No longer will business guests be confined to their room when working, they'll be able to lounge in the lobby or on a balcony over-looking Sydney Harbour when installation of WiFi Internet access based on the 802.11b specification is completed next month.
-We haven't had a strong request [for the technology]," The Regent's IT manager, Frazer King, told ZDNet. -We're taking the bull by the horns and making it an option for customers. If all things go well, it should be rolled out for the use of hotel guests sometime in September."
The Regent, which is part of the Four Season's hotel chain, is currently using its administrative staff test-drive the six Cisco Aironet base stations situated in the hotel's lobby and conference rooms. A couple of the base stations will be mobile so that customers' have the freedom to choose their own workplace.
Any guest with a wireless-capable notebook and the right Cisco Ethernet card -should be able to walk in, turn their lap top on, and away they go," King said. Cards will also be provided for purchase by the hotel.
The Regent is proving it's on top of the high-tech trend, with high-speed Internet access already available in all 531 rooms - a AU$20 price-tag for 24-hour access is attached. Wireless connectivity will also be charged at AU$20 a day, according to King.
-At the moment we're charging new territory. We're not aware of it being done in any other hotel [group]," King said, adding that it's currently being trialed and introduced in other Four Seasons hotels in Australia.
There are hotels that provide high-speed Internet access, however. As previously reported by ZDNet, business travellers signing in to Rydges hotels Australia-wide will be able to hook onto high-speed Internet, following an agreement between the high-class hotel group and broadband wireless service provider SkyNetGlobal.
