The past 12-18 months have seen a welcome "explosion" in more RV parks recognizing and providing for RVers' needs for modem access. Our own extensive RV travels indicate to us that "modem friendly" parks are at welcome long last not the rare exception. In fact, in our experience most of the higher rated parks are now providing ways for RVers to stay online while staying on the road.
Just as this trend is taking off, the RVer's need for modem access has not surprisingly caught the attention of folks who see our need for online services a new way to make a buck! It seems an enterprising former RVer has found a new way to turn "modem friendly" into something that, in its best light, could only be described as "modem access $$$". Net.connect is now attempting to lure some of the same parks which are now providing us with free modem access to "buy into" their new product -- a slick little box through which you can just swipe your credit card and use their product for ten cents per minute.
When we discovered that this new enterprise was discussing their service with the California Travel Parks Association, we promptly notified the CTPA that we do not consider modem-access-for-a-fee to be modem "friendly". We also question the prudence of any association of park owners being perceived as encouraging, supporting, or favoring the replacement of "modem friendly" with a new fee-based "modem access $$$" scheme. Most of our readers have indicated they do not look favorably upon parks that provide showers only when you put quarters into a box. And we strongly suspect most of our readers would look with equal disfavor on parks which support outsiders making a fee by extracting a dime-a-minute for modem access.
While a selling point of the service seems to be to make modem access available for the benefit of RVers, it's our suspicion that many of the parks being targeted are already offering free modem access. To that extent, this is simply offering RV parks a new way to exact fees from their RV guests, while providing a new source of profits to an outside third party not heretofore identified with the RV industry.
We think all responsible RV park owners see providing modem access for RVers as being the equivalent of furnishing water, electricity, cable TV, and showers. However, the "message" going out to RV park owners is likely to portray this latest nickel and dime scheme as a way to "help them", and to "help RVers". Let's not be mislead by any of this. The reasons for offering to replace free access with credit card access is so a completely unrelated third party can make a profit. We don't quibble with their right to pursue their venture. But we trust they will also not be offended by our efforts to expose what they're doing -- and what we see as the likely adverse consequences to park owners (and organizations of same) which would turn "modem friendly" into a scheme of "modem access $$$". We would encourage all our readers to make sure the parks that you enjoy fully understand the implications of this attempt to exact the last penny from RVers.
We are pleased to report receipt of a copy of a note from one responsibile park owner in response to a Net.connect solicitation, telling them that they already provide modem access for their RV guests, and are not inclined "...to extract every nickel and dime out of the guest.". We think this and like minded RV parks will deserve our special support when we book future reservations. Our readers will want to know who they are, and we'll accommodate.
THE DISCUSSION
Fortunately, this is an editorial in which both sides can tell their own story. Net.connect contacted us by email, as they knew we were not happy with their attempt to turn modem friendly into a personal profit center for them. In their email they have stated their "case" in favor of their product. We encourage you to read and evaluate it. We have responded to that same letter, paragraph by paragraph, and we will leave it to you, our readers, to determine for yourselves what your position on this important matter will be.
A copy of the email dialogue is reprinted below, and we have reproduced the net.connect comments in italics:
First I'd like to compliment you on the professional tone of your note to us. We obviously have a different perspective on the matters you've raised, and you certainly deserve to know what our view of those differences are.
I would like to begin by saying that I am not unfamiliar with the RV community. I lived, worked and traveled in my RV from Oct, 1996 through January, 1998. My wife and I logged over 17,000 miles traveling the perimeter of the United States and much of Canada. Our lodging was divided between State and National Parks as well as private RV Parks. Wherever we stayed I would ask to hookup my computer. The entire time we were traveling, I was unable to find even a single Park that offered access of any kind. I would have been happy to pay a fee to connect.
You indicate that on your RV travels, which ended in January 1998, you found not a single RV park which offered modem access. I'm sure you're aware that in the last 2 years RV parks have changed dramatically in their recognition of the needs of online RVers, and in their willingness to provide for them. Indeed, at this point it is the exception for better parks NOT to offer free modem access. This was not the case when you were enjoying the RV lifestyle.
Many Parks respond by allowing the user to share an office line. As demand increases, some Parks install dedicated lines and areas for computer users. Almost always the lines are "Local Calls Only". The Park bears the cost of these improvements, not only to provide an amenity to their computer patrons, but also to avoid disruptions to their office and staff. Besides, there have been few other viable options available to them.
Given these observations, I'm assuming you're aware that many parks are in fact now modem friendly. Since that phrase was first used in the editorial which started this website, we still have a bit of a proprietary feeling about what the term connotes. To us it means the park provides some reasonable means of modem access which is simply an amenity included within the rate structure. Not charging a separate fee is what makes it "friendly". Where a fee is involved, we consider that "modem access $$$", much in the same vein as coin operated showers at an RV park. Increasingly the better parks are viewing modem access as among the services they want to provide to attract and retain RV guests, and they are doing so in creative new ways.
We are concerned that you have the wrong impression of our company and what we are trying to accomplish with our product.
We originally intended our product for airports, but we are getting a terrific response from the RV community. The concept of net.connect is to provide exactly what you have been asking for on your website - that is - MORE & BETTER modem access for portable computer users. It is our belief that we have developed a dedicated Internet access product that benefits everyone - the computer user, the non-computer user in the Park and the Park itself.
With due regard for your listing of the parties that benefit from the services you offer, you've omitted what we consider the primary beneficiary -- which is you. It would strain credibility to think that your enterprise is doing this for altruistic reasons. You're obviously motivated by the profit you see by charging RVers for the same modem access they're in many cases now enjoying for free. And, by the way, we do NOT intend to suggest that's "evil". It's creative, enterprising, and entrepenurial. You've astutely seen a source of personal profit, and you're pursuing it as you have every right to. That's free enterprise as it's intended to be. Just as fair comment and free speech are available to us to protect from erosion the very substantial progress that's been made in the past couple of years in persuading RV parks to become truly "modem friendly". You are correct, we have long favored what is now a substantial movement towards modem FRIENDLY RV parks -- but we have also consistently opposed the concept of "modem access $$$".
We are currently experimenting with different rates and are finding that most users don't really object to paying a reasonable fee for our service. On the contrary, we have gotten many compliments from people pleased that someone is attempting to provide them with modem access! Especially from those users that don't have a local ISP or 800 number.
With due respect, it's difficult for us to comprehend why RVers would be complimenting you on replacing free modem access with "modem access $$$", such as you've done at one outstanding RV resort in California. We were personally disappointed to learn about your replacement of the excellent (and free) service they previously had with your "ten cents per minute" product. Yet we had no choice but to remove this park from our listing of modem "friendly" parks, and to remove it as well from our listing of "top pick" RV park recommendations to our readers. And we will have no choice to to do the same for any other park which enjoys the substantial referral business it receives (also for free) from our site, since the overwhelming majority of our readers like neither coin showers nor pay per minute modem access.
Many of the smaller RV Parks, as well as other locations such as coffee shops, fast food restaurants, highway rest-stops, State and National Parks and small hotels, do not now offer modem access and probably never will if they are going to have to pay the costs involved with providing a "modem friendly" experience.
That's an interesting point, but it seems completely obscured by the fact you've chosen for your trial a large, upscale RV resort which previously offered modem friendly services. And the reason is obvious -- this is where the volume of modem traffic will provide you with the best potential for profit. The small RV park which does not attract laptop owners does not justify your attention because it will not provide a return for you, the small park owner, or anyone else. By the way, our opposition of your product in RV parks in no way suggests that we oppose them in other commercial establishments. We think they're entirely appropriate for airports, bus stations, fast food restaurants, and the like -- and in this endeavor, we wish you well. Our objection is narrowly focused on avoiding your "modem access $$$" product in RV parks.
Is it better to have a park with "FREE" modem access or a park that is "FREE" of modem access? - because, in many instances, if it needs to be free the latter will be the unfortunate case.
In our opinion, David, the majority of the better parks are already providing free modem access. And the trend is rapidly moving further in that direction. We see your intrusion into this process as counterproductive. The small revenues your target parks will gain will be overwhelming offset by the loss of existing and prospective customers. These RVers will vote with their wheels, and point them in the direction of parks which offer a true modem friendly service. If owner organizations are seen as participants in encouraging or promoting "modem access $$$", contrary to the clear direction RV parks are now taking in establishing modem friendly facilities for RVers, the emblem of any such organization will not be viewed kindly by RVers. And we would have to agree.
I trust our comments above are taken in the context in which they are intended. We have complete respect for your right to seek a profit from that which is currently being offered for free. We trust that you understand our position is one of recognizing and representing the interests of our growing readership. We think their opinion deserves to be heard and considered too. For that reason this is an issue which we intend to pursue both strongly and persistently.
All of the above notwithstanding, we are persuaded there are some instances in which your product might interact positively with an existing modem friendly environment. But as it is presently being presented, which is essentially replacing free modem access with "modem access $$$", we must respectfully stand in opposition.
Thank you for your most professional letter to us on this subject, and we hope we've been able to respond in kind.
Very truly yours,
Tom Gonser, Publisher
RVers Online
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