How Montreal Coffee Shops Crack Down on Wifi Squatters

In "Montreal cafés, tired of moochers, start restricting laptop use," the Montreal Gazette takes a look at how some of the most popular coffee shops in the city cope with Wi-Fi squatters. The behind-the-paywall article profiles the likes of Arts Café, Café Névé, Café Olimpico, Café Plume, Campanelli, and Club Social and depicts the benefits of moderately tech-free coffee shop environments. So what can cafés do to limit Wi-Fi colonists?

Mile End landmark Café Olimpico, for one, covered every wall plug to limit customers to the life of their laptop battery. The one plug at Club Social down the street is at eye level and the café has areas where laptops are prohibited entirely. Computers are off-limits at Plateau's Café Névé on Saturday and Sunday to accommodate brunch crowds. Café Plume, another student-heavy spot, restricts laptop use to a window counter on weekends. At other cafés like Arts Café and Campanelli, Wi-Fi is not available at all. Go read the full Gazette article here.