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Binge drinking enabler Punch Taverns has signed a deal with omnipresent Wi-Fi provider The Cloud, which will see free Wi-Fi access launched in some 3,000 pubs across the UK.
The pub chain has been trialling free Wi-Fi in several pubs, claiming it’s seen a rise in business during traditionally quiet times of day, as casual punters slip in for a quick email read alongside a swift half. And possibly even a packet of crisps. They may even tweet about the experience.
Wi-Fi tester Susan King, boss of the Derwent Arms in Osbaldwick, said: “I’ve had free Wi-Fi in the pub for just over two months, and since it has been installed I’ve definitely seen the benefits. I see a lot of young people, especially, coming in with smartphones and laptops, and they tend to stay longer because they can use the internet for free.”
Punch says all of its pubs ought to be offering free Wi-Fi by the end of March this year. [Computer Weekly]
Image credit: Pub from Shutterstock
Get Your Ass Some Wi-Fi
Airplane Wi-Fi Is About to Suck Less
Bit harsh to call a pub chain a “Binge drinking enabler”. It’s like calling Ferrari a “motorway death carnage enabler” or Giz a “enconomic drain due to lost productivity enabler”.
We prize our ability to distract thousands of people from otherwise-productive work. But no-one’s ever accused us of being an “enconomic” drain
Dont these people have 3G? I dont see how free wifi now a days can attract anyone.
Data caps and connection stability – given the buildings that most of these pubs are actually in, you’ll likely struggle to hold an GPRS connection inside, let along something to make free wifi redundant.
I can only speak for myself, but there is not a place I go to where I dont have 3G, and usually high (enough) speed. I haven’t seen the Edge or Gprs icon pop up since I moved to Three.
I’m not sure if other networks have caught up yet, but surely it wasent as bad as it was 2 – 3 years ago when I was on O2 with data caps and crap internet.
Good place for those bitTorrents too you see.
Ahh, that I can understand, but still I cant see how it can increase business. I am all for it, but I just dont know anyone who would say “Let’s go to The Pink Cock, it has free Wifi”, first of all it will probably be the Cloud witch sucks balls, logging in every time, creating an account.
I’m on O2 and tbh the data cap doesn’t frustrate me as much as you might think – I’m never far enough from wifi that I burn through the data enough to make it a problem.
At the same time however, if I’m away from wifi and need to use the data, I just use it – If I hit the data cap and need more, I can just bolt on another 1GB, but I’m never going to end up with a massive bill that I don’t already know about.
No Edge or GPRS on Three? *slow handclap*
Did not spot that one at all!
Does Three not have Edge of GPRS support?
*Feel’s dumb for not knowing*
Three’s 3G or HSPA only — not a bad network at all, I’ve got a device running on it and I’ve found the coverage to be pretty damn good. But yes, it’s 3G or bust with Three
Ahh, good, it’s defiantly the best network I have been on. O2 and Orange are crap compared, and cost more for less!!
Depends where you live, I got my iPhone 5 on three going on online reviews and them being the cheapest. However I couldnt get signal inside or around my house! Ended up returning the phone to apple and shifting back to Vodafone.
Yea, I only ever went on Three because one of my mates had Three and always had good signal and fast internet, they have improved in my area over the past 5 years immensely, cannot fault.
How safe are these free networks anyway? I don’t use them because most of them are not secured and the only authentication is just a website popping up to enter a username. No encryption as far as I can tell.
Maybe I am missing something given the number of people using them.
They’re completely open, but then you tailor your usage to that effect:
- Use a free VPN
- Force sites and apps to use HTTPS
- Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t care the world knowing about (say using Wiki to settle a heated bar debate)
Thanks! I thought as much and why I avoid them like the plague. You can try to limit usage but things like e-mail connect automatically passing all sorts of credentials and what not through the non-secure wi-fi.
If you’re on a laptop, then these might be of use http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=133517 though on a phone I generally use TunnelBear.
Completely unashamed to say that while I was figuring out what was wrong with the router at home, I have regularly used the free O2 wifi in both Costa and pubs to get my online fix.
I just wish in this instance that they’d gone with O2 Wifi rather than The Cloud – no pain in the arse login screen every time you want to use it! Compounding the fact that the The Cloud login page changes for every single establishment that uses it so you can’t script it!
*Compounded by the fact!
Where’s that edit button?!
See that, Hotels of the world? Free WiFi! I’m still baffled that when forking out £3 for a coffee I get free WiFi, but when in a hotel paying over£150 for a room, I have to pay an extortionate amount for the same privilege!
Amen! £15 for a 24hr period, and it’s not particularly fast either!
That’s a bargain considering a bottle of water in a hotel room can cost £6!
What world do these people live in?
This is precisely the reason I let Corp. Amex pay if I think I can justify it!
too bloody right hotel wifi is a piss take
aahh the future of piracy.. track me now mother fu**er!!