Hotel Online  Special Report
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Industry Leaders Band Together to Form
"HDVODINABOX" Consortium
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�Best of breed� partners team to educate the hospitality industry on enhanced
alternatives available for providing High Definition in-room entertainment
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BOSTON, MA - (June 6, 2008) � With consumer purchases of HDTVs growing at an amazing rate, hotels are rushing to meet the demand caused by travelers seeking the same picture quality when they�re in their hotel room.  For years, however, hoteliers have been installing simple analog television sets and turning over in-room entertainment to a default incumbent provider so this new process of evaluating more advanced TVs and selecting the right service provider to make the most out of that investment can be somewhat daunting.  To help the industry in this regard and to make this evaluation and implementation process easier for the hotelier, a group of technology leaders have formed a new consortium, HDVODINABOX.  

The charter members of this group include KoolConnect Technologies, Superclick, Amino Communications, InfoValue, Hospitality Leasing Corporation and Verimatrix.  These companies first became associated via their contribution of their particular expertise to KoolConnect�s Intrigue HD Video on Demand solution.  Through that work, they realized that they share a commitment to the hospitality industry as well as a desire to inform hoteliers about the available options for advanced in-room entertainment and the futuristic new ways that they can interact with and serve their guests via the television.  To serve as a platform for the achievement of this goal, they formed HDVODINABOX and as one of their first collaborative initiatives, have begun a campaign to educate the industry on both the opportunities and misconceptions surrounding this new �must have� technology.

As the head of the company marketing the solution that encompasses the efforts of these individual partners, KoolConnect CEO Dave Tahan explained the significance of this alliance.  �In today�s complex technology environment, companies that attempt to directly develop all of the components of their solution are taking a big risk and putting their customers and guests in significant peril,� he said Dave Tahan.  �We recognize it�s virtually impossible to be proficient in every diverse area of a complex technology solution without sacrificing performance or settling for less than complete excellence.   That�s why KoolConnect is proud to be associated with �best of breed� technology experts in this alliance which allows each company to utilize each other�s specialists and perfect a solution that is becoming more and more affordable for most hotels.  And the great news for the industry is that this HD solution is available now.  We have a proven solution that we are installing today in hotels in many parts of the world.  The HD set-top box that the marketplace has been promised is here and working in the Amino 130H.  Utilizing the InfoValue IPTV video server technology with Verimatrix VCAS� content security, hotels can rely on a true HD experience and guests can enjoy the finest HD titles Hollywood has to offer.  Additionally, as high speed internet access has evolved over the past 10 years, no company has been more on the leading edge of internet technology than Superclick.  Their multi-homing solution and traffic shaping technology is allowing hotels to provide in-room wired and wireless solutions while keeping pace with demands of hotel guests requiring more and more bandwidth.�  

�While KoolConnect was the first to market with an HD solution,� Tahan added, �I am most proud of how the KoolConnect solution has evolved over the past decade with the help and leadership of these fine partners who are true experts in their area.  The result is that we�ve been able to provide hoteliers with a solution that is not only highly advanced, but is also easily installed and has been fully proven in some of the world�s most discriminating properties.� 

In speaking with the founding members of the consortium, many noted their desire to lend their expertise and familiarity with advanced technologies to help hoteliers to navigate through a challenging process that is often fraught with misinformation.  �Since I work in financial services and help hoteliers of all types to acquire a wide range of technologies, I�ve seen first-hand that many of them know that they have to install HD but are at a loss in regard to exactly how to do it,� said Peo Akesson, President & Founder of Hospitality Leasing Corporation.  �Mostly it�s due to the fact that they think that implementing HD is a complex process, or that they can�t install it over their existing infrastructure or that they don�t have any alternatives other than the same old service provider.  That couldn�t be further from the truth and we�ve even chosen our group�s name, HDVODINABOX, to help communicate that a better solution is available, that it can be installed in most properties without boiling the ocean and that it can even offer business models that provide more revenue for the hotel,� he added.

Each of the HDVODINABOX partners will be individually exhibiting at HITEC, June 16-19 in Austin, TX and have information about the consortium at their booths.  For more information, hoteliers and vendors interested in joining the group can visit www.hdvodinabox.com.

About HDVODINABOX
HDVODINABOX is a consortium of leading companies serving the hospitality industry who have banded together to promote HD technology and to educate and assist hoteliers on the implementation and capabilities of this �must have� service.  The founding members of HDVODINABOX are Amino Communications, Hospitality Leasing Corporation, InfoValue, KoolConnect, SuperClick and Verimatrix.  To learn about HDBVODINABOX, please visit www.hdvodinabox.com.  

About KoolConnect Technologies
KoolConnect Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced digital and HD media on demand solutions to luxury and upscale hotels worldwide. KoolConnect was the first company to offer HD VOD in the hospitality industry and today serves nearly 20,000 rooms in prestigious properties in the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai and the Caribbean. KoolConnect�s solutions are available in a variety of flexible business models including complete revenue share options.  To learn more about KoolConnect, visit www.koolconnect.com

About Superclick, Inc.
Superclick, Inc. is a leading provider of Internet Access Management Solutions to the hospitality, multi-tenant unit, education, and healthcare markets. Through its proprietary application SIMS (Superclick Internet Management Server), Superclick is dedicated to meeting the business needs of its customers by providing them with cost-effective, reliable and network-efficient internet access in both wired and wireless environments. The SIMS platform for the wired and wireless HSIA environment offers a more manageable and better overall service to guests.  Ask us about how we can better support your property with 24x7x365 support, or how you can leverage your network infrastructure to more effectively brand services and amenities, and even how to serve ads on your network.  Current clients include Intercontinental Hotels Group and all of its different banners such as Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Manderin Oriental, Four Seasons, Starwood Hotels, Marriott Hotels, and Fairmont Resort Hotels and many more suituated worldwide. 

About Amino Communications
Amino Communications (www.aminocom.com) supplies the AmiNET� series of set-top boxes, renowned for their low-cost and reliability. The AmiNET range materially reduces service operators' capital expenditure, whilst offering the full range of specification required; MPEG2 and MPEG4 encoding standards, standard and high definition TV, personal video recording and home networking. The high performance coupled with the innovative design of Amino's set-top boxes, have brought the series industry accolades and the company a leading position within the IPTV market.  The AmiNET series of IPTV set-top boxes has been used by more than 500 customers in commercial deployments and trials in over 50 countries worldwide. The set-top boxes have also been sampled by another additional 700 customers. Amino Communications'  principal customers are telecommunications, broadcast and hospitality service operators. Generally, AmiNET products are supplied with the IntAct� IPTV software stack pre-loaded.  Amino Communications is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amino Technologies plc. listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM, symbol AMO. Amino is based near Cambridge, UK, and has offices in Atlanta Georgia and Hong Kong.

About InfoValue 
Founded in 1994 and experts in providing comprehensive IPTV platforms and solutions, InfoValue is recognized for innovations and advances in IPTV technology that has set the pace in performance, scalability and intelligence. InfoValue delivers turnkey IPTV solutions for specific industries, including InfoValue SuiteTV for hospitality, InfoValue BizTV for training and communications, and InfoValue NextGenTV for residential. InfoValue's corporate headquarters is located at 4 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523. More information on InfoValue and its products and services is available at www.infovalue.com, via e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at (914) 345-5980. 

About Hospitality Leasing Corporation
Hospitality Leasing Corporation is the only full service leasing company focused entirely on the hospitality industry. Our thorough understanding of the hospitality sector, its equipment and its end users gives us the knowledge to provide our customers with "outside-the-box" creative solutions. Our unique knowledge of hospitality combined with our creativity, passion, and "financial intellectual capital" allows us to structure customer financing programs in harmony with our customer's revenue recognition requirements, sales objectives and end-user expectations.

About Verimatrix 
Verimatrix sets the standard for software-based content security and revenue enhancement technologies in pay-TV networks, with a global customer base of telecommunications providers.  The Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS�) offers a suite of next-generation technologies that has been independently-audited and ranked as the global leader in IPTV content protection.  VCAS was designed for two-way and hybrid networks to protect content and enhance revenue streams, while combating digital piracy wherever it occurs within the distribution chain.  The company�s content security experts maintain close relationships with the major studios and broadcasters to help address the challenges facing pay-TV networks of today, and those of tomorrow.  Verimatrix customers benefit with most favorable access to premium content, enabling the richest, most versatile viewing experience for their digital video subscribers.  For more information on why VCAS is the most widely deployed IPTV content security system with tier one operators, please visit www.verimatrix.com

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Contact:

Michael DiLeva
Experior Consulting
1-215-519-6447
 
Ilanna Walden
KoolConnect Technologies
1-416-597-9615
[email protected]
 

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Also See: KoolConnect Brings Interactive Video On-Demand Applications to Intrigue / April 2008
New York's Acclaimed Michelangelo Hotel Selects KoolConnect For Digital In-Room Entertainment; Property rated by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of the top 500 Greatest Hotels of the World brings next generation of entertainment to Manhattan / February 2007
Top Ten Gadgets On The Savvy Traveler's Christmas Wish List / December 2006
KoolConnect Launches New Era of Luxury Media Solutions at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong; Industry leading Intrigue� HDVOD solution adds new IPTV, PVR and Bang & Olfsen theater system integration features for hotel guests / November 2006
KoolConnect Appoints Leading Studio Expert Suzanne Rainey as Vice President of Content / October 2006
KoolConnect Appoints Award-Winning Entertainment Technology Executive Chet Smith as Chief Technical Officer / August 2006
KoolConnect Discloses Influx Of Significant Amounts of New Investment Capital / August 2006
KoolConnect Promotes Dave Tahan to C.O.O. ; Longtime Video on Demand and Studio Releations Expert's Position Elevated to Top Executive Role / August 2006
KoolConnect Reports �Huge� Interest in IPTV and PVR at HITEC 2006 / July 2006
KoolConnect Acquires VOD Operations of Entertainment Media & Telecom Corporation Ltd. / November 2005

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