No more free wifi at our CG. What the heck?

[myredracer]

I suppose this is a bit of a rant. Apologies for being wordy.

We paid thousands of $$ to get a membership in KM Resorts in Wa. Home park is Beachwood in Blaine, Wa. and out of a total season's worth of camping, spend over half our time there (so far anyway). It's one of 12 or so CGs they have in Wa. and Or. and is the busiest one by far (300+ sites). Almost impossible to get into during the summer because they have oversold it so much ('nuther story tho.) Wifi was one of the features that they had when we bought in several years ago. They can't be suffering from income at Beachwood so why cut wifi service? They could have upgraded it but no, they just cut it off instead.

Like many other CGs, the wifi service was pretty bad. Once people logged on in the morning, esp. kids in the summer, the wifi was slower than snail snot and dropped out frequently. We eventually upgraded to Verizon mifi and that has been great plus we can use it anywhere we go.

So we got here a few days ago and some friends are here with us. They wanted to use the CG wifi. I called the CG office to find out how to use the wifi (has been so long have forgotten how). It turns out they no longer provide free wifi and you have to subscribe to a wifi service called Echo Wifi. Never heard of it and google seems to show it as an Amazon.com thing. No idea how much it costs to get set up with it or how much the on-going costs are. There are many casual internet users here that just want to occasionally check their email or look up something and don't want to bother or pay for an outside wifi service, especially if they don't come here a lot.

Is this the way of the future for other CGs out there too? Is KM Resorts so cheap or suffering financially enough to no longer offer free wifi? I'd have to go look at the fine print in our contract to see if wifi was listed. Heck, you can get free wifi and just about any coffee shop these days as well as lots of other places. Can't cost that much to set up wifi for customers??

KM Resorts actually came to our house about a year ago and tried to get around $8K from us to upgrade our membership to some super-deluxe platinum plus level package. It really didn't include anything that was of real value compared to what we're already getting and were just trying to suck more $$ from us. For all the $$ they've already gotten from us and all the $$ they're getting from everyone else here, they never do any upgrading here and the whole park is pretty tired looking and some things are in need of repair and it's like they are doing subsistence level maintenance. Some pedestals have not been working for months for ex. Thousand Trails CGs are in better shape in comparison and their CGs are relatively old and all you have to pay is their annual dues of $545 and they have free wifi.

[RandACampin]

myredracer wrote:

RandACampin wrote:


Your ranting about something you never use? :h

It's not the lack of wifi to us.

What bothers us is all the money they suck out of members and the overselling of memberships here. The place is packed on weekends all summer. They should not be hurting for money. Yet the place is run down, buildings are in shabby condition, Laundry facilities are carp, the pool filtration sux, they don't enforce rules, they don't clean up sites (found a condom and other******at fire ring last time here), staffing has been cut - I could go on. Then they come to our house and try and get us to hand over $8,000 for additional benefits?


Instead of improving the place, they just continue to cut whatever they can. Our friends visiting as a guest here expected to be able to take their son down to the clubhouse and use the wifi while supervising him. Some casual users of this CG don't want to get mifi or subscribe to a wifi service.

Also wondering if this is an isolated case or maybe the way other CGs will go.

Not the lack of WIFI...really? 3/5 of your OP is devoted to the subject.

[gotsmart]

myredracer wrote:
I suppose this is a bit of a rant. Apologies for being wordy.

We paid thousands of $$ to get a membership in KM Resorts in Wa. Home park is Beachwood in Blaine, Wa. and out of a total season's worth of camping, spend over half our time there (so far anyway). It's one of 12 or so CGs they have in Wa. and Or. and is the busiest one by far (300+ sites). Almost impossible to get into during the summer because they have oversold it so much ('nuther story tho.) Wifi was one of the features that they had when we bought in several years ago. They can't be suffering from income at Beachwood so why cut wifi service? They could have upgraded it but no, they just cut it off instead.

...

Although Beachwood flies KM's flag, it is owned by Sound Pacific. A separate company.

Keep in mind that things like free WiFi and free cable TV aren't generally written into the membership contracts.

A private park may have a $40 nightly rate that includes WiFi and cable TV. It's not free. It's just bundled into the nightly rate so that you pay 1 price.

You can have many amenities bundled into your membership. If the salesperson agrees to write them into the contract then you're all set. It may feel like you're getting free stuff, but in the end you're just paying up front for it.

[gazingm42]

We found most CG wifi "sucks" in most cases. We bring our own sprint wifi service with us so when we need to check something in a bind. As a IT nerd I know you just ask for trouble using the "free" wifi.

[down_home]

sh410 wrote:
Could you give an example of what percentage a campground makes from Tango or similar ISP?

Can't quote. Discussion was with clerk, at camground east, of Casa Grande.

[myredracer]

RandACampin wrote:


Your ranting about something you never use? :h

It's not the lack of wifi to us.

What bothers us is all the money they suck out of members and the overselling of memberships here. The place is packed on weekends all summer. They should not be hurting for money. Yet the place is run down, buildings are in shabby condition, Laundry facilities are carp, the pool filtration sux, they don't enforce rules, they don't clean up sites (found a condom and other******at fire ring last time here), staffing has been cut - I could go on. Then they come to our house and try and get us to hand over $8,000 for additional benefits?

Instead of improving the place, they just continue to cut whatever they can. Our friends visiting as a guest here expected to be able to take their son down to the clubhouse and use the wifi while supervising him. Some casual users of this CG don't want to get mifi or subscribe to a wifi service.

Also wondering if this is an isolated case or maybe the way other CGs will go.

[Redterpos3]

darsben wrote:

coolmom42 wrote:
UGGGHHHHHH timeshares. They are the biggest racket known to humankind.

Your only recourse is to look at terms of your contract/sale and see what is listed as included. If you can find a loophole to get out of it, I would be doing it.

They can pretty much do what they want.

Third biggest

What are the other two?

[sh410]

Could you give an example of what percentage a campground makes from Tango or similar ISP?

[down_home]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

down home wrote:
We encountered one of these Outfits at three campgrounds in Southwest three years ago.Very high cost and service was not great.
It is just another way for Campground to make money. You are captive while you are there unless you have MIFI or something.
Most, of the money goes as commission to campground.
Some ,of the camp grounds did not have Verizon service, in area, if we had had MIFI.
Remember when water was free?
Communities and Cities are now fighting to bee able to provide WIFI Internet and this segment, of the business among others, is fighting tooth and nail to stop it.
this kind of greedy attitude ends up biting them in the logn run.

When has water ever been free? If a community wants to provide free wifi, where can you cite an example where any local campground fought it? That would be the greatest thing to ever happen to my business. I would tear down all my wifi infrastructure and tell any and all disgruntled wifi users to contact the mayor.

Not campgrounds but outfits like Tango. But I imagine some campgrounds, who make a large percentage on these deals might have input if in theirr area too.

[Pogoil]

As most people have phones these days with their own plans 1 GB to unlimited. Campground WIFI will become a thing of the past as it has been the biggest pain in the --- for campground owners. Too many people just abuse it streaming everything and make it slow for all.

Cable is also becoming a thing of the past.

Pogoil.

[Dog_Folks]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
When has water ever been free?

Naples Florida. 1962-1969

Had to fetch it yourself at the water company spigot though.

I guess I stand corrected. Couldn't have been much of a "company" if all it did was give away free water.

Of course that is not "all they did." At that time they supplied water to the greater Naples area, but us folks "out in the boonies" (10 miles away) did not have the "city" water.

Naples is an area of "sulfur water" that stinks,stains and tastes terrible, but the water companies water was sweet.

Was a pain getting it but we used it for drinking water.

But I guess all good things come to a end.

[westernrvparkow]

Dog Folks wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
When has water ever been free?

Naples Florida. 1962-1969

Had to fetch it yourself at the water company spigot though.

I guess I stand corrected. Couldn't have been much of a "company" if all it did was give away free water.

[Dog_Folks]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
When has water ever been free?

Naples Florida. 1962-1969

Had to fetch it yourself at the water company spigot though.

[RandACampin]

myredracer wrote:
I suppose this is a bit of a rant. Apologies for being wordy.

We paid thousands of $$ to get a membership in KM Resorts in Wa. Home park is Beachwood in Blaine, Wa. and out of a total season's worth of camping, spend over half our time there (so far anyway). It's one of 12 or so CGs they have in Wa. and Or. and is the busiest one by far (300+ sites). Almost impossible to get into during the summer because they have oversold it so much ('nuther story tho.) Wifi was one of the features that they had when we bought in several years ago. They can't be suffering from income at Beachwood so why cut wifi service? They could have upgraded it but no, they just cut it off instead.

Like many other CGs, the wifi service was pretty bad. Once people logged on in the morning, esp. kids in the summer, the wifi was slower than snail snot and dropped out frequently. We eventually upgraded to Verizon mifi and that has been great plus we can use it anywhere we go.

So we got here a few days ago and some friends are here with us. They wanted to use the CG wifi. I called the CG office to find out how to use the wifi (has been so long have forgotten how). It turns out they no longer provide free wifi and you have to subscribe to a wifi service called Echo Wifi. Never heard of it and google seems to show it as an Amazon.com thing. No idea how much it costs to get set up with it or how much the on-going costs are. There are many casual internet users here that just want to occasionally check their email or look up something and don't want to bother or pay for an outside wifi service, especially if they don't come here a lot.

Is this the way of the future for other CGs out there too? Is KM Resorts so cheap or suffering financially enough to no longer offer free wifi? I'd have to go look at the fine print in our contract to see if wifi was listed. Heck, you can get free wifi and just about any coffee shop these days as well as lots of other places. Can't cost that much to set up wifi for customers??

KM Resorts actually came to our house about a year ago and tried to get around $8K from us to upgrade our membership to some super-deluxe platinum plus level package. It really didn't include anything that was of real value compared to what we're already getting and were just trying to suck more $$ from us. For all the $$ they've already gotten from us and all the $$ they're getting from everyone else here, they never do any upgrading here and the whole park is pretty tired looking and some things are in need of repair and it's like they are doing subsistence level maintenance. Some pedestals have not been working for months for ex. Thousand Trails CGs are in better shape in comparison and their CGs are relatively old and all you have to pay is their annual dues of $545 and they have free wifi.

Your ranting about something you never use? :h

[westernrvparkow]

down home wrote:
We encountered one of these Outfits at three campgrounds in Southwest three years ago.Very high cost and service was not great.
It is just another way for Campground to make money. You are captive while you are there unless you have MIFI or something.
Most, of the money goes as commission to campground.
Some ,of the camp grounds did not have Verizon service, in area, if we had had MIFI.
Remember when water was free?
Communities and Cities are now fighting to bee able to provide WIFI Internet and this segment, of the business among others, is fighting tooth and nail to stop it.
this kind of greedy attitude ends up biting them in the logn run.

When has water ever been free? If a community wants to provide free wifi, where can you cite an example where any local campground fought it? That would be the greatest thing to ever happen to my business. I would tear down all my wifi infrastructure and tell any and all disgruntled wifi users to contact the mayor.