San Jose, Calif. — April 9, 2013 — Good News! Today's hoteliers are investing in technologies that drive revenue, enhance guest service, gain a competitive advantage, save costs and boost productivity, according to industry reports. The not-so-good news, is that these same hotel operators are overlooking guestroom telephones as a way to reach those investment goals. New advances in guestroom connectivity from Bittel Americas is giving guests what they want -- a place to charge mobile devices and listen to personal digital content -- while saving money for owners and simultaneously upgrading existing in-room technologies.
 
"Hoteliers need to be extremely wise when it comes to buying in-room electronics today," said Mitch Heinlein, Bittel Americas VP of Sales and Marketing. "Purchasing multiple standalone devices is not a smart investment. Instead, selecting a multi-feature device that saves hoteliers money and space on the nightstand while giving guests what they want -- a place to charge their mobile devices and a convenient way to listen to their personal content -- is the only way to future-proof the the in-room equipment investment and boost customer satisfaction and loyalty at the same time."

According to a recent Mashable report, 85 percent of the world's population has access to a mobile phone with voice and text capabilities. Four years from now, in 2017, the same amount of the global community will have access to high-speed 3G Internet through mobile phones, finds a new report from Ericsson. By 2017, there will be 9 billion mobile subscriptions. Half of the world's population will have a 4G connection, and there will be 3 billion smartphone subscriptions. To compare those numbers with today's figures, there are currently 6.5 billion mobile subscriptions held by 4.2 billion subscribers (many of whom have multiple subscriptions). At the end of 2011, there were 700 million smartphone subscriptions worldwide.

"With adoption of mobile device technology growing by leaps and bounds, it's no wonder that hotel guests consider access to the Internet to be the No. 1 challenge when traveling," Heinlein said. "Perhaps that's why hoteliers are putting their money towards increasing bandwidth (51.1%) and adding wireless Internet access (43.3%) in guestrooms (according to the 2013 Lodging Technology Study.) Hotel owners and operators are realizing that mobile broadband needs to increase in order to keep up with their guests' demands for increased data traffic.

"Bittel has studied this trend to understand the impact that mobile device dependency has on in-room equipment," he said. "What we found is that a variety of mobile devices needs to be supported in the guestroom. Whether it's a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer, today's travelers are sure to come with one or multiple forms of mobile technology in tow. This then puts pressure on the hotel to offer a way for them to connect it, charge it, play it and enjoy it. Without the connectivity and charging capability, the play will not commence and the stay will not be enjoyed. It's that simple."

Bittel makes it easy and affordable for hotels to meet the rising demand to connect, charge, play and enjoy travelers mobile devices through a full line of integrated guestroom solutions. By combining a phone, alarm clock, audio player, USB ports and iPod™ docking station, Bittel is making a dramatic impact on the hotel's bottom line and the hotel is making a great first impression on its guests.

"Bittel solutions serve as a powerful conduit for improving guest satisfaction," Heinlein said. "Convergence of multiple devices into one all-inclusive console is key to future-proofing a hotel's technology investment. Whether guests want to listen to their music through high quality speakers or charge all their devices while using the TV as a monitor instead of their iPads or laptops, we have a solution that fits every need. Our full line of in-room equipment options easily supports travelers' mobile devices, makes the owners' investment more justifiable, and adds a deeper appreciation for the hotel on the part of the guest. Travelers are more likely to become loyal to a hotel or brand that they believe caters to their personal preferences -- and that includes supporting their mobile equipment whenever possible."
 
For more information on Bittel America's full line of in-room equipment options, visit www.bittelamericas.com.