High-speed net access installed at Hilton hotels

Hilton Hotels has completed a £2m installation of high-speed internet access in its 12,500 UK guest rooms.

The company started internet-enabling its 70 UK hotels in 2003, with specialist technology provider iBahn implementing wired access in all rooms.

BT Openzone has provided wireless broadband access in all public areas, such as hotel lobbies and conference rooms, and has managed the rollout.

Mark Selawry, senior vice president for productivity and sourcing at Hilton Hotels, says customer use has been higher than expected. He says guests use an average total of 700,000 minutes per month of wireless internet access, while between eight and nine per cent of guests that check in, access the internet from their rooms.

‘Take-up of internet access has been higher than we had originally modelled,’ he said.

‘More guests today have applications that require broadband internet access, ranging from using Skype for communicating with people to accessing music-on-demand to connecting to their corporate networks.’

Selawry says the new network infrastructure may also prove useful for other purposes.

‘We’re looking at IP-based CCTV technology and IP telephony as possible ideas for the future,’ he said.