Wi-Fi checks into Holiday Inn

Wireless Internet access will soon be available in a handful of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels in south-east England.

Wi-Fi specialist Megabeam has signed a deal with BDL Hotels, the hospitality franchise company, which will see it install hot spots at various hotels including Holiday Inn London Heathrow, the Express at London Luton Airport, Holiday Inn Docklands and the Crowne Plaza, Marlow on Thames.

Most of the hot spots will be live by early in the new year.

BDL's finance director Stuart McCaffer said in a statement: "We have excellent meeting and conference facilities at each of our locations, however many blue chip global clients are now seeking this type of service."

Ryan Jarvis, chief executive, Megabeam, added: "Corporate travel policies will... favour hotels that provide employees with low and fixed-cost access to their email and internal company networks."

Megabeam's access packages range from two hours' access for 7.5 euros (approx £4.80), to annual subscriptions. It is also possible for travellers to buy daily, weekly and monthly subscriptions.

Megabeam already has hot spots in several European business centres, including London, Milan, Rome, Munich, Zurich and Amsterdam. The service will soon be extended to 12 major airports and 15 railway stations across the UK.

Click here for ZDNet UK's map of the current Wi-Fi hot spots across the UK.

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