San Diego � July 20, 1998 � ATCOM
Inc. today announced the release of version 2.0 of the IPORT�
Internet Access System, which provides public pay-per-use Internet connectivity
for  laptop-toting
business travelers. IPORT 2.0 improves upon previous versions� functionality
by offering a plug-and-play laptop connection, which does not require IPORT
user software. Instead, the business traveler simply plugs their laptop
into an IPORT jack, launches the browser and is immediately connected to
the Internet at high speed. IPORT version 2.0 will address over 95% of
the mobile laptop configurations and applications that are used by business
travelers.
Also included in IPORT Internet Access System version 2.0:
The IPORT system benefits Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cable companies, telephone companies and other service providers who previously had to manually configure the computer for Internet access. With IPORT 2.0, a hotel�s ISP can provide fast Internet access, Web-based interfaces for payment, a platform for metered Internet services and the remote management features found in the Windows NT and IPORT management systems. �IPORT utilizes the advanced features of the Microsoft BackOffice platform to provide the lowest total cost of ownership and investment value for the hospitality industry,� said Stan Julien, hospitality industry marketing manager for Microsoft Corporation. �Betting on the Microsoft Windows NT operating system will provide the highest value over time for any system owner and the most benefit for their customers.� The IPORT commercial trials were launched in March 1998 and currently include nearly 3,000 hotel rooms installed with the solution nationwide. Running on a Microsoft Windows NT Server and Microsoft SQL Server-based local area network at a hotel, the solution links Ethernet data ports in guest rooms and meeting rooms to the Internet over a T1 or other high-speed line, bypassing the hotel�s PBX. The system can be operated over any network that can carry IP-based traffic such as Ethernet, Cable Modems, or xDSL. A Web-based interface makes using IPORT an easy point-and-click process for guests, automating the connection, payment and disconnection process from start to finish. �The IPORT system provides a familiar and seamless Internet portal for the public Internet� said Tom Caldwell, vice president of marketing at ATCOM/INFO. �It will be important for business travelers who need to be efficient while on the road to look for a branded Internet access system they know and trust. We have witnessed business travelers return to a hotel because the IPORT system provides them with greater productivity and efficiency while on the road. Using a dial-up modem for remote access is now part of the Stone Age!� |