A P P L I C A T I O N
N O T E
Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access
and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation
Hospitality Enterprises
Delivering advanced, integrated, triple play applications to improve
guest services and hotel operations
Abstract
In their quest for more efficient and cost-effective communications solutions hotel operators have
to work with multiple vendors and integrate multiple disparate point systems to create a unified
whole. But hoteliers don’t need nor want to spend time designing and maintaining an advanced
communications network. They want one company who can help them deal with the world of
communications technology, especially now that technologies are more complicated, intelligent,
and interactive. This document presents the Alcatel-Lucent approach to integrated telephony
services, high speed Internet access (HSIA), and enhanced video on demand (VoD) and Internet
Protocol Television (IPTV) for the hospitality industry for all infrastructures — Ethernet, coax,
Cat3, fiber. It shows how the Alcatel-Lucent one-stop shop approach improves a hotel’s communications infrastructure and supports a range of guest-centric communications and entertainment
services that will improve the guest experience and create new revenue opportunities with
significantly lower capital investment.
Table of contents
1
Improving the guest experience
2
Enabling next-generation hotel applications
3
Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution
4
Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution
6
Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution
8
Advanced, guest-centric services and applications
8
Converged telephony
10
High Speed Internet Access (wired and wireless) and IP Connectivity
10
Video on demand (VoD) and IPTV
12
Streamlined operations
12
Employee interaction and collaboration
12
Contact Center
13
Security
13
Partnering with Alcatel-Lucent
14
Built on industry-leading innovations
14
Backed by professional services
15
Eco-friendly, green communications
15
The concept at work: Hampshire Hotels & Resorts
17
Acronyms
17
References
Improving the guest experience
In the hospitality industry guest satisfaction is the key to business success. Everything hotel
operators do is designed to improve a guest’s experience to ensure that guest will want to return.
At the same time, hotel operators have to attract new guests and create new revenue opportunities
that go beyond just putting heads in beds. And of course, all this has to be done while optimizing
operations and lowering costs.
Today’s hotel operators know that one of the ways to improve guest experiences, create new
revenue opportunities, and optimize operations is with an integrated, converged communications
network that leverages advanced wired and wireless voice, high speed Internet access (HSIA),
video on demand (VoD), and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). But the process of designing,
deploying, and maintaining a converged network can be an arduous one. Hotel operators usually
have to deal with multiple suppliers for each piece of the communications puzzle. Since each
supplier can only provide a specific component or application, the end result is often a mismatch
of point solutions that cannot deliver the converged communications network, enhanced
applications, and advanced services that will address guest and operational requirements.
To get the most out of their communications network, hotel operators need a solution designed
from the ground up to connect people — guests, employees, and suppliers — with the network
in a way that brings the network, people, processes, and knowledge together as one. By designing
a new network, or enhancing an existing network to work as an integrated whole — an open
network based on industry standards that improve interoperability — hotel operators can create
a more dynamic communications environment for guests and employees. As a result, employees
will be more agile, mobile, knowledgeable, and efficient. Guests will receive market-differentiating
customer service. Interactions with third party suppliers will be improved. And the entire network
will be better positioned to leverage new communications products and applications as they emerge.
As a leader in fixed, mobile, and converged broadband access, carrier communications, and enterprise communications, Alcatel-Lucent offers the most integrated and complete communications
solutions designed specifically for the hospitality industry. These solutions address the end-to-end
communications needs of hoteliers at three levels: network, services, and application. They improve
a hotel’s communications infrastructure with next-generation products and services that can
support a range of guest-centric communications and entertainment services designed to improve
the guest experience and create new revenue opportunities. They also streamline operations by
enabling collaboration and more effective process management at all operational levels.
For example, with an Alcatel-Lucent communications solution, in-room service offerings can be
customized to suit a guest’s known preferences and offered in the guest’s preferred language. At the
same time, revenue-generating services, such as wireless HSIA and VoD, can be provided over the
same network. Likewise, operations can be improved and costs can be kept low by ensuring that
network provides integrated links for key hotel services, including reservations, check-in/checkout, room maintenance, housekeeping, and room service. This keeps employees connected with
each other and the systems, resources and tools they need anywhere and everywhere. And of course
all the different services and applications sharing this common infrastructure are kept separate
and secure from unauthorized access.
The Alcatel-Lucent one-stop-shop approach to hotel communications networks delivers secure,
always-on, converged communications customized to meet the specific and unique needs of individual
hotels or hotel chains and for all infrastructures — Ethernet, coax, Cat3, fiber. Most importantly,
Alcatel-Lucent solutions are built on standards-based technologies that work together as an
integrated whole, and can be easily integrated with any third party products and applications that
may already be in place. In this way, Alcatel-Lucent ensures hoteliers get the most from their
investment in an advanced communications network.
Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
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Whether for a new hotel or an existing infrastructure, Alcatel-Lucent puts every piece of the hotel
communications puzzle together in one converged, IP-based triple play network — voice, HSIA,
data, VoD and IPTV, entertainment, wireless. The result is a converged, integrated whole that is
more efficient, cost-effective, and easier to manage than multiple point solutions.
Enabling next-generation hotel applications
Guests of the next-generation hotel will have the world at their fingertips. In-room entertainment
and communications applications will be seamlessly integrated and customizable based on individual
guest preferences. Previously separate applications that control telephone calls, Internet access,
television entertainment, TV-based hotel services, and even room comfort will all be easily controlled
with a single interface. And the converged communications network that makes all this possible
will be flexible enough to allow future guest-centric applications to be easily integrated as guest
needs and preferences change.
With the world at their fingertips, guests will be able to select movie mode on a high definition
TV and settle in as the lights are dimmed and the blinds are drawn automatically. If the room gets
too hot or too cold, room temperature controls will be available on-screen. If the guest chooses to
log personal communication preferences into the network for information, communication, and
shopping, targeted, interactive advertising triggered by brands in the movie will flash on-screen
as the movie plays. Later, if the guest has to mix recreation with work, multi-screen options will
allow the guest to transfer the film to a small HD screen on the in-room IP phone, or transfer a
video conference from the IP phone to the HD television. And if the guest wants to order food,
make a restaurant reservation, access a directory of local business services, or book the next stay,
the movie can be paused and an on-screen menu will offer all the options.
To make this possible, the hotel’s telephony services, HSIA services, and TV services will be
converged over a single network — a triple play architecture — and connected to hotel logistics
and operations. This converged network will give guests immediate access to an unprecedented
level of control over communications and entertainment options. At the same time, it will give
hotels an unprecedented level of operations flexibility that will improve operations.
As a first step to this next-generation hotel, today’s hotel communications networks are being
transformed by IP-based communications. Many hotels are migrating to IP for their connections
to the public network, replacing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN) trunks. Within the hotel itself, IP connectivity is being used to
build a private network that supports voice and Internet/data services, connects multiple areas in
the hotel — and, if required, multiple sites — and integrates communications for all employees.
With an IP-based private network hotels can efficiently operate their own voice and Internet/data
services and dramatically reduce overall communication costs.
The foundation of the Alcatel-Lucent integrated solution for hospitality is a next-generation
IP network that leverages a hotel’s current communications and entertainment infrastructure to
provide customized, secure, low-latency, always on, and dynamic communication and entertainment
applications. This network is enabled by standards-based IP foundation products that give everyone —
guests and employees — access to voice, video, or Internet applications over any device, anywhere
and at any time.
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution
With these products, a customized network can be designed that leverages a hotel’s investment in
Ethernet technologies for operations and in-room guest services (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution for hospitality
For example, with the Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution configuration
shown in Figure 1, in-room applications are enabled by leveraging a hotel’s existing Ethernet lines
and enabling additional Ethernet ports, as required, to provide connections for a set-top-box,
television, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, such as the Alcatel-Lucent IP Touch™ 4068, in-room
temperature control systems, Internet access, and voice over Wi-Fi® with the Alcatel-Lucent IP
Touch 310 WLAN Handset.
These connections are aggregated into the Alcatel-Lucent OmniStack™ 6248 in the Intermediary
Distribution Facility (IDF). This high-performance, affordable Ethernet switch offers the advanced
IP deployment services, Quality of Service (QoS) and security required for voice, Internet/data,
and video applications. It provides the benefits of HSIA access, the cost-savings of converged
voice and data, and true plug-and-play connectivity for IP Touch sets, Wireless LAN (WLAN)
access points and other networking devices.
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The OmniStack 6248 is connected to the Main Distribution Facility (MDF) via Gigabit fiber or
Gigabit copper. Here, the core of the Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution
is enabled by the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch™ 9700 Chassis LAN Switch, which provides the
high availability, embedded security, distributed intelligence, easy-to-manage high performance,
and high throughput required for a hotel core network. It enables connectivity to the Internet
and manages traffic from other elements in the network, including voice services enabled by the
OmniPCX™ Enterprise Communication Server, and hotel data services, such as in-room guest
Internet and billing services.
The high switching capacity, high availability and performance of the OmniSwitch 9700 allow
it to support next-generation, multi-layer security with 802.1x, and wire-rate IPv4/IPv6 processing
for unicast and multicast applications, such as VoIP, VoD, IPTV, and video collaboration. When
hosting these mission critical applications over the network, the network elements must provide
constant stability with maximum performance and reliability. The OmniSwitch 9700 has the
resilience, reliability, and redundancy to provide a 99.999 percent uptime.
Finally, service assurance in this solution is enabled by the Alcatel-Lucent VitalSuite™ Performance
Management Software. This network management tool presents a single view of the network to
allow hotel IT teams to manage the network and the applications on it to ensure they are always
working the way they are supposed to. It provides real-time visibility of the network and simplifies
analysis and planning with drill-down reports for every organizational level. In addition, because it
is a very open management tool that was designed to interoperate with any type of device,
application, and solution, VitalSuite can also manage and report on non-Alcatel-Lucent network
elements, providing a holistic view of network and application health.
With this solution, which is ideal for new properties or IP-based retrofits, hotels get a simplified
network that bypasses any legacy systems, is built on the latest IP/Ethernet technologies, and can
deliver services with higher security and QoS. In addition, with a significantly reduced capital
investment, IP/Ethernet gives hotel operators more control and flexibility over the types of
services they want to provide in-room, and throughout the premises. By placing fiber and Cat 5
beyond the network and centralizing it, hotel operators do not have to worry about changing
wiring for a long period of time. New applications (guest facing or operational) can be easily
integrated as and when they become available.
For example, in-room IP phones can be combined with VoIP services, on-line reservation booking,
video conferencing, and social networking web site access that can enhance the guest experience.
While on the operations side, IP-enabled, smart mini-bar systems can send alerts when bar stock
is low. This capability can improve guest satisfaction and increase profits, and can also improve
housekeeping efficiency by ensuring housekeeping personnel know when the mini-bar has to be
restocked.
Finally, the integrated IP-based network also provides a universal view of all disparate networks in
the hotel, including voice, HSIA, video/IPTV, building systems (air conditioning, lighting, elevator),
reservations, IT, and concierge services. This not only helps improve guest service but also directly
impacts the bottom line with significant savings in ongoing monitoring and maintenance costs.
Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution
In the hospitality industry, not all hotels can opt for a Triple Play Services over Ethernet solution.
Many hotels are in historic or heritage buildings built many decades ago, so it is simply not possible
to change the existing wiring. In other places, it is simply hard to justify the significant expense of
rewiring and the potential revenue loss associated with shutting down the hotel to revamp all the
wiring. For hotels that want to leverage an existing coaxial cable infrastructure, Alcatel-Lucent
offers a Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution (Figure 2).
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
Figure 2. Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution for hospitality
With this solution, one in-room cable drop is connected to a coax/Ethernet bridge — the Home
Phoneline Networking Alliance (HPNA) dongle — and a data switch (Alcatel-Lucent OmniStack
6200 Series). The data switch has the Ethernet data ports required to support IP-based connections
for a set-top-box, television, VoIP phones, such as the Alcatel-Lucent IP Touch™ 4068, in-room
temperature control systems, HSIA, and voice over Wi-Fi® with the Alcatel-Lucent IP Touch 310.
The network elements in the IDF and MDF are the same as those in the Triple Play Services over
Ethernet solution. Therefore, functionality remains the same. In addition, the supported services
in guest rooms are the same as those supported by the all Ethernet solution. The only difference
between the two options is the physical media used to connect the guest room to the IDF or MDF.
By leveraging a coax infrastructure to deliver Triple Play Services over Ethernet, the hotelier’s
initial investment is reduced and advanced services can be easily delivered in-room.
For example, one of the most sought-after in-room services for most hotels is high definition
television. But many traditional hotel television offerings use standard definition quality
broadcasts and the infrastructure cannot support the higher bandwidth required for high definition
broadcasts. In-room IPTV service addresses this need, but requires a dedicated Ethernet drop that
Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
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provides good bandwidth, QoS, and reliability. However, many guest rooms in some hotels have
only one Ethernet drop per room, and in some cases no drop at all, while others are using older
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) solutions to provide one Ethernet drop for HSIA at very low speeds.
By leveraging IPTV over a coax infrastructure, the Alcatel-Lucent solution enables hoteliers to
offer high definition free-to-guest television broadcasts and high definition VoD content. The
Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution makes use of the existing coax
cabling to provide enough bandwidth, QoS, and reliability to support one or more televisions
providing high definition content, standard definition content, and enhanced guest services
through the television.
Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution
Alcatel-Lucent also offers hoteliers the option of adapting and customizing this architecture to
Cat 3 or shielded twisted pair cabled infrastructures with the use of DSL technology (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution for hospitality
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
With this solution Alcatel-Lucent reuses Cat 3 cabling that exists in every hotel around the world
— the same twisted pair copper cable that provides analog or digital dial tone to every guest room
telephone. The solution provides the necessary infrastructure to support an advanced network that
enables the delivery of enhanced services to improve guest satisfaction and hotel operations.
The Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution for hotels is built on the
Alcatel-Lucent Cellpipe 7130 Residential Gateway, which makes multiple ports of Ethernet
connectivity available in-room to support the delivery of IP-based services, such as HSIA, VoIP,
and IPTV. The gateway includes a WLAN access point that provides wireless access to guests and
staff using wireless phones, and any other device that uses 802.11b/g as a means of connectivity
and transport. A Cat 3 cable connects the Alcatel-Lucent Cellpipe 7130 to the IDF where the
connection terminates on the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM)
Remote Extension Module (REM).
The Alcatel-Lucent 7330 REM communicates with the main Alcatel-Lucent 7330 ISAM ARAM-D
over a gigabit fiber or gigabit copper connection to create a distributed DSL architecture. If the
Cat 3 cabling within the hotel is designed so that all Cat 3 runs from the guest rooms terminate in
the MDF, then the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 REM is not needed in each IDF. Only the Alcatel-Lucent
7330 ARAM-D is required to terminate all guest room Cat 3 cable runs. This flexibility ensures
that the Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution supports many
different Cat 3 installed architectures.
The Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution provides the necessary
transport and connectivity requirements to support multiple virtual networks, QoS, IP multicast
streams, and security to provide true Triple Play Services over Ethernet over an existing Cat 3
infrastructure. It supports DSL standards such as asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), ADSL2,
ADSL2+, Very high speed DSL (VDSL), and VDSL2. In addition, the Alcatel-Lucent 7330
ISAM uplinks to an Alcatel-Lucent or other vendor’s Ethernet switch/router through industry
standard Ethernet-based protocols, such as 802.1Q, 802.1x, 802.1p, Internet Group Management
Protocol (IGMP), and more.
Additional support for IP/Ethernet-based services, such as voice, Internet/data, video, and wireless
applications can be provided in the IDF by the Alcatel-Lucent OmniStack 6200 family of data
switches.
For example, the Alcatel-Lucent OmniStack 6200 can provide connectivity for wireless access
points deployed in hallways and common areas, public space IP Phones, and other Ethernet-based
devices. As in the Triple Play Services over Ethernet and Triple Play Services over Existing Coax
solutions, traffic from the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 ISAM and an Alcatel-Lucent OmniStack 6224 in
the IDF is delivered to the MDF over gigabit fiber or gigabit copper. However, in this case, traffic
is aggregated and managed by two elements, the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 ISAM ARAM-D and the
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch 6850 Stackable LAN Switch.
The Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch 6850 is a very powerful and robust stackable Layer 2 and Layer 3
data switch that is comparable to the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch 9700 Chassis LAN Switch. It
is a very cost-effective core switch/router solution where high port density is not needed and a
chassis based solution is not required. It can be stacked eight units high for increased port density
and redundancy.
The transparent connectivity between the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 and the Alcatel-Lucent
OmniSwitch 6850 makes it easier to create, support, and manage multiple networks that share
a common infrastructure. Guest access is confined to the guest networks, while IPTV, VoIP,
administrative, in-room, and every other system are secured in their respect networks, whether
they are traveling over Cat 3, Cat 5, or Cat 6.
Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
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With the use of the Alcatel-Lucent DSL solution to support a Cat 3 infrastructure and the
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch data products to support a Cat 5 or Cat 6 infrastructure, the other
elements in the MDF remain the same as those for the Triple Play Services over Ethernet and
Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solutions.
Like the Triple Play Services over Existing Coax solution, the Triple Play Services over Existing
Copper approach offers hoteliers an opportunity to significantly reduce the initial capital investment
by avoiding the significant expense associated with rewiring the entire hotel. It leverages existing
wired infrastructures to support the same next-generation, IP-based services, including high
definition television, and a variety of television-based, guest-centric comfort and convenience
applications. In addition, new applications can be easily integrated, as required.
Finally, the Triple Play Services over Existing Copper solution is built on the same carrier-grade
platforms being used in large carrier deployments. These platforms allow millions of subscribers
in the residential space worldwide to enjoy the benefits of HSIA and IPTV. And they make it
easy for hoteliers to move towards an all IP network at their own pace, while immediately taking
advantage of the latest IP-based applications.
Advanced, guest-centric services and applications
All three versions of the Alcatel-Lucent triple play architecture for hospitality can be easily
customized for a hotel’s unique requirements, and they can also be combined to create a custom
solution that supports multiple types of infrastructure. Regardless of the version of the solution
chosen and customized, hoteliers can easily add advanced, guest-centric services and applications,
as required, to meet all communications needs and create new revenue opportunities.
Converged telephony
All three versions of the dynamic IP network offer converged IP telephony with the Alcatel-Lucent
OmniPCX™ Enterprise Communication Server. This key building block of a dynamic IP network
offers the latest IP telephony and contact center functionality. It is designed with IP at the core,
allowing fully distributed IP solutions across data networks. Its unique media gateway architecture
supports traditional Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) or mixed IP-TDM configurations. The
ability to communicate over any network infrastructure allows hotels to deploy new technologies
at their own pace and to choose the right solution according to their unique communication
requirements and the return on investment (ROI) they need.
The OmniPCX Enterprise can operate in a hospitality mode that provides hotel-specific features
and functionalities not available in a non-hospitality specific system. Key features of the
hospitality mode include:
• Guest check-in: Assignment of name, voicemail, language, prepayment, type of occupancy,
VIP status
• Guest based features: Suite support with multiple phones, room move, rotating DID, group check-in
• Room status: Clean, available, out-of-service, needs service
• Billing: Internal call accounting with billing features or third party call accounting support
• Wake-up calls: Ability to create multiple wake-up call notices and manage them from the IP
Touch phone display or through voice prompts
The OmniPCX Enterprise can be a completely standalone system or it can interoperate seamlessly
with third party property management systems (PMS), call accounting systems, building control
systems, and many other external systems through the Alcatel-Lucent Hospitality Link (AHL)
communications interface.
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
By combining this powerful IP-based telephony server with Alcatel-Lucent IP Touch Phones,
hotels can offer advanced hospitality services with full interactive support for a variety of applications, including catering menus and real-time directory access. This can improve a guest’s experience
in-room, at an information desk, in a VIP lounge, and in public spaces, such as restaurants,
boutiques and retail outlets.
These phones leverage the power of the IP-based wired network to support Extensible Markup
Language (XML) applications that allow hotels to create new, customized services that improve
the guest experience.
For example, Alcatel-Lucent My IP Touch XML Services is an open interface that provides the
means for an application to interact with guests using IP Touch phones connected to an
OmniPCX system. Guests activate an application on the phone from the menu display and can
also access on-line help for applications. With this feature an in-room phone becomes a powerful
communications device by delivering a variety of new applications, such as:
• Door CAM: By installing a web camera at a guest room door and using the Door CAM XML
application on an IP Touch Phone, hotels can allow guests to see who is at their door at any
time of the day or night, thereby increasing guest security and peace of mind. The same XML
application can be used to view other web cameras positioned throughout the property or
remote properties.
• Skype: Guests can have Skype services enabled on their IP Touch phones. This allows guests to
log into their Skype account or a shared Skype account to make Skype-based VoIP calls, send
instant messages, or check their buddy list. Hoteliers can offer the service on a per guest basis
and charge appropriately, or offer it as a free service. Either way this type of service is particularly
important for international guests who want to avoid the roaming costs associated with mobile
phones. And it gives hoteliers the benefits of additional revenue and better guest satisfaction.
• Room service: The integrated screen, XML support, and IP-based configuration allow IP Touch
Phones to provide interactive room service. With this type of service the hotel chef can push
special room service choices directly to each phone and guests can order from the interactive
display. Menu items can be changed on the fly eliminating the need to reprint paper menus.
And hoteliers can use the phones to stream live bar cam or public area cam images into guest
rooms to entice guests to visit their bars, restaurants and other amenities.
• Preferred guest language: The OmniPCX Enterprise Communication Server offers immediate
access to eight different languages that can be used on the IP Touch display and for voice
prompts. Additional languages can be loaded onto the system if needed. With this feature, the
guest’s preferred language can be recorded at check-in and a note indicating this language is
displayed on staff phones whenever the room phone is called or the guest calls reception. The
language preference is communicated seamlessly from the PMS to the OmniPCX Enterprise.
• Wireless phone: Alcatel-Lucent also offers wireless IP Phone support. Using an 802.11a/b/g
WLAN infrastructure, Alcatel-Lucent offers Mobile IP Touch (MIPT) wireless telephones for
guest use. The MIPTs can be placed in guest rooms as a second, third, or even the only phone
for the guest to use. With an approved WLAN infrastructure, guests can even take their MIPT
telephone with them to roam throughout the property. This gives guests the flexibility to use
the wireless phone at the pool, at the bar, or just about anywhere there is adequate coverage.
The same MIPT telephones can also be used by hotel staff. The MIPTs incorporate a push-totalk functionality that can help the hotel discontinue use of land mobile radios and cellularbased push-to-talk phones that incur charges. With the use of the Alcatel-Lucent MIPTs, staff
can be dialed directly and even located using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
technology.
Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
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High Speed Internet Access (wired and wireless) and IP Connectivity
In the past, when only business travelers carried laptops or devices that needed Internet access
HSIA for guests was an option and, often, an afterthought when designing the hotel and the
network inside it. Today, many non-business travelers carry laptops and/or devices that are
enabled for Internet connectivity and guests expect a hotel to have some level of Internet access.
Therefore, HSIA is a requirement for every hotel, whether it is offered wired, wireless, or both.
Alcatel-Lucent offers an extensive line of products that enable a hotel to offer a very reliable HSIA
network with maximum performance, without the hotel paying exorbitant costs for the solution:
• OmniSwitch core data products: Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 data communication products
that come in stackable versions and chassis versions. Multiple models are available to support a
variety of applications, including 10/100 or 10/100/1000 with or without Power over Ethernet
(PoE).
• OmniStack edge data products: Advanced Layer 2 data communication products that come in
stackable versions. Multiple models are available to support a variety of applications, including
10/100 or 10/10/1000 with or without PoE.
• OmniAccess WLAN products: Advanced WLAN solutions based on 802.11 a/b/g/n standards
for interoperability with numerous clients. These products feature a centrally managed approach
where up to 2048 WLAN access points can be managed by a single chassis based controller.
This centralized management solution allows for ease of deployment, configuration, on-the-fly
changes, troubleshooting, and management for all levels of technical expertise.
• User-centric security framework: A security framework that combines Alcatel-Lucent security
products to address a variety of requirements, such as firewall and virtual private network
(VPN) services, host integrity check, network access control, intrusion detection, and
information protection and privacy of guest sensitive data. The user centric security framework
works with the OmniSwitch, OmniStack, and OmniAccess products to ensure seamless
interoperability.
Alcatel-Lucent HSIA products and solutions are designed to offer simplified interaction and ease
of deployment and management. The data and wireless products offer security and management
capabilities that allow the same physical network to support guest traffic and administration or
back of the house network traffic. Using a one-touch approach for equipment configuration and
setup, all network elements can be configured the first time to support multiple endpoints. The
Alcatel-Lucent data switches automatically recognize VoIP telephones, wireless access points,
mini-bars, in-room controls, guest HSIA, and other devices to assign them to the appropriate
network or Virtual LAN (VLAN). This allows all network device ports to be configured the same
way using dynamic VLAN assignment, and deployments and changes can be made easier and
faster. The dynamic capabilities of the Alcatel-Lucent network also allow for staff network devices
to share the same infrastructure as guest devices, and allow for separation of networks to ensure
secure connectivity.
Another benefit of the Alcatel-Lucent HSIA and IP connectivity solution is the ability to create
end user profiles throughout the wired and wireless infrastructure. This allows each user to be
classified and usage parameters for bandwidth, QoS, access rights, VLAN ID, roaming capabilities,
and more to be applied based on classification profiles. This allows for smart bandwidth utilization
of the internal network and access to the Internet.
Video on demand (VoD) and IPTV
In-room video and television services are one of the most visible and active areas of development
for hotel operators. By partnering with Alcatel-Lucent for a complete converged, IP-based network,
hotel operators can leverage market-leading VoD and IPTV services. These services will enhance
a guest’s experience and provide additional opportunities for new revenue.
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
Alcatel-Lucent state-of-the-art VoD service solutions provide entertainment content over an
IP network in digital, high definition and standard definition formats. The systems incorporate
features and applications that enable a hotel operator to provide guests with not only a truly
differentiated guest experience, but also a degree of valuable interactivity and digitized hotel
services that were previously unavailable.
Unlike other solutions that only offer cookie cutter options, these services can be fully customized
— from configuration to “look and feel” — to allow the hotel to extend its brand into the room
via the television. Working closely with hotel management, Alcatel-Lucent completely adapts the
system’s graphical user interface (GUI) to the brand and design preferences of the hotel, making it
a unique complement to the hotel and its other marketing and guest service efforts. The hotelier
can use the system to create and maintain the loyalty of different types of guests for each
individual property by catering to the unique needs of specific guests.
With this system, IPTV /IP VOD and even the phone can become an in-room extension of the
hotel brand. And hotels can digitally market revenue-generating services to guests in their room.
For example, hotels with video content highlighting services and amenities can offer this content
to guests on an on-demand basis, rather than relying on having these graphics only presented on a
traditional looping in-house channel where guests are unlikely to sit through an entire loop to
learn about the services and amenities that they might find appealing. By making this content
more direct and more convenient to view, guests are more likely to be influenced by the material
and thus, more likely to make an incremental amenity purchase. And by supporting a hotel’s
complete service offering, the Alcatel-Lucent system ensures that in-room video services do more
than just promote in-room movies, thereby providing a high ROI for the hotel.
Another key benefit of the Alcatel-Lucent system is that it is software-based. Traditional pay-perview (PPV) systems are predominantly hardware-based. Therefore they are not easy to upgrade
and are more prone to early obsolescence during the life of an in-room entertainment agreement.
Because they are software-based, Alcatel-Lucent solutions can be regularly updated with new
features and functions to keep the solution fresh without costly or cumbersome hardware upgrades.
The complete Alcatel-Lucent VoD IPTV system is designed to integrate easily and work
seamlessly over the Alcatel-Lucent IP-based network. It features:
• Video Server
• Media-on-demand platform and application licenses
• Application server
• In-room set-top-boxes (more than 5 percent of room count for replacement inventory)
• UPS and rack(s)
• Infrared keyboards
• Infrared remotes
• Optional: AUX panels to allow guests to connect laptops or personal media players and display
content from them on the TV, or connect iPod or MP3 players and listen music through the TV
Finally, to ensure hotel operators get the most from their VoD IPTV system, Alcatel-Lucent
provides complete development, installation, and support services.
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Streamlined operations
An Alcatel-Lucent IP-based communication network also provides the foundation to improve
operations. It allows operators to enable more efficient communications among employees, with
third party suppliers, partners, and guests.
Employee interaction and collaboration
Employee efficiency and more effective, user-centric guest service are achieved by the integration
of operations services and applications over the core IP-based network:
• Administrative level IP Touch Phones and applications that make employees more effective
and efficient with features like a dial-by-name directory linked into the human resources
database
• Unified communications applications that enhance collaboration and improve employee
interaction and productivity, and easily integrate with hotel back-office systems from
Microsoft®, IBM and other suppliers
• Wireless Wi-Fi® and DECT handsets for mobile employees that enable IP-based voice calling,
simplify the call process, and provide the highest level of voice service with an always on option,
roaming/handover capabilities, and push-to-talk collaboration
• Alcatel-Lucent OmniTouch 8660 My Teamwork™ Conferencing and Collaboration, which offers
collaboration tools that allow employees to stay in touch via personal data assistant (PDA)
and/or PC access to instant messaging and audio conferencing, virtual conference rooms, and
recording options, as well as application sharing and video conferencing.
• Alcatel-Lucent OmniTouch 8600 My Instant Communicator, which is the world’s first integrated,
multi-media, multi-session, multi-device unified communications client solution that integrates
all communication tools to create a homogeneous experience across different devices and channels
These services and applications enable greater operating efficiencies by making employees more
effective, which ensure a better guest experience by making guests more satisfied. By centralizing
and converging employee interactions, and leveraging the triple play solution on any infrastructure,
hoteliers can enable a universal view of all hotel systems. For example, if there is fire threat in any
part of the hotel the nearest staff member can be immediately notified, while someone else can be
sent to the street to meet the fire marshal. Similarly, if a bulb is out in a room or something else
breaks down, the operations manager can arrange for it to be fixed before the guest even knows
about it.
Contact Center
With an end-to-end IP-based network from Alcatel-Lucent, hotel operators can further streamline
operations, lower costs, improve the guest experience, and provide the highest level of customer
service by ensuring that all calls to the hotel are managed effectively and efficiently. By leveraging
the full functionality of the OmniPCX Enterprise Communication Server hotel operators can
funnel and manage calls through a centralized contact center, including guest services agents,
reservations agents and attendants.
If a hotelier has multiple properties, all calls can be funneled through the same contact center for
even more cost-efficiencies and improved guest service. An Alcatel-Lucent contact center solution
can be configured to give agents full, real-time visibility of room availability for all properties, and
direct connection to specific services at each location.
Hoteliers can also leverage the contact center server to provide a virtual concierge service during
check-in, in the guest rooms, and on guest mobile devices during a stay, thereby leveraging the full
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capability and functionality of the network to further enhance and improve the guest experience.
Alcatel-Lucent offers OmniPCX Enterprise Contact Center suites, which are fully-integrated
multimedia contact center applications designed to fit the needs of small to very large contact
centers:
• The Greetings Assistant and Greetings Attendant
• OmniTouch Contact Center – Standard
• OmniTouch Contact Center – Premium
In addition, the Alcatel-Lucent OmniGenesys™ Contact Center solution integrates the Genesys
Suite, the world’s leading call center software, and the Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprise to
enable high-end, multimedia customer interactions.
OmniGenesys leverages a hotel’s communications network infrastructure to allow hoteliers to
continuously adapt their contact center to their operation. It integrates collaboration tools, network
performance management that monitors customer interactions, and a series of solutions that
connect an entire organization to customer service, to transform customer service into dynamic
customer engagements.
Security
Beyond improving a guest’s experience, a new IP-based communication network also provides the
foundation to improve the effectiveness of hotel security. An Alcatel-Lucent IP network can be
interworked with CCTV and external agency support systems and linked to alarm notification systems.
This enables real-time, remote video surveillance and security management of the entire hotel.
With real-time surveillance and management intruders can be detected and objects can be tracked
anywhere. Enhanced applications can even provide statistical counting and analysis of traffic patterns
and visitor behavior (slip and fall detection, suspicious behavior/suspicious package detection).
In addition, all these security features can be integrated for access and visualization on IP Touch
phones anywhere in the hotel.
Alarm system integration is also possible with the MobiCall system from NewVoice, an AlcatelLucent Application Partner. This system can be easily integrated into the IP-based network. It
includes two servers:
• A master that receives all alarm information and executes all tasks
• A watch-dog that supervises the telephone network and the master in predefined intervals
With this system all emergency buttons in hotel bathrooms and technical alarms are connected
to contact controllers. If an alarm button is pressed the system processes the relevant information
and prompts action by the appropriate hotel employee.
Finally, to round out hotel security, the IP-based network can easily support RFID applications.
RFID technology uses the WLAN network to track and monitor Wi-Fi-enabled devices. By using
an active RFID tag that constantly transmits a Wi-Fi signal, hotel security can track and monitor
assets as they move through the property. By combining RFID applications with alarm system
integration, security can be notified immediately if an asset is moved from a certain position.
Partnering with Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent has extensive experience helping hotel operators around the world get the best
from their communication technology architecture. It has successfully partnered with hotel
operators to deploy dynamic, IP-based communications that include wired and wireless LANs/WANs,
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IP telephony, unified communication, contact center, security, VoD and IPTV applications.
By working with Alcatel-Lucent hotel operators get a strategic communications partner who can
provide an end-to-end solution based on its own hotel-specific products. In addition Alcatel-Lucent
can innovate and customize its complete portfolio of products to integrate seamlessly with existing
infrastructures and with products from key third party partners providing PMS, in-room control
systems, IPTV systems, and more.
With this one-stop-shop, end-to-end approach hoteliers avoid the pitfalls inherent in mismatched
point solutions. Each hotel gets a tailored, secure, always on, IP-based communications network
that will enhance operations, improve business processes, create new services, and generate new
revenue opportunities.
An Alcatel-Lucent hotel communications solution is designed from the ground up to connect
people — guests and employees — with the network in a way that brings the network, people,
processes, and knowledge together as one. As a result, employees will be more agile, mobile,
knowledgeable and fast. Operational efficiency will be improved. Guests will receive marketdifferentiating customer service. And the entire network will be better positioned to leverage
new communications products and applications as they emerge.
Built on industry-leading innovations
Alcatel-Lucent hotel communications solutions are built on a foundation of industry-leading
innovation in communications technologies, networks, products, and applications.
Alcatel-Lucent is one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry,
with more than 23,000 research and development experts worldwide, and a portfolio of over
25,000 active patents spanning virtually every technology area. At the core of this innovation
are Alcatel-Lucent research facilities, which include the world-renowned Bell Labs and Research
& Innovation groups. These groups provide Alcatel-Lucent with an innovation engine of 1,500
researchers and scientists at the forefront of research into areas such as multimedia and convergent
services and applications, new service delivery architectures and platforms, wireless and wireline,
broadband access, packet and optical networking and transport, network security, enterprise
networking and communication services, as well as fundamental research in areas such as
nanotechnology, algorithmic, and computer sciences.
Backed by professional services
Alcatel-Lucent backs its hospitality solutions with an end-to-end suite of professional services that
ensure long term success throughout the full life cycle of the hotel communications network. The
Alcatel-Lucent team of skilled and highly-experienced professionals provides customized services
from consulting and design, through integration and deployment, to maintenance and operations:
• Life cycle services to prevent transition losses, keep communications networks running and
help reduce operation and maintenance costs.
• Software support services that include 24/7 hotline support and unlimited software updates.
• Out-of-the-box solutions to minimize installation and integration costs.
• Outsourcing services that feature a single point of contact for simplified communications, a
welcome desk, a service desk, a help desk and a network operations center that is available
24/7/365.
These services are supported by a worldwide network of accredited business partners. Each partner
is ready to help hoteliers choose the Alcatel-Lucent hospitality solution that’s right for their
unique operation, and work with them to customize the solution to fit the specific needs of each
property. Working alongside Alcatel-Lucent service professionals, these partners provide technical
and product training, sales resources, marketing support, and professional services that will ensure
a smooth transition to a converged, triple play solution that delivers the highest level of
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Simplified Telephony, High Speed Internet Access and Enhanced Television Services for Next Generation Hospitality Enterprises | Application Note
operational efficiencies and guest satisfaction.
In addition, hoteliers can take advantage of the Alcatel-Lucent Application Partner Program.
Through this global network of systems integrators, hardware vendors and independent software
vendors, hoteliers gain access to communications applications that are designed specifically for
the hospitality industry and are optimized for use with Alcatel-Lucent hospitality solutions.
Eco-friendly, green communications
Finally, Alcatel-Lucent solutions for hotel operators are eco-friendly. The Alcatel-Lucent commitment to green communications begins before products are shipped. The whole lifecycle of
Alcatel-Lucent products, from design, through production, to recycling and reuse is, managed
to comply with the latest eco-sustainability standards.
For example, independent research has identified Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitches as the greenest
stackable switches available. Many of the outdoor WLANs created with Alcatel-Lucent products
can be supported by alternative energy sources. And Alcatel-Lucent ensures it acquires end-of-life
product from its customers to reuse and recycle wherever possible
In addition, by enabling more efficient communications networks, Alcatel-Lucent integrated
communications solutions also help hotel operators achieve their eco-friendly targets.
Beyond the efficiency of the infrastructure, a customized Alcatel-Lucent solution can also
incorporate key energy saving applications, such as in-room controls from leading vendors,
which can be configured to manage room temperature based on occupancy status.
The concept at work: Hampshire Hotels & Resorts
The Alcatel-Lucent end-to-end approach to hotel communications solutions was leveraged by
Hampshire Hotels & Resorts. With multiple locations, multiple networks, and multiple systems,
Hampshire Hotels & Resorts wanted to streamline and centralize its disparate communications
networks into one global network for all properties, and push the boundaries of typical communications
solutions to improve guest services and operations within each individual hotel. Alcatel-Lucent
proposed a two-layer, wired and wireless networking solution customized to address both requirements.
To centralize communications, the Hampshire Hotels and Resorts solution consolidates all the
independent and disparate networks, systems and applications at multiple properties in and around
Manhattan in New York City, as well as a central storage and operations facility.
The end-to-end solution includes:
• A core network that connects the New York City properties together with metro Ethernet
connections built on dark fiber from an Alcatel-Lucent partner, leased lines, and a centralized
PSTN connection
• Basic infrastructure for voice and high speed wired and wireless Internet/data access built
around the OmniSwitch 9000, and OmniStack 6200, and OmniAccess 6000 product families
• Advanced applications layered upon the network built around the OmniPCX Enterprise
Communication Server
• Network management with the OmniVista 2500 & 2700 Network Management System
With this integrated system, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts has eliminated communications point
solutions and the multiple vendors, service contracts, operating systems and disparate services
and applications that existed in each of its properties. Services like reservations, concierge, and
operations have been consolidated and made much more efficient at all sites. And the hotel’s
network has been positioned to grow, as required, and take advantage of new and advanced
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technologies, applications and services as they evolve.
Most importantly, the new centralized network served as the backbone upon which new applications and services were introduced to improve the quality of the guest experience and streamline
operation within each property, including:
• Guest-centric applications and services:
• IP Touch applications
• XML-based applications
• Door CAM
• Skype
• Guest Language
• On-phone menu room service
• Paperless Signature
• VOD
• IPTV
• Operations-centric applications and services:
• Contact center
• Employee collaboration and productivity
• Wireless phones
• Unified Communication
• Security
• CCTV
• Alarm system integration
• RFID
In addition, the centralized hotel network developed and deployed by Alcatel-Lucent includes
an energy management system that gives the hotel the ability to control room temperature, lights,
and electronics. The converged network eliminates the multiple networks that were controlling
air conditioning, electricity, phone, and guest services. This not only appeals to eco-conscious
travelers, but it has also helped Hampshire Hotels & Resorts reduce its electrical requirements
by 40 percent.
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Acronyms
Term Definition
ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
GUI
graphical user interface
HPNA Home Phoneline Networking Alliance
HSIA high speed Internet access
IDF
Intermediary Distribution Facility
IGMP Internet Group Management Protocol
IPTV Internet Protocol Television
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
MDF Main Distribution Facility
PDA personal data assistant
PPV
pay-per-view
PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
TDM Time Division Multiplexing
PMS property management system
PoE
Power over Ethernet
QoS quality of service
RFID Radio Frequency Identification
ROI
return on investment
VDSL Very high speed DSL
VLAN Virtual Local Area Network
VoD video on demand
VoIP voice over IP
VPN virtual private network
WLAN Wireless Local Area Network
XML Extensible Markup Language
References
For more information about Alcatel-Lucent solutions for the hospitality industry, visit:
http://enterprise.alcatel-lucent.com/?solution=Hospitality&page=Homepage
www.alcatel-lucent.com/hospitality
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www.alcatel-lucent.com
Alcatel, Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent and the Alcatel-Lucent logo
are trademarks of Alcatel-Lucent. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The information presented is subject to change without notice. Alcatel-Lucent assumes no responsibility
for inaccuracies contained herein. Copyright © 2009 Alcatel-Lucent. All rights reserved.
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