome MF to them.

Yes and that is good. I think whatever is at one resort should be at all resorts.

Is high speed wifi at a VIP perk at any of the resorts?

 

[Kozman]

Yes and that is good. I think whatever is at one resort should be at all resorts.

Is high speed wifi at a VIP perk at any of the resorts?

I'm VIP and it didn't cut anything for me. I bet the next thing will be if you submit to their sales, uh update they will offer a week of free high speed. They are absolutely becoming aggressive about trying to con you into attending.

 

[tstraveler2]

We are at PCB and have the same arrangement--free for basic, pay for faster.

 

[montygz]

I just checked into Wyndham Smoky Mountain. They just instituted a new WiFi policy. Now you have to log in using a voucher. Your choice is free standard speed. Or, pay extra for faster speed. Supposedly 6 times faster. The cost is approx. $9.99 per day or approx. $50 per week. Standard speed is up to 4 devices. I believe I saw the 'pay' speed is unlimited.

We were there in August and they had only one tier of internet -- nearly unusable. It was painfully slow for anything.

At the time, they apologized and said they were going to increase the bandwidth "next week."

These "rationing models" just seem to be a cash grab that leaves a bitter taste. Wyndham owners pay maintenance fees to cover expenses of a basic services like Internet. Why not just install the proper equipment and bandwidth for today's families?

Likely as someone pointed out, Wyndham is looking at it as a sales tool or someone worked a deal and is pocketing kickbacks from sales of the faster speeds.

Perhaps the next step will be "The first 3 minutes of hot water in the shower is free, after that it's $10 for 5 minutes of hot water and $30 for unlimited hot water."

 

[chapjim]

Same thing at Governor's Green last weekend.

 

[Kozman]

We were there in August and they had only one tier of internet -- nearly unusable. It was painfully slow for anything.

At the time, they apologized and said they were going to increase the bandwidth "next week."

These "rationing models" just seem to be a cash grab that leaves a bitter taste. Wyndham owners pay maintenance fees to cover expenses of a basic services like Internet. Why not just install the proper equipment and bandwidth for today's families?

Likely as someone pointed out, Wyndham is looking at it as a sales tool or someone worked a deal and is pocketing kickbacks from sales of the faster speeds.

Perhaps the next step will be "The first 3 minutes of hot water in the shower is free, after that it's $10 for 5 minutes of hot water and $30 for unlimited hot water."

They instituted this change in the past two weeks because I was there on my way back from FL and it was all free then. I think they are contracting out the service just like many toll road contracts are farmed out. So, for the contractor it is a for profit business rather than get the best bang for the buck for their owners. It is 'what will the market bear'. The speed is acceptable for just browsing and e-mail. Works well for that. I guess if you feel you need faster you have to pay the price (or not)! LOL!

 

[Sloane S]

These "rationing models" just seem to be a cash grab that leaves a bitter taste. Wyndham owners pay maintenance fees to cover expenses of a basic services like Internet. Why not just install the proper equipment and bandwidth for today's families?

One thing to keep in mind is these resorts are not going to be billed at the residential rate, but rather the much more expensive business rate.

I like having the basic free, and paying extra if I want the faster speed (and I've got kids who would stream constantly in the rooms if they could).