Charging for Wi-Fi
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I prefer to set up my own personal WIFI I take nothing for granted. Self sufficiency trumps everything. I am content in the knowledge I won’t be let down by any external supplier, it also eases my conscience re family contact👍🏻
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I couldn’t agree more, Rocky. Even in restaurants or similar I always prefer to use my own personal hotspot rather than rely on iffy public wifi.
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Like many others, we generally use our own wifi, but there will still be the odd area where the signal is poor or non existent, so we are all still reliant on an external supplier. this is when a decent wifi service comes into play.
Even following delivery, there will still be many limitations on the 'free' service.
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...but the CAMC service shouldn't be 'an iffy public wifi'....🤷🏻♂️if it is, what's the point of it?
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I actually meant “iffy” in terms of security. Isn’t that the very reason folk often prefer to use their own set up rather than an insecure public network?
In any case, who or what is the determining factor that says CAMC should provide any sort of public Wi-Fi? It’s not a given even in this day and age.
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Evening
Just thought I'd give some feedback with the new wifi. I'm currently on my rest days on a site that has had the full refurb. I'm pitched 200 meters from the nearest repeater mast and the site is full tonight. I'm writing this while getting 28mbs. Not bad by all accounts. Not sure about the subscription service or if it's available as I'm not interested in streaming etc.
Remember that all free wifi anywhere in not secure, I was taken aback this afternoon when my neighbour said he was well pleased with the free wifi as he'd just done all his banking
, even more so when he said he'd been hacked once before!JK
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JK
Just worth mentioning with regard to the security issues that if you have a proper internet security package on your computer that should provide a degree of protection. I have no idea how widespread such packages are on phones and tablets but I know on my laptop it is fairly robust. Also you would need to be fairly close to those wishing to attack your device and I wonder how likely that is on a Club site, obviously you can't rule it out completely but I would have thought the risk fairly low. Using WiFi on an isolated campsite is not quite the same as using public WiFi in the middle of a town. Having said that and because phone Apps are so widespread now I now tend to use my phone for such things as banking as its just more convenient. However if I need to download a statement I fire up the laptop.
David
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You don't know who's in the next van DK
Seriously though, we've all just recently completed a half days training on cyber security. I thought it would be boring at first but it was a real eye opener. No internet security package is foolproof however robust the company taking your money claim. JK
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WHY OH WHY ?
Did the Club think it was a good idea to cancel the contract with AIR ANGEL BEFORE the contract with BT was in place ???
Especially as ALL contact including bookings is being FORCED online. SO you are stuck on a site with NO effective WiFi ,try to phone Club and are told to go online Exactly How pray tell me ?
Another stupid not joined up thinking decision
Which seems to be the norm with the Club these days.
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Where did you read that the club cancelled the contract with air angel (It's been Fresh Wave for the last two years) ray?
JK
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Where ever possible I connect to site Wi-Fi using my own secure router and aerial (aka Wi-Fi extender). Unfortunately with some captive systems it isn’t possible to connect this way. Eg I can’t connect to the C&CC Wi-Fi using the router. I seem to remember this Club was the same.
My Security app, (Norton) provides a VPN which gives reasonable security. Others are available. I also have a mini, but of course I pay for the SIM card.
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OK at last someone who seems to know what has gone on with the WIFI
I thought the WiFi company was called 'Air Angel' ?? That's who I paid my annual subscription to anyway. Why....why stop a working system (Air Angel) without FIRST replacing it with another working System .
I used to be a Mainframe Computer Engineer and if I had treated my customers like the Club are treating their Members I would have been sacked and rightly so.
The WiFi situation is not good enough
EXPECIALLY with all club business increasingly going online, a good WiFi connection is an ESSENTIAL no longer just a 'nice to have'.
Try using the contact centre to come to that conclusion. Ray Jenner
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It’s all on the website somewhere, Ray.
That was a very informative post from JK, I’m sure you’ll agree, but I doubt if even he can answer your ‘why?’ questions.
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You’d best contact the club, Ray. I can’t answer that.
Btw, this change to wifi has been ongoing for some time. You can keep up to date by looking on the website.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/useful-information/club-wi-fi/
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I'm not the person to answer all your questions ray, there are people employed at head office to do that, but what I do know is wifi on a campsite which is essentially a place for holidays is indeed a "nice to have " and not at all an essential.
JK
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My breaks away involve booking our next venues while I am away, so that means 'onsite' booking Either on my mobile or online, Wardens don't usually like getting involved with booking other sites for you although they will if the mobile signal is particularly bad.........thankyou Borrowdale Wardens.
So WiFi is getting to be an Essential as the Clubs own contact centre keeps telling you if you ring them.
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Yet you're on the internet now, why not have a look at TW's link while you're on?
JK
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Maybe you didn’t get close enough to the temporary hotspots, Ray 🤷🏻♂️
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I have just paid £15 for 7 day premium access and it’s complete rubbish. Virtually no access to any connection and if there is it ceased up or drops out frequently. Not fit for purpose and should not be charging for a service that does not work.
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It might be useful to mention the actual campsite as not all campsites are one the new system yet? If its operating under the new system did you try the free service before paying?
David
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ClubMember69B9D6ED3C
Have you asked for your money back?
If you paid by Credit Card you could make a claim.
Colin
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I've just removed my duplicate post.
CT not working as it should.
Colin
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The main issue with WiFi is that when the sites are busy the system cannot cope with the demand and the bandwidth required. This stems from a lack of understanding on behalf of caravaners on how it works.
If sites require internet then this has to come from a business supplier, and in many cases this will be delivered via copper, in rural areas the speed will be very slow, in other areas this can be delivered by fibre with higher bandwidth.
The bottom line is that if Wifi and streaming videos, YouTube etc is important to you, then you have 2 choices, a 4G/5G Mobile Broadband Dongle, which you will need to preload with data based on the areas signal strength you are going to, keeping in mind that in peak season the cell towers will be saturated with users and will dynamically alter bandwidth.
Or you get a Starling system on a roaming profile again with an upfront fee and high monthly charges, but with very fast connection.
The problem boils down to the fact that people don't want to pay a lot for something that they consider to be cheap.
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There are far more than 2 choices, JG.
However, are you aware of the system upgrade which you can read in the link in my post quoted at the top of the page?
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What I don’t understand it why anyone who is reliant on more than basic internet relies on site Wi-Fi. Why not get your own system? I understand the frustration if people think the site has Wi-Fi and it doesn’t, but do people seriously only book into sites with Wi-Fi available?
We have a mifi system which we had installed when we bought the van. We had previously tried using phones as hotspots, unsuccessfully. On the whole our system works well. Other things about a site are far more important than Wi-Fi. If the site has free Wi-Fi we may well use it - saves our data. But usually only for email and some websites, rarely do we find site internet able to eg view a YouTube video. Incidentally, the CCC has free internet across their sites, but our experience is that it can be a bit flakey.
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