StayOnline

DiMilia Speaks Out On Wireless
StayOnline President serves as source for real-world High Speed Internet Access information
 

ATLANTA — May 1, 2002 — Antonio DiMilia, president and co-founder of StayOnline, a leading provider of wireless Internet connectivity solutions for the lodging industry, makes himself available to speak to trade editors, event conference planners, university educators and consultants to explain in laymen’s terms the benefits, value and return-on-investment provided to hotel owners and guests from the installation of “wireless” high-speed Internet connectivity.

“With a multitude of wired and wireless Internet access options available to hoteliers today, how do you select /evaluate the best high-speed Internet access solution for your hotel? What features and functionality do guests want? What kind of return on investment can I expect? How long will this technology last? How do you add features and functionality to an existing guest Internet access system to augment your hotel infrastructure? What are the benefits, both tangible and intangible, between a hard-wired system and one that is wireless? Three to five years from now, what will the high-speed Internet technology landscape look like at hotels across all segments? Should I charge for guest access…or should I provide it as a free amenity?”

“These are just a few of the many questions posed to me on a daily basis from hotels of all sizes, budgets and building types,” DiMilia said. “There’s no disputing that wireless technology is the way of the future, especially for business travelers. But the platform must be built from the ground up, taking future applications and functionality into account if the hotelier is to maximize his ROI.”

According to a recent article in Salon.com Technology titled “Waiting for WiFi”, 27 million people carry laptops. By the end of 2002, more than 10 million computers will have 802.11b hardware – or Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) – installed that allows users to access networks without a hard-wired connection.

“Forward thinking hotel companies, such as Hawthorn Franchise Systems, Atlanta; Noble Investment Group, Atlanta; AFM Hospitality, Toronto; and RIM Corp., San Francisco, have completed their research and chosen wireless high-speed Internet access either a brand standard or a preferred solution for their hotels,” DiMilia said. “Many other properties are also are implementing wireless solutions – and there are very important reasons why.”

Among the reasons DiMilia cited include: Wireless solutions add the most value and convenience to the traveler and hotelier alike; they provide a basis for future applications for the hotel; and, they offer minimal risk and optimal reward for all involved.”

“Somehow, amidst the high-tech revolution, hotels and high-speed access suppliers lost sight of the fact that we are in the hospitality business,” he said. “Far too many suppliers and hoteliers were fooled by pie-in-the-sky business models and failed to focus on how the amenity would benefit guests, improve operations and increase the overall business for the hotel.” Speaking out DiMilia said the hospitality industry must be presented with the facts surrounding high-speed Internet access – whether the solution is wired, wireless or cable-enhanced – and the ability to compare each solution, apples to apples. He said he welcomes the opportunity to address industry questions at upcoming industry conferences, association meetings or in a consulting role at hotel companies or individual properties. He is also available to hospitality trade editors as a source for wireless education and industry information. “The demand for a wireless high-speed access is still in its infancy, but that is quickly increasing as the price of wireless-equipped laptops drops and wireless-access standards become more pervasive.” DiMilia said. “The hotel industry needs to position itself today to be able to meet the needs of its guests tomorrow.” DiMilia has more than 13 years of IT outsourcing and management experience. He has served in management positions at firms such as Intergraph Corporation, Sykes Enterprises, Platinum Technology, and L&H. He is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelors degree in Information and Computer Science and a Masters Degree in Computer Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. If you have questions surrounding the implementation of high-speed Internet connectivity in hospitality, please contact him at (770) 933-0600, Ext. 204 – your direct connection to wireless information.

About StayOnline Based in Atlanta, StayOnline provides state-of-the-art turnkey wireless high-speed Internet access/in-room PC solutions for the lodging industry. StayOnline is the exclusive “Brand Standard” high-speed access provider for all Hawthorn Suites hotels in North America as well as the exclusive AFM Preferred Alliance wireless high-speed Internet partner for the ASTONÒ, Best InnsÒ, Howard JohnsonÒ, Knights InnÒ, Park Plaza, Park Inn, RamadaÒ, VillagerÒ Lodge and La Quinta® Inns brands throughout Canada. In addition, StayOnline boasts an impressive customer base, including properties in the Sheraton, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, Hilton, and Crowne Plaza lodging brands. StayOnline’s new StaySecure Web-enabled video surveillance solution allows properties to piggyback on the company’s wireless network for cost-effective real-time and archived security videos. For additional information on StayOnline and its lodging solutions, please visit http://stayonline.net. For a real-time demonstration of StayOnline’s StaySecure streaming digital video security solution, click on the StaySecure logo (the site’s archives can be accessed simply by changing the date and time of the requested video.)

 mail this story to an associate