I’m staying here in Austin for the TCEA conference at a local Holiday Inn, which advertises “free high-speed Internet access in all guest rooms.” The connection speed is so excruciatingly slow, I did a quick Internet Frog Speed Test. Here is the result:

"High Speed Internet Access" in the Austin Holiday Inn?

It is SERIOUSLY misleading to call this “high-speed Internet access.” This is slower than a 14.4 modem!!! I wonder if people are downloading videos and music files from P2P file sharing networks at the hotel, or if something else is going on. Quite frustrating! Thankfully I don’t have to work online much to get ready for tomorrow’s presentation. 🙂

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8 Responses to False advertising in high speed Internet access

  1. I am glad to say Candlewood Suites is running at 794kbps download and 89.2 upload. Can’t complain much here. I look forward to hearing you speak.

  2. Helen Mowers says:

    The techchicks are having the same slooooowww issues at the Marriott (across from the convention center)…we’re trying to upload files for a presentation tomorrow and it’s quit twice. our download speed is supposedly 538 kbps and upload is 134 kbps…but that can’t be true…I’m giving up for tonight and will just upload from the convention center tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you again!

  3. […] and take the test, then post the image of the results, like Wes did. […]

  4. […] and take the test, then post the image of the results, like Wes did. […]

  5. It’s blazing at Radisson, three blocks away (at 4:34 AM). I hope to make it to your presentation!

  6. Scott Elias says:

    Evidently the sudden increase in all the online activity in Austin is taxing the Internet backbone in that area.

    Except for David of course, but that’s what you get at the Marriott, I suppose…

    😉

  7. Otto says:

    I agree with Scott, with the advance of VOIP, YouTube and similar services, high speed internet is taking some beating. At least internet access gets more affordable now!

    T1 Lines

  8. […] It is apparent to me that many of our hotels in the U.S. are ill prepared to deal with the legions of clients who are now showing up for educational technology conferences with laptops in hand. Back in February, I was shocked to see that the “high speed connection” at my Holiday Inn hotel in Austin for the TCEA conference was consistently topping out SLOWER than a 14.4 modem. Yesterday at the SITE conference in San Antonio at the Riverwalk Crowne Plaza, I and other attendees repeatedly saw (and I saw again this morning) the following screen when we’ve tried to log into the COMMERCIALLY PROVIDED Internet access we’re each paying a daily fee to “use:” […]

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