Wednesday 13 August 2014

Wi-Fi: Plug & Play

The term plug & play refers to a functional object which is ready to use without the aid of any other supporting factor. Plug & Play devices have changed the scenario of information technology. It features a hassle-free installation followed by an easy usage. Similarly, a WiFi zone can be easily created in any place or location of desire with the help of a plug & play device.

On the contrary, many Cafes Hotspots and Social WiFi zones are already existent in those places, and are officially free for customer’s use. The presence of this facility attracts a lot of potential prospect and hence it is becoming an elementary feature of most commercial places.

Description

Many service providers offer plug & play WiFi devices for an easy accessibility to internet on the move. These devices create a WiFi zone with a predetermined range which can be accessed with/without a password. Such devices can be invariably used in any remote corner across the globe, provided that the location is mapped and has connectivity.

E.g. Event and Mobile WiFi is a necessity nowadays as providing individual connection to each and every guest is practically impossible. It will require a separate arrangement with additional cables, and plug points etc. which will pan out to be costlier.Similarly, the advancements in the demand for flawless connectivity has led to the installation of systems for Equine WiFi as well.

Benefits

The advantageous facets of a plug & play device is limitless, especially for the fact that many technologies are making their debut in this concept due to the unprecedented demand. Some of the inseparable benefits of a plug & play WiFi device are as follows:
  • Remote Accessibility – Internet can be accessed from any location and hence the hurdle of disturbance in connectivity is taken care of. All sorts of work pertaining to internet usage can be resumed or continued on the go.
  • Easy Installation – As evident from the term, these devices are extremely easy to install.
  • Cost Effective – It is a one-time investment as the user can enjoy the benefits for a considerably long period.
  • No Restrictions – A personal plug & play device do not require any official permissions or password to access the internet. Furthermore, it can also facilitate authorized access to multiple individual users.
  • Safety & Security – Personal devices are safer than most public connections.

Monday 11 August 2014

The Significance of Wi-Fi Connectivity in Commercial Places

Wireless connectivity is increasingly becoming popular due its immense benefits. This phenomenal technology is developing at a rapid rate and is certainly a boon for many upcoming futuristic technologies. A WiFi router enables us to access the internet from any remote corner that lies within its range.

Why is internet so important?

According to statistics, more than 40% of the world population is using internet and the figures are growing at an extremely rapid rate. There are plenty of critical activities that take place via the internet platform - A majority of businesses use it for communication and financial transactions, while individuals use it for countless tasks ranging from regular browsing and social networking to designing complicated coding projects. Today, a modern individual is connected or dependent on the usage of internet in multiple ways and the absence of same from their lives can potentially create chaos.

Few of the advantageous aspects of internet are:

• Easy & Fast Communication

• Browsing & Research for Knowledge

• Easy Information Database

• Social Networking

Commercial Set-Ups

Evidently, the dependency on flawless internet accessibility has handicapped many urban folks. This has essentially created an unofficial mandate for most commercial accommodations like hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, holiday homes, resorts, marinas and cafes etc. to provide connectivity in their premises. Now, since the installation of individual connections to each room or guest is practically not feasible and is substantially expensive, it is apparent that a WiFi system is highly recommended.

Unlike residential systems, commercial setups are complicated to a great extent based on the requirement. A higher number of users will essentially necessitate better tools like routers, cables, connection etc.

Market Trend

The popularity of internet is growing. It has become an integral fragment of hospitality businesses – Even WiFI for B&B and Marinas is common nowadays. The competition is stiff in the hospitality sector and existing players resort to numerous tactics to defeat their closest competitors. Case in point, WiFI for B&B and Marina weren’t a common sight earlier, but its presence is now unsurprisingly frequent. The sole purpose of such an inclusion in the list of features is to create a value proposition in the market. Consequently, the ratings and reviews of the concerned business will get a boost in the eyes of prospects.

Marinas WiFi and B&B’s WiFi can give extra mileage to their businesses. Since many overlook the presence of such a feature in these places, a difference can make a huge impact on the impression. This has established a benchmark and has led to an increase in the demand for WiFi. Therefore the market of Marinas WiFI and B&B’s WiFi is witnessing a steep climb in terms of available alternatives.

Thursday 7 August 2014

Wireless Connectivity in Holiday Homes

Since the advent of WiFi, the concept of accessing the internet in any place under the sun is increasingly becoming popular among most enthusiasts. Nowadays it would only be a surprise to find a commercial public place such as hotels, holiday homes, parks, restaurants, cafes, social hotspots etc. without the provision of WiFi. In other words, people certainly expect a flawless WiFi connectivity in such places and the absence of same will undoubtedly result in their dismay.

WiFi for Holiday Homes

Holiday homes are popularly referred to commercialaccommodation facilities used during holidays and vacations. It resembles the satisfying atmosphere of a home, although the price is extensively based on factors like luxury and comfort.

Among others, today WiFi is considered to be an essential and fundamental prerequisite of all contemporary holiday homes. In fact, WiFi for Holiday Homes can play a significant role in the decision making process of many prospects –A majority of the urban occupants are not willing to part with their cyberspace activity. There can be varying reasons such as work, browsing, social networking, and reference search etc.

A Holiday Home WiFi system is different from the regular system used in individual households and small offices. It requires a higher level of technical expertise and accuracy for installation, and is best implemented by experienced professionals.

Importance & Benefits

In this fast paced modern era where most important business and monetary transactions take place via internet, a prolonged cut off from the same facility may lead to devastating consequences. Many working folks as well as other enthusiasts prefer to stay connected with their close social group, even when on a remote holiday/vacation.

Under such critical circumstances, a Holiday Home WiFi system is a must-have for all holiday homes. It gives the business a competitive edge over the immediate peers in vicinity. A better service can offer the following inherent benefits:

1. Better Reviews & Ratings – Word of mouth is a powerful and effective promotional tool. A satisfied customer can definitely enhance the reputation of a particular holiday park by posting positive reviews and by saying/suggesting it to others in their social circles.

2. Prolonged Customer Stays – Happy and content customers do not mind staying for an additional 1 or 2 days, provided they have the time. This positively impacts the revenue.

3. Excellent Rankings – This magnificent value addition can elevate the ranking of the holiday home/park in various listings. A higher rank can potentially attract many prospects.

4. Cost Effective – It is a one-time investment. A superior facility adds to the famousness and hence there isn’t really a requirement for costly marketing techniques; rankings and ratings does the job pretty well. Furthermore, there are profit sharing options as well which is really lucrative.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Top Technology Trends in the Hotel Industry

Keeping pace with the latest trends in hotel technology can be quite an overwhelming exercise for operators and owners. With a variety of demands areas such as security driven by recent events as well as the need for consistent access due to the accelerated use of social media keeps the hospitality sector of their toes.
In the recent times, the following technologies seemed to have been increasingly adopted by a variety of hotel chains the world around to create technologically advanced hospitality environments-

• Offering Free Wi-Fi

A number of recent surveys suggested that 85% of travelers are of the belief that Wi-Fi for hotels must be free. A large number of guests, especially business travelers choose specific hotels other others because of the free internet service that is offered. A large number of travelers today choose to take this service for granted. A number of hotels for security and other reasons choose to offer free Hotel Wi-Fi to guests that enroll in the loyalty program. Other hotels provide Wi-Fi in select areas such as their lobbies or in the business centers.

• Transforming your Lobby into a Tech Hub

This brings us to the next point. A great deal of hotels are putting good use of internet kiosks to create information centers that minimize the need for guests to stand in long lines at the reception to ask simple questions. These kiosks contain information on directions, restaurant recommendation, guides to nearby attractions, etc. By integrating this service with the Wi-Fi for hotels, establishments are offering critical information such as flight, weather and other local data right on the guest’s smart phones.

• Adding Security with CCTV for hotels

With the advent of Wireless CCTV technologies, hotels are adding high value security measures that allow guests to feel safe at all times. By installing CCTV for hotels in floor lobbies, the main lobby, restaurants and a number of unmanned areas all across the property, it is possible for the operators to create highly secure environments for all their guests.

• Offering Hi-tech Business Centers

If your hotel offers conference and business center services, the right use of technology can allow you to keep in touch with clients and organizers on a real time basis. Meeting planners are able to enjoy the convenience of consistent access with the hotel to make sure all their requests are taken care of before their arrival. Furthermore, during the events, the hotel Wi-Fi allows attendees and organizers to stay constantly connected, allowing them to gain added value while away from the office.

In addition to this, using and offering the right technology at your hotels can help add value to your entertainment systems and also facilitate service automation in various ways. Intelligent tech applications can significantly influence customer loyalty.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Why is it Important to Offer Wi-Fi in a Holiday Home?

Even though the whole reason that people wish to take a vacation is to get away from the stress of it all, internet connectivity without doubt continues to be a necessity even when on a break. Having holiday home Wi-Fi services is still of great significance as most people find it very difficult to survive without the internet.
Wi-Fi today has become more of a necessity than a luxury with the increasing dependability of users on it. Here are some of the most important benefits of providing Holiday Home Wi-Fi services-

People Need to Stay Connected

As much as everyone wishes to disconnect from the world for a while, disappearing and falling off the face of the earth is not a luxury everyone can afford. There are many situations when being available for contact is absolutely necessary such as being in touch with your child or parent or even touching base with the office if and when required.

Frequent travellers also prefer maintaining an online journal of their trips and require internet access to upload experiences.

Need for Information

Our reliance on internet goes as far as to plan our day according to the expected weather conditions. In an unknown area, local landmarks, driving directions and maps, dining options as well as entertainment sources can be found through the help of Wi-Fi.

If there are changes in the travel plans, they can be easily accommodated with the help of internet access.

Customer Expectations

A lot of people are discouraged by the unreliable connectivity and prefer to miss a vacation instead of going somewhere without access in case they anticipate an emergency. Wi-Fi has almost become a social norm with most people expecting Internet access to be surely available at their accommodation. It is important that these expectations are met with to keep your customers satisfied. 

Low Costs and Investments

With the increasing availability of Wi-Fi providers and the competitive pricing strategies they adopt, internet is available at a very low cost. There are a variety of plans available for different users and the benefits received from installing Wi-Fi are far greater than the costs of installing it.

Set Yourself Apart from the Other Holiday Home Service Providers

One of the biggest advantages of providing free Wi-Fi for holiday homes to your customers is that it will give you an edge over your competitors. Everybody loves freebies especially such a valuable one. This service is surely to reap a great lot of benefits for you especially in terms of more customers and added customer satisfaction.

With such a large number of customers requiring Wi-Fi for Holiday Homes, today the availability of access has become a decision making factor when selecting an accommodation. Providing such services is becoming more of a necessity to survive in today’s competitive scenario!

Minimizing Risks of Free Wi-Fi Zones at Caravan Parks

There is no denying that offering free Wi-Fi at your business establishment comes with enormous benefits with regards to attracting more customers and inculcating a sense of loyalty. In addition to restaurants, cafés and malls today customers can even enjoy free Large Caravan Park Wi-Fi while on a holiday.

However, there are still a number of establishments that are under the belief that offering open Wi-Fi services can also lead to severe risks from hackers.

The Risks behind Offering an Open Hotspot

The same features that make WiFi for Caravan Parks attractive to customers make it desirable for potential hackers especially since it requires no authentication to create a network connection. The most intimidating thought is that open networks allow hackers to position themselves between you and the point of connection. This means that instead of speaking with the hotspot, users are sending their information to hackers who can relay them forward for misuse.

Furthermore, the increase in use of mobile internet during travel gives rise to more points of vulnerability. However, this doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t use or offer large caravan park Wi-Fi. By taking a few precautions, you can provide safe browsing environments for your customers.

Offering a VPN

Offer to your customers’ access to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when you provide an unsecured connection. Here, even if the hacker finds a way to position himself in the middle of the connection, the data transferred will be effectively encrypted. Since majority of the hackers are constantly looking for easier targets, they are more likely to get rid of stolen information than put it through a tedious process of decryption.

Using SSL Connections

Ask your customers to turn on their “Always Use HTTPS” option when they are browsing through websites that require you to login or enter some form of credentials while using the Wi-Fi for caravan parks.

Turning off the Sharing Option

Some of the most experienced and reliable public Wi-Fi service providers recommend that users turn off their sharing feature from the Control Panel or system preferences. By choosing the “Public” option, most Windows PCs turn this off for you automatically when you connect to a new and unsecured network.

Turn off the Wi-Fi when you don’t Need It

Even if one may not be actively connected to the network at the Caravan Park, the Wi-Fi hardware on the mobile or computer device continues to transmit data between any networks that are in range. If you are using offline applications it is best to keep the Wi-Fi off.

As a Caravan Park owner it is best to hire a reliable Wi-Fi hotspot service provider that is able to incorporate all the necessary security measures for seamless internet access.

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Is your Marina, B&B or Hotel Truly Offering Free Wi-Fi?

A quick browse through hotel or vacation review websites will tell you how customers get really put off by the lack of internet connectivity in accommodations or other public spaces. In today’s day and age, most vacationers take free internet to be their right rather than a privilege.

With free Wi-Fi for B&B and Marinas becoming an increasingly common offering, the question is – Are you ready to make this value added offering at your establishment?

Offering Free Wi-Fi for B&B and Marinas

• Do you Offer Unlimited Wireless Access for Free and at no added charges?

You can confidently say that your hotel, marina or B&B’s Wi-Fi is free if your services come with no limitations such as only the first 60 minutes of the day free or giving only one access code for one device per room. When you say your establishment is offering “unlimited” Wi-Fi it means that you need to have no limits on downloads and uploads that each customer makes. However, to keep a level of control on your services, make sure your internet provider is able to offer you reporting capabilities that help you look at usage patterns and restrict bandwidth in some situations.

• Is your hotel, marina or B&B’s Wi-Fi Internet Speed High enough when Compared to Minimum Home Broadband Standards?

Considering that the actual speed tends to vary on the basis of the usage of all the visitors using your hotel, B&B or Marinas Wi-Fi, the objective should be to always offer minimum download or upload speeds that are equal to or more than the standard home broadband speeds. Make it a point to regularly test actual speeds at different times of the day, especially during the peak usage periods. There are a number of free online tools that allow you to do so. This will help you assess whether or not you need to upgrade your service to cater to peak traffic.

• Does your Wi-Fi service expect visitors to connect to your network by entering personal or financial details?

There are other ways to limit or secure internet access than by putting your guests and users through the ordeal of registering for an account to use the hotel, B&B or Marinas Wi-Fi service. Avoid making your internet service a route through which you acquire MIS. However, just because you are offering free Wi-Fi it does not have to mean that you provide it to anyone who passes by. Providing a wireless network password is an easy way to prevent unconstitutional usage.

Furthermore, make it a point to offer an internet setup process that allows visitors to connect and surf seamlessly without any interruptions. Also make sure that the wireless signal reaches every part of your B&B or property to ensure convenience in web connectivity.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Wireless Fidelity - Innovative Uses of Wi-Fi that Changed the World

Wi-Fi is no more a service available in just home and office environments. With changing paradigms and conventions, Wi-Fi has been put to many innovative uses increasing its value and changing the way we look at the world.

• Social Wi-Fi in Restaurants and Cafes

Social Wi-Fi is a lot more than just offering free Wi-Fi services to your clientele to promote your brand. It not only helps in building customer loyalty but also incorporates various aspects including data-collection and marketing. Interacting with your customers is a very efficient process when you offer services such as Cafe Hotspots and Social Wi-Fi. It reduces error, involves faster responses and allows you to target the audience.

• Event and Mobile Wi-Fi

From business meetings and gatherings to large scale festivals and events, an increasingly important service required at such venues is Wi-Fi. However, handling such a network involves greater expertise than required for a home network. Due to the large number of users logging on to the portal, it is very important that the connection supports that kind of use. The safety and security of the users too must be kept in mind when such things are involved as it is more difficult to trace things back, especially with most people accessing the net through their mobile phones.

• Campsite Wi-Fi

You may not have access to a fully functional bathroom or a good restaurant the next time you go camping, but Wi-Fi is something you will not have to compromise on. With the change in the standard of living and want for leisure by customers, providers are constantly coming up with inventive uses of Wi-Fi such as campsite internet access. Now connecting with your friends and family while on road has become very easy.

• Equine Wi-Fi

This rarely heard of but increasingly popular service of Equine Wi-Fi is one of the most interesting uses of Wi-Fi today. This service not only offers customers and visitors at a stable access to internet to check their mail and accomplish other tasks, but also offers unique services to owners of horses such as a chance to view their horses on a real time basis.

• Wi-Fi in Vehicles

Due to globalization and shifting universal paradigms, there has been a large increase in corporate travel. With services such as Wi-Fi in vehicles, it is a lot easier for corporate travellers to get work done when on their way to a destination and ensures that no time gets wasted.

In addition to this, the hospitality sector too has put wireless internet technology to good use. The above mentioned services add a lot of value for the customers and increase satisfaction. In these fast-paced, changing times, such services are more of an investment than a cost!