Marriott Makes Plans for Wi-Fi Access

Marriott International is planning one of the hotel sector's largest deployments of high-speed wireless Internet access, the company said Wednesday in a statement.

Marriott aims to provide wireless LAN access at 400 hotels in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the company said. It will collaborate with wireless service provider STSN to offer the service in hotel lobbies, meeting rooms, restaurants, and other public spaces, complementing its current in-room high-speed access.

STSN specializes in providing wireless LAN services to hotels. Marriott has a stake in the Salt Lake City service provider, as does the Intel Communication Fund, which has increased its investment in the operator, STSN said Wednesday in a statement.

STSN will deliver dual band 802.11a and 802.11b wireless access in the hotels, the company said. It expects to complete the deployment by June 2003.

Pricing for the new service is currently under review, Marriott said.

Hot Spots

Marriott is just one of many large hotel chains jumping on the wireless LAN bandwagon to generate additional revenue.

German hotel chain Maritim Hotelgesellschaft, in Frankfurt, has forged a partnership with T-Mobile Deutschland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, to provide coverage in its hotels in Bonn, Frankfurt am Maim, Hanover, Cologne, Munich, and Stuttgart early next year, T-Mobile said Tuesday in a statement.

The deal is in line with T-Mobile's strategy to craft wireless LAN deals with large chains as opposed to individual businesses. "It's nice to talk with a big hotel, but it's better to talk with big hotel chains," said Carsten Otto, manager of data services at T-Mobile.

T-Mobile is one of the largest providers of wireless LAN service in the United States, where it is rolling out service in some 1200 Starbucks coffeehouses across the country.

T-Mobile also plans to add high-speed wireless Internet connectivity in about 100 U.S. airport clubs and lounges over the next year through an agreement with Delta Air Lines, United Air Lines, and AMR's American Airlines.