By Matthew FitzGerald
The mobile revolution is continuing – some even say accelerating – and hotels continue to be on the front lines of the uprising. Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2010, hoteliers have had to get smarter when it comes to Wi-Fi. They must adopt the latest standards, new access point placement designs and embrace all available spectrums. They also often find themselves coping with more services such as streaming video and voice as well as wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Customer demands fueling the revolution only continue to grow, and a slow down is nowhere in sight.
Guests are increasingly working and playing everywhere and anywhere on the go, displaying a clear need to be constantly connected. Whether it is beach front resorts, casinos or metropolitan conference hotels, guests demand the ability to connect 24/7. Being “online” has become second nature and more often means using Wi-Fi because it offers economically friendly access to email, voice, text, mobile applications and social media. According to the Atmosphere Research Group, travelers carry with them an average of three devices that access Wi-Fi, some of which do not even have a data plan and must access Wi-Fi to function.
Now taking reservations for Wi-Fi
Just installing Wi-Fi is no longer enough. Guest expectations are being driven by their home experience and ability to gain access in coffee shops, airports, shopping malls and city centers. Hotels have to provide professional Wi-Fi that not only provides high performance, but can handle the density of multiple devices and offer ease of operation that guests have come to anticipate.
Best practices for hotel Wi-Fi have changed over the years to cope with all of these changes. At the core is the Wi-Fi standard, which has changed every three to four years; however, the biggest impact on hotels has been the coming of age of 5GHz Wi-Fi in conjunction with 2.4GHz. Hotels have had to redesign access point (AP) placement, add APs and bring them closer to clients to adjust for the lower propagation of the 5GHz signal. The good news is once a hotel designs to 5GHz it becomes easier to upgrade the end points versus a total redesign.
For instance, most hotel brands have moved to a -65 dBm signal in 5GHz Wi-Fi throughout the guest, public and conference room areas. The Sheraton Gateway LAX, a 15-floor, 800+ room luxury hotel in Los Angeles, realized Wi-Fi was a necessity when more and more business travelers equipped with Wi-Fi enabled devices demanded it. They have adopted best practices and have seen customer satisfaction improve.
Think Wi-Fi is just for surfing? Think again.
Wi-Fi in any hotel should provide high-speed internet service (HISA) in addition toservices critical to hotel operations. Just think, hotel staff can access Wi-Fi via mobile devices to use reservation and administration mobile apps from anywhere on the hotel’s property. Wireless point of sale (PoS) systems can allow staff to take orders for food and other amenities at the pool or other facilities. Wireless voice communications between hotel employees can help keep everything running smoothly and handheld devices can be used to check-in vehicles at valet.
The IP and networking infrastructure, including Wi-Fi, is critical to technological advances that are coming to hotels. Along with guest and staff access, devices used in in-room automation (IoT), IPTV, IPVoIP, and exciting new services rely on switch and AP networking. Some hotels are experimenting with virtual reality, equipping rooms with Google Cardboard to let guests take virtual tours of the facilities. A top performing network and Wi-Fi system is only becoming more important and can be an asset to any hotel property.
In fact, Kimpton Hotels, one of the largest boutique hotel companies in the United States, recently dealt with the challenge of delivering reliable HSIA over Wi-Fi so that guests could enjoy high-definition (HD) video on demand (VOD) services on the in-room televisions.
When a mint isn’t enough
It’s clear that hotels are becoming more an extension of the home, especially for those guests who travel on a weekly or monthly basis. A clean bed and mint on the pillow are no longer enough. To compete, hoteliers are finding new ways of going above and beyond, whether it is shorter check-in times, additional in-room amenities or personalized promotions. Sure, not all hotels can afford to offer an unlimited amount of amenities, so it is key that they provide what all travelers are looking for. And this is food, shelter, electricity and reliable Wi-Fi.
When people are on the go, they carry multiple devices: a phone, tablet and laptop to name a few. And they expect to connect seamlessly, especially when not at home. Hotels who provide wireless connectivity that delivers reliable service will ultimately be the place where guests choose to say goodnight.
