Wi-Fi Guys Upgrades Technologies for Hotel Installations

Wi-Fi Guys LLC, which sells managed hotspots for hotels and public facilities through agents, now is installing T1s and network power controllers to ensure performance and reliability.

Wi-Fi Guys says it began installing network power controllers to address operational inconsistencies within hotels’ disparate high-speed Internet access networks. The technology also provides for remote management, which means each device within the hotel’s guest network can be rebooted remotely and separately, eliminating network downtime.

“One of the most frequent complaints we hear from hoteliers is that they constantly need to have front desk staff go into the back room and cycle the power on the [high-speed Internet access] system,” says Chris Swanson, vice president of operations for Wi-Fi Guys. “Oftentimes this needs to be done during the peak check-in hours when front desk staff cannot afford to be away from the counter. We have eliminated these types of occurrences within our own networks, and have begun assisting our competitors with the upgrades necessary to make their ... networks more reliable. This upgrade is significantly superior and more reliable when compared to traditional ... installations found in most hotels today.”

IP PBXs Eclipse Traditional PBXs

Research firm In-Stat is projecting IP PBX shipments will exceed those of traditional PBXs this year.

In its report, “IP PBXs: Emerging Into Dominance,” the company notes that while the total PBX market is forecast to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 6.6 percent through 2009, the traditional PBX is in rapid decline, and the IP PBX will continue to gain momentum throughout the forecast period.

In-Stat says IP PBXs are new vehicles for influencing corporate power structures and, ultimately, will have even more far-reaching effects on how business is done around the globe.

The firm also found increased mobility within and beyond the workplace will be a significant factor in the next stage of IP PBX development. The company also says tying voice with presence and instant messaging is gaining a strong foothold, but adds the real changes will stem from adding more data and, ultimately, video to the mix of collaboration tools.

Between now and 2009, In-Stat predicts server-based IP PBX shipments will grow from 9.5 million lines to 28.1 million, at which point such systems will represent more than 91 percent of total PBX shipments.