Hotel Online  Special Report


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StayOnline Responds to Meetings Market Uptick
with On-Site Meetings HSIA Support
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Conference Services Division Rate of Adoption Strong

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ATLANTA � June 21, 2005 -- A welcome resurgence in the meetings market, after the Post 9/11 slumber, has led to increased demand for meetings and convention attendees to be able to instantly connect to the Internet, either while in meetings or during breaks.  The potential for revenue, both to the host property and the hosting organization, is enormous. By the year 2008, projected annual meeting room revenue for High-Speed Internet Access (HSIA) is over $1 billion.  (Source In-Stat/MDR, 2004)

StayOnline, the nation�s leading provider of High-Speed Internet solutions to the hospitality industry, has been ahead of the curve on providing complete meetings HSIA to its large portfolio of hotel and meetings facility clientele for several years.  To keep up with the increasing demand and to streamline the process for its customers, StayOnline created a Conference Services Division that is reporting significant growth since beginning in January.  From February 15 through March 15 alone, StayOnline handled 70 conference events for companies including Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and the American Heart Association.  In the last three months, the company has completed installations or gone under contract to do so for over half a million square feet of meeting space through North America.  Properties include: Westin Galleria, Dallas Hilton, Renaissance Dallas, Alexandria Mark Center, Hilton Gaithersburg, Doubletree DC, Doubletree Buckhead (Atlanta), Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza, Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Renaissance Chicago North Shore, and Omni Severin Indianapolis. 

Late last year, the company hired hospitality and technology industry expert Chuck Vollmer as it first National Director of Conference Services.  Vollmer brought over 12 years experience in the Technology and Hospitality industries to the position, along with a comprehensive understanding of the market through his success in developing, implementing, and supporting technology solutions in the hospitality industry.  Before joining StayOnline, Vollmer was the Founder and CEO of Media Miami Inc., a web-application development and internetworking consulting company, where he successfully developed web-based solutions for businesses as well as the design and implementation of wired and wireless solutions for the Hospitality and MDU condominium markets.  Prior to this, he worked as Regional IT Manager in the Miami area for Sonesta hotels where he was responsible for solution design, implementation, and support of all infrastructure and systems for both the Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort and the Sonesta Hotel & Suites Coconut Grove from the construction phase through grand opening of both properties.  Mr. Vollmer has also served successfully in roles as Network and Telecommunications Administrator for Ericsson Inc. and Network Engineer for the Cyntergy Corporation.

Vollmer and his team at StayOnline put together a new model for providing onsite Conference Services to hotel and meeting facility clients , putting a StayOnline representative permanently on site to handle needs in the same way the AV industry has supported larger hotels for years.

�In addition to ensuring that our representative is there to work with the clients before, during and after each event and to develop an in-house comfort level with the property�s convention services staff, our model also enables the property to fully control the revenue stream generated by sales of HSIA services,� said Vollmer. �We know that we are unique in this regard in that other providers set a fee which includes connections the user may not need and may or may not include on site support but which charges for it regardless.  Our solution and the revenue stream to the property is customized to each client and situation.�

Vollmer sites a recent installation which involved 200 connections over a wired and wireless network across four rooms of a hotel. �Had our customer paid �rack rates� for this, it would have been nearly impossible to generate revenue.  Instead, we worked with them to customize both the solution and the revenue stream. It was a win-win for everybody.�

To simplify and streamline the entire process for convention services staff members, StayOnline has also created a proprietary Conference Services Manager (CSM) tool.  The tool works hand-in-hand with StayOnline�s on-location support personnel and facility staff to create projections, revenue models, reports and checkpoints.

�Our Conference Services Division and our tailored products and handpicked personnel further show our commitment to being the premier HSIA provider for the hospitality industry,� said Antonio DiMilia, President and CEO of StayOnline.  �We have anticipated their trends and, as a result, are expecting half a million additional conference facility square footage to be added to our portfolio within the next two months.�
StayOnline has published a popular White Paper about its Conference Services model for HSIA.  TO download the white paper, go to www.stayonline.net/CSMwhitepaper.

About StayOnline®
StayOnline's wireless High-Speed Internet solution is installed in over 135,000 guest rooms in more than 800 hotels and resorts across North America. StayOnline is an approved or Preferred vendor for all major hotel brands.  For additional information on StayOnline, visit www.stayonline.net .
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Visit StayOnline at HITEC 2006, Minneapolis
Convention Center, June 20 � 22
Booth #1615

 
Contact:

Karin Koser
KPK & Co.
404.636.9311
[email protected]
or
Alaina Robertson
KPK & Co.
404-636-9311
[email protected]


Also See: StayOnline�s 2nd Annual Symposium Scores Broadband / June 2006
Second Wi-Fi Symposium to Focus on Bandwidth Needs / May 2006
StayOnline Debuts Customer Reporting System / March 2006
StayOnline Provides Proprietary Bandwidth Shaping Tool to Clients; New GuestPass DirectorSM is Next-Generation Firewall for HSIS / Feburary 2006
StayOnline Brings in the New Year with Major New Initiatives, Expanded Portfolio / January 2006
Tharaldson Communications Inc. Is StayOnline's First Premier Solutions Partner; Tharaldson to Provide StayOnline�s Managed Network Services to Current and Future Customers / January 2006
StayOnline Inks Exclusive Deal with Omni Hotels; Wireless HSIA Provider Adds Another Luxury Brand to its Footprint / January 2006
Windsor Capital Group Enlists StayOnline as Preferred Wireless Provider; StayOnline Continues to Dominate Hospitality Industry Niche / January 2006
Vacation Ownership Resorts Adding High Value Amenities and Infrastructure; StayOnline Completes Installation in Six Hilton Grand Vacation Club Properties / December 2005
StayOnline and Great Wolf Resorts - It's a Family Affair; Family Resorts Follow the Trend of Staying in Touch, Even on Vacation / October 2005
StayOnline Receives $15 Million from Technology Investment Capital Corp. / September 2005
StayOnline Tapped by Spectralink to Offer WI-FI Telephony to Hospitality Industry / August 2005
StayOnline Helps Bring Soldier  "Home" for Sister's Wedding; Technology Conduit for Reuniting Family Members / July 2005
Congress Hall Resort Hotel Blends History and High Tech with StayOnline / May 2005
StayOnline Strengthens Management Team with Three New Hires; Wireless Hospitality Professionals Parrish, Lewis and Watkins Join Company / April 2005
StayOnline Designs New Generation Wireless for San Francisco's Intercontinental Mark Hopkins / April 2005
StayOnline Shapes the Future of Hospitality WiFi with Industry Leaders; Wireless Solutions Company to Host Symposium on WiFi and Mobility Computing in Hospitality in April / March 2005
Hilton Grand Vacations Company Selects StayOnline for Wireless Expertise / March 2005
The Madison Pairs History with New Technology; DC Landmark Property Installs StayOnline's Wireless Solution / February 2005
Ely, Minnesota Resort Goes Wireless with StayOnline / November 2004
StayOnline Takes Emily Wireless; Fast-Moving Company Combines Technology with Tradition at the historic Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio / September 2004
StayOnline Takes Waikiki Wireless; Moves into Hawaii Resort with Largest 100% Wireless Coverage Install to Date / September 2004
Stranded Airline Passengers and Regular Guests Benefit from StayOnline's Wireless Solution in Dayton / August 2004
New Renaissance Las Vegas to Offer StayOnline's Wired and Wireless Network / August 2004
Highpointe Goes 100% Wireless with StayOnline / June 2004
StayOnline Announces New QuickResponseCoveragePlusSM Wireless HSIA Leader Sets Itself Apart with Innovative Repair Program / June 2004
StayOnline Offers Smooth Sailing/Surfing at Sailport Resort / June 2004
College Station Property Goes Fully Wireless; Lane Hospitality Taps StayOnline Again / June 2004
Mike Henderson Promoted at StayOnline, Inc. / May 2004
Wireless Joins Active Duty at Five CWB Properties; StayOnline Keeps Military Reservists and Other Guests Connected  to Home / May 2004
Chicago�s Historic InterContinental Hotel Goes Fully Wireless in Record Time; StayOnline Meets Hotel�s Challenge for Installation and Coverage / May 2004
StayOnline Helps Hilton Woodcliff Break New Ground; Hotel Noted as State�s Most Technologically Advanced Meeting Venue Adds Wireless Internet Access / May 2004
Amalfi Hotel Connects with StayOnline / May 2004
A Complete Set; Pineapple Management Services Signs with StayOnline to Install Wireless HSIA in Remainder of Properties / May 2004
StayOnline Connects Atlanta�s Historic Georgian Terrace Hotel; Complimentary Wireless Internet Service Now Available for Guests / May 2004
StayOnline Reports Explosive Growth in Usage of Broadband Wireless Service - Wireless User Take Rates Now Match Wired in Hospitality Setting / April 2004
Making the Connection Without Wires; Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre finds Positive + Connection with Wireless / February 2004
History Meets High Tech; Holiday Inn at Six Flags Brings High-speed Internet to 1800�s Building / March 2004

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