In this series, we have looked at the evolution of wireless technology and compared the methods that are used for wireless access to the Internet. We have also discussed the applications of this technology for travelers in the hospitality and airport environments, and how hoteliers can leverage wireless Internet to enhance the guest experience. 

To recap:

Wireless local area networks are being widely implemented in many venues from hotels and airports to retail, manufacturing and corporate environments. 

High-speed, affordable wireless network cards that fit into standard laptops are now available from a variety of vendors for about $150 to $250. These wireless Ethernet (802.11b) network cards deliver performance up to 200 times faster than cellular modems, enabling users to easily download large files and email attachments and to view Web graphics.

Wireless Internet access has a host of applications in the hospitality environment, allowing guests to stay connected in the lobby, meeting and conference rooms, restaurants, and even by the pool. The service enhances your hotel�s appeal to meeting planners because it supports Internet-enabled meetings and makes it easy for attendees to stay in touch with their email and the office.

By promoting this amenity effectively to their guests, hotels can achieve competitive differentiation, increase usage of the service and establish an image as a leading-edge property. 

Test Drive Fast Wireless Internet at HITEC

If you would like to see wireless Internet access in action, be sure to stop by Wayport�s booth (#1411) at HITEC in Dallas next week. We�ll have experts on hand to answer your questions about wireless Internet in hotels, and we will also be giving away a Sony Vaio laptop with a wireless network card. Don�t miss your chance to join the wireless revolution! 
 

Marketing Wireless Internet to Your Guests
Promotion of this amenity is key to increasing usage and revenues

Deploying high-speed wireless Internet access puts you at the forefront of technology-enabled hotels and provides an additional source of revenues. But, how do you ensure that your guests are aware of the service and its benefits? Marketing and education are as important as the technology to the success of your Internet service. 

There are two key elements in promoting high-speed Internet access: 

• marketing the service to your guests, and 
• training your staff to communicate the service�s features and benefits.

A comprehensive high-speed marketing program includes all the traditional marketing elements, from public relations to direct mail. Your service provider should have resources to help you generate publicity, including press releases when a property goes live with the service. They may also offer templates for direct mail letters to your corporate and meeting planner prospects and suggested scripts for your reservations staff. Basic marketing materials will also include signs for the front desk and the public areas where the service is available, handouts for the front desk, and usage guides for the meeting rooms. 

The possibilities for marketing high-speed wireless Internet are endless. One of the more creative and effective tactics is to put a laptop on the registration desk to demonstrate the service. This stimulates conversation between the hotel personnel and the customer, and allows casual mention of the service provided at the hotel. Some hotels are even targeting travelers in airports by placing ads for high-speed Internet access on their airport shuttles and in airport information booths. 

No matter what methods you choose, remember that marketing is a critical factor in building usage of the wireless service at your property, increasing your revenue and building your image as a technology-friendly hotel.

Tune in tomorrow for the final installment of this series and a preview of Wayport�s plans for the upcoming HITEC show. 
 

Making the Connection: Fast Wireless Internet Arrives at the Airport

Yesterday we talked about the applications of high-speed wireless Internet access in the hospitality environment. Today, we look at the other side of the equation�fast Internet for travelers in airports.

Although travelers have been toting their laptops through airports for years, they seldom have been able to connect with the rest of the world. For example, say a traveler is on her way to an important customer meeting and needs to download a file in order to finish a presentation during the flight. With any luck, she might be able to hunt down a pay phone with a data port and then wait for an eternity for the file to download. Chances are, though, her flight will take off before she�s finished.

Enter the wireless LAN

Now, thanks to fast wireless Ethernet technology, that scenario has changed. Major airports such as DFW are installing fast (11Mbps), IEEE 802.11b standard-based wireless local area networks (LANs), connected to broadband Internet circuits. These networks allow travelers to access the Internet, email and corporate networks at 50 times the speed of a traditional modem and up to 200 times the speed of cellular-based services. The service can be deployed throughout all the gates and concourse areas, so travelers can connect from their seat at the gate, the snack bar or even the car rental area. Airlines can also make Internet access available in their club areas as an added benefit for their members.

Airports are using wireless Internet technology as a platform to enhance the passenger experience with location-specific online content. Passengers can access valuable information such as updated flight arrival and departure times and the locations of concessionaires in the airport. They can look up information on the city, find local hotels and attractions, and change travel reservations from anywhere in the terminal. With technology that can determine the user�s position in the airport, they can even map out the best route to their gate.

Why should hoteliers care?

The spread of standardized wireless technology into the airport environment is a boon for hoteliers who have chosen this solution because it increases the likelihood that their guests will be familiar with the technology and will look for it when they choose the hotel. In addition, guests will already have the standard wireless cards, which can be used to access any 802.11b network.

Tomorrow, we�ll look at how hoteliers can market the wireless Internet service to optimize brand differentiation and profits.
 

Wireless Internet Turns Hotels into High-Tech Havens

High-speed wireless networks can transform your entire hotel into an Internet-enabled zone. 

High-speed Internet access has become a key competitive advantage for hotels catering to technology-dependent travelers and corporate meeting planners. In addition to providing wired access in guestrooms and meeting rooms, many leading hoteliers are extending connectivity throughout the property�to the lobby, restaurants and even recreational areas�with high-speed wireless local area networks.

With fast wireless Internet access, guests can simply turn on their laptops and launch the browser to connect at 50 times traditional modem speed--without having to plug in any cables or dial up via a modem.  Applications for this fast connectivity abound in the hospitality environment. Envision a group of guests attending a business meeting, who could use fast wireless access to:

• Collaborate and share files with other meeting attendees
• Connect to their corporate network and remote colleagues
• Quickly download email�even with large attachments�during a break without going back to their rooms
• Log onto a conference registration website and check the event schedule
• Exchange messages with other attendees through an online bulletin board
• Stay connected while having a working lunch at the hotel restaurant 
• Even catch up on email while relaxing by the pool afterwards!

Wireless Internet at the Airport

Wireless Internet access is also spreading into the airport environment - -which is good news for hoteliers because more travelers will be familiar with the service and will look for it when they are booking a hotel. Tomorrow, we�ll take a look at the use of high-speed wireless Internet in airports.
 

Fast Wireless Internet Takes Off

As business travel has become a way of life in corporate America, the road has turned into an extension of the office for many workers. Road warriors need to stay connected to the office wherever they go�especially in the hotels and airports where they spend most of their time. Even leisure travelers increasingly are relying on Internet access to keep up with email, check news and stock prices, and get information on the area they are visiting. 

This dependence on the Internet has spawned a range of remote connectivity solutions, from cell phone access to wireless local area networks (LANs). As we discussed in last month�s series (May 22-May 26), wireless LAN technology offers the highest level of performance and capabilities features among these solutions. 

Wireless LANs in hotels and airports allow travelers to access the Internet, email and their corporate networks at up to 200 times the speed of cellular-based services, with no modems, cables or dial-up numbers. Now that low-cost, standardized wireless LAN cards are available, this technology is set to become a widespread phenomenon. Hoteliers who cater to the tech-savvy traveler are acting fast to introduce this amenity and gain an edge on the competition. 

From the hotel guest working by the pool, to the meeting planner who needs to provide Internet access for the upcoming corporate meeting, to the airline passenger who is trying to download a file before boarding the plane, virtually anyone can benefit from fast wireless connectivity. Over the coming week, we�ll take a look at the applications of wireless Internet in the hospitality and airport environments. We�ll also talk about how to market this amenity to your guests and maximize the revenue opportunities for the hotel.