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Contributed by JULIANA SHALLCROSS
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A TORRENT OF DEMAND FOR BANDWIDTH HAS HOTELS SCRAMBLING TO FIND SEAMLESS SOLUTIONS .
In a recent survey from Research + Data Insights , seven out of 10 hotel guests said in-room WiFi is more important than a hotel ’ s breakfast offerings , parking facilities , and even its location .
Guests are using more than one device to send emails , browse websites , watch movies and play games . Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu – not to mention convention attendees and employees hopping on – gobble up bandwidth , leading to slower Internet speeds and sometimes outages .
Citing reliable and fast Internet as a key to guest satisfaction , InterContinental Hotels Group developed the IHG Connect platform , which gives each hotel a dedicated Internet connection that “ can accommodate the increased demand and volume spikes for bandwidth ,” says Jeff Eckard , IHG ’ s Americas vice president of technology . The platform provides significantly more bandwidth , with room to grow , along with cloud-based WiFi technology . IHG offers free Internet access to members of its IHG Rewards Club program , but several of its brands including Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn , already offer free WiFi to all guests .
Eckard says IHG Connect can actually cost less than other bandwidth plans out there . “ By taking advantage of our scale , IHG is able to offer our owners IHG Connect at a lower cost than their current solution in many cases , thereby providing both owners and guests value while enabling a foundation we can build upon for years ,” he explains , adding that a “ significant percentage ” of IHG hotels in the U . S . will be live on IHG Connect by the end of the year .
HOTELS CAN OPT TO INSTALL PERSONAL NETWORKS IN GUESTROOMS THAT ARE SOLELY FOR STREAMING .
TRACKING USAGE At Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts , whose hotels provide complimentary WiFi , the luxury brand regularly reviews guest feedback and Internet usage statistics , says Scott Taber , senior vice president of rooms . Taber says the company looks beyond hospitality for bandwidth technology that could be applied or leveraged in the hotels . “ The ultimate goal is to find seamless , safe and reliable solutions that meet the evolving needs of our guests and enhance their experience while on the property ,” he says .
Hotels can opt to install personal networks in guestrooms that are solely for streaming . Enseo , an in-room entertainment platform used by several Marriott International brands , broadened its partnership with Netflix to offer the service to any hotel in any country where Netflix is available . Guests who use Enseo ’ s Netflix app can log in to their account via the room television and stream their favorite shows without throttling the hotel ’ s WiFi network since Enseo operates on a different network . Once they check out , their log-in information is automatically wiped from the TV .
In August , Starwood ’ s Aloft Hotels brand began piloting RoomCast powered by Chromecast , another “ over-the-top ” solution that allows guest to open streaming apps on their personal phone and play them on the in-room TV . Chromecast works with a hotel ’ s existing in-room TV and supports more than 1,000 apps . But for the heavy bandwidth users , a tiered option might still be the best solution for a hotel ’ s network , allowing guests to purchase the bandwidth they need at a high speed without slowing down the network for other guests .
Marriott , Hilton , Hyatt , Four Seasons and Omni Hotels all offer tiered bandwidth , at prices from US $ 9.95 to US $ 19.95 per day for faster speeds . Elite members of some loyalty programs get complimentary upgrades . At the Virgin Hotel Chicago , the flagship property for the fledgling Virgin Hotels brand , WiFi is free , up to about 50 mbps . “ It lines up with our ‘ No Nickel and Diming ’ philosophy ,” says Doug Carillo , vice president of sales and marketing .
October 2016 hotelsmag . com 53