Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Internet Connectivity in Scotland?

Search

Internet Connectivity in Scotland?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 8th, 2006 | 05:19 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Internet Connectivity in Scotland?

I'll be in Scotland for two weeks in the beginning of October and I'll have my laptop with me.

I don't expect the hotels to have high-speed access in-room like we do here, but I have been able in the past in other countries using my modem and dial-up. I just needed the phone adaptor plug for the country in question.

Anyone have any experience with this issue in Scotland?
Gilthoniel is offline  
Old Sep 8th, 2006 | 05:57 PM
  #2  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
Have you contacted the hotels and asked if they have either high speed or wireless? Many have it available in public areas.

I'm 99% sure you won't need a phone adapter there (like you do in some places in Germany...)
celticdreams is offline  
Old Sep 8th, 2006 | 05:59 PM
  #3  
Community Builder
Conversation Starter
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 75,011
Likes: 50
Just about any hotel/B&B that has internet access (and many do) will say so on its website.

janisj is offline  
Old Sep 9th, 2006 | 01:06 AM
  #4  
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,056
Likes: 0
Blimey, Scotland isn't that backward you know. If you want a hotel room with broadband,or even wireless, you can find one.
nona1 is offline  
Old Sep 9th, 2006 | 01:12 AM
  #5  
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,057
Likes: 0
Scotland is suprisngly wired-up. It's a necessity for the more remote places. Plenty of wi-fi spots too.
audere_est_facere is offline  
Old Sep 11th, 2006 | 01:10 AM
  #6  
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
I would just call or email the hotels you're staying at and ask.

You will need a plug adapter though, as my phone plug in the UK isn't the same as one I used in the US. My UK one looks more like an ethernet plug.
unicornfl is offline  
Old Sep 11th, 2006 | 03:40 AM
  #7  
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 19,881
Likes: 0
Any decent hotel that deals with businessmen will have internet connectivity - however you may not like the prices
alanRow is offline  
Old Sep 11th, 2006 | 03:42 AM
  #8  
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,282
Likes: 0
Quite - I'm sure it would be cheaper to use an internet cafe than to dial up from your hotel.
caroline_edinburgh is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2006 | 09:57 AM
  #9  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Well, it depends where you are, but most places have ADSL- high speed broadband- and some will have wireless.

in any city you can expect both. Scotland had an ADSL network before many places that might seem much more "connected" because, as David said, it was seen as a necessity, and, in the main its installation was funded by the EU Area 1 and Area 5b Regional funds.

Where are you going to be? The information as to Broadband availability is online.
sheila is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2006 | 10:10 AM
  #10  
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 19,881
Likes: 0
< I don't expect the hotels to have high-speed access in-room like we do here, >

Humph
alanRow is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2006 | 02:31 PM
  #11  
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,056
Likes: 0
I know, how condescending can you get.
nona1 is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 01:24 AM
  #12  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 0
I don´t know about Scotland, but last night on TV news there was a bit about far north parts of Lapland (there, right next to the Arctic Sea, at the Russian border). The news was that there STILL are no wireless connections there. It was newsworthy.
elina is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 02:07 AM
  #13  
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,585
Likes: 0
Sheila, I imagine that the University of the Highlands and Islands will rely heavily on information technology and it will probably be highly sophisticated.
We stay in small Scottish hotels and nowadays there will be at least one room set aside for wireless access
MissPrism is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 02:26 AM
  #14  
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
I'm in a similar situation.

I'll be in Scotland for two weeks in the beginning of October and I'll have my hair dryer with me.

I don't expect the hotels to have electricity in-room like we do here, but I have been able in the past in other countries using the power in the hotel lobby. I just needed the power adaptor plug for the country in question.

Anyone have any experience with this issue in Scotland?

Eric_S is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 04:54 AM
  #15  
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,269
Likes: 0
>>I don't expect the hotels to have electricity in-room like we do here<<

You're surely not imagining you'll have to have a candle to light you to bed, are you? I think you can reasonably expect there to be, in the smallest B&B, at least one power socket, if only for the bedside light. It might not necessarily be particularly conveniently placed, but it will be there.

More importantly, it will be delivering power at 240v, so if you're bringing a 110v hairdryer you will need a transformer as well as a plug adapter, otherwise you will have some interesting results, including a dead hairdryer.
PatrickLondon is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 05:21 AM
  #16  
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,056
Likes: 0
Oh Patrick you've had a sense of humour failure today...
nona1 is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 05:57 AM
  #17  
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,269
Likes: 0
I'm practising to be a grumpy old man.
PatrickLondon is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 11:26 AM
  #18  
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 0
Don't expect a wax candle to light you to bed. A bit of mouldy twig or a stale fish-head will give quite a lot of light unless you can recruit a friendly glow-worm.
I expect that you can dry your hair over the peat fire. Just make sure that you don't block the hole in the roof where the smoke escapes.
Don't forget a few cleft sticks so that the natives can take messages for you.
Josser is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 12:04 PM
  #19  
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 19,881
Likes: 0
Remember Catweazle & his "electrickery"?
alanRow is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2006 | 12:38 PM
  #20  
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
Do I also need to bring my own drinking water?
Eric_S is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement -