Intel, Marriott Team to Promote Wireless LANs

As part of a marketing campaign for its upcoming Centrino brand for mobile PCs, Intel will promote wireless Internet access at Marriott International hotels together with the hotelier, Intel and Marriott said Thursday.

The announcement follows a similar deal Intel struck with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide of White Plains, New York, earlier this month.

Centrino, to be announced on March 12, is a major new initiative for Intel. It is the first Intel brand to stand for a combination of products, namely a Pentium-M processor, chipset, and WLAN module. Intel hopes the offering will boost WLAN use and notebook computer sales. The Santa Clara, California, chip maker now also produces its own 802.11b WLAN modules, previously a market dominated by specialists.

Both Marriott and Starwood plan to offer wireless Internet access in common areas of their properties to complement the fixed-line broadband access already available in guest rooms. The hoteliers will work with Intel on marketing, which includes joint advertising and signs in hotels to identify areas where wireless connectivity is available, called hotspots.

Already Available

Marriott of Washington, D.C., already offers wireless Internet access at about 200 hotels with installation planned soon in another 200 properties, the company said. Marriott works with STSN of Salt Lake City for installation of the network. Intel last year invested in STSN, a vendor of WLAN services to hotels and conference centers worldwide.

Marriott operates hotels under the Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, and SpringHill Suites brands. WLAN is, or will be, offered in hotels in North America, the U.K., and Germany, Marriott said.

Starwood will begin installing WLAN access points in more than 150 of its Sheraton, Westin, and W hotels in the U.S. next month. Installation should be done by August, Starwood has said.

WLAN access at a Marriott hotel costs $2.95 for the first 15 minutes and $0.25 for each additional minute. Users can access the service by starting up a Web browser on their WLAN equipped PC in a covered area and entering billing details, Marriott said.

Marriott and Starwood are not the only hotels to offer WLAN to lure the business traveler. Omni Hotels of Irving, Texas, early this month said it would offer free WLAN access inside guest rooms and in public areas at its North American properties.