Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that the Sheraton Waikiki recently completed an upgrade of its legacy network, enabling high-speed, carrier-grade bandwidth for delivery of advanced guest services using Alcatel-Lucent solutions. This upgraded network delivers state-of-the-art wired and wireless Internet access in the 1,636 rooms and suites over the existing copper wiring.
This same network makes it possible for the Sheraton Waikiki to offer guests high-definition IPTV and IP voice services while also supporting existing data networking requirements throughout the 7.9 acre facility.
“Our guests expect the same connectivity experience they have at home, and we are delivering that and much more. The typical guest now brings two or more mobile devices—smart phones, laptops, tablets—and wants a fast, reliable high-speed connections no matter where they are on property,” said Jeff Gionet, Director of Technology, Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Waikiki. “With the Alcatel-Lucent solution, we can give our guests access to their email, allow them to surf the internet or stream music and videos wherever they are in the hotel and we did it by taking advantage of the existing infrastructure investment.”
Black Box Network Services, an Alcatel-Lucent business partner, performed the installation and integration services, which required 3 weeks of on-site work. The solution integrates Alcatel-Lucent’s 7330 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) with the existing hotel CAT-3 network, and enables it to deliver advanced, IP-based services to each room. It also incorporates Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniSwitch 6400-24 Ethernet switches and the 7130 Cellpipe Gateway. The new network is capable of delivering speeds up to 70 Mbps for wired and up to 25 Mbps for Wi-Fi connections, significantly eclipsing the previous system’s capabilities. This deployment is the largest of its kind in the hospitality industry.
Commenting on the new high speed network, George Robertson, Branch Manager of Black Box Network Services said, “Black Box is excited to partner with Alcatel-Lucent to deliver an ultra high speed network that can enable triple play services and enhance the guest experience at the Sheraton Waikiki. Black Box sees the opportunity to help more customers like Sheraton Waikiki leverage this technology as the need to transform aging infrastructure into state of the art high speed networks continues to grow in demand.”
“In the hospitality industry, guest satisfaction is all that matters, and the Sheraton Waikiki exemplifies that. Hotel operators with existing facilities need to keep up with new hotel construction that integrates ultra-high-speed networks that broaden entertainment options, improve energy-control systems and make possible other advanced capabilities,” said Tom Burns, president of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise. “Alcatel-Lucent’s broad expertise can deliver a solution that allows hospitality companies to deliver a cost-effective, more eco-sustainable and easy-to-deploy alternative to copper replacement, turning their existing copper into communications gold.”
The Sheraton Waikiki is managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and is owned by Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, LP. Starwood is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.