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the internet trends no hotel can afford to ignore 2016 Wi-Fi

Hotel Wi-Fi Trends 2016 - Virgin Media Business

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Page 1: Hotel Wi-Fi Trends 2016 - Virgin Media Business

the internet trends no hotel can afford to ignore

2016Wi-Fi

Page 2: Hotel Wi-Fi Trends 2016 - Virgin Media Business

CONT

ENTS

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Evolution Of The Digital Consumer . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Why Guests Expect Wi-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wi-Fi in the Irish and UK markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Benefits Of Having Quality Wi-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Three Elements of Quality Wi-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Choosing a Wi-Fi Service Provider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What does Net Neutrality mean for Wi-Fi? . . . . . . . . .

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About Bitbuzz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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to meet the needs of mobile device-carrying customers and understand the drivers behind a worldwide phenom-enon that shows no sign of abating. According to a New York Times feature commenting on trends in the hospi-tality sector “The public’s expectation switched from ‘It’s nice when you have Wi-Fi’ to ‘You must have Wi-Fi.’

Business Development Director at Bitbuzz, Russell McQuillan agrees.

Intro-duction

Wi-Fi is like plumbing. Get it right and no one talks about it. Get it wrong, and you will have a queue at the front desk and bad TripAdvisor reviews.

Hotel Wi-Fi is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ for guests, it’s an essential. The shift in expectations occurred over the last 10 years, driven first by business travellers that expect to be able to work anywhere, and then accelerat-ed by a growing number of ‘digital consumers’ equipped with smartphones and tablets. The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) advises its members that access to complimentary, high-quality Wi-Fi now comes top of the list of services most holidaymakers look for before booking their hotel accommodation. The most recent research from the IHF (February 2015) highlights how seriously hoteliers are taking it:

• Over 90 per cent of Irish hotels now offer free Wi-Fi access to guests

• 83 per cent of hoteliers have invested in Wi-Fi services over the last 12 months

• Almost half plan to invest in Wi-Fi services over the next 12 months

Increasing investment is required because simply having Wi-Fi is no longer enough. Speed and availability of Wi-Fi have become as much a consideration for guests as more traditional hotel services.

Failure to deliver carries risks in the age of the Internet and social media, where the consumer voice is heard louder than ever and reputational dam-age is hard to recover from. TripAdvisor is one of many sites that empower consumers by letting them pass judgement on the hotels they stay in. Hotelwifitest.com and Rottenwifi.com offer a niche variation. Focussed exclusively on Wi-Fi, the sites have real-time speed tests that let users check the quality of the connection in the hotel where they are staying and then share the results.

Their surveys have generated considerable coverage in a media that relishes the chance to name and shame and highlight poor service.

For hoteliers everywhere it has become business critical

Wi-Fi is as essential as a working shower or air conditioning and needs to be offered free, fast, and reliably.

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EvolutionOf The Digital Consumer

Going online

The

Household access to the Internet across the 27 Eu-ropean Union countries has nearly doubled in a decade, growing from 39 per cent in 2004 to 78 per cent in 2014 (Eurostat, 2015). While trends in home con-nectivity illustrate how in-tegral Internet access has become to everyday lives, the rise of mobility has been even more dramatic.

First to move were busi-ness users. The launch of the BlackBerry 6000

series in 2003 was a milestone in mobile devel-opment, enabling users to access email easily from anywhere. More fea-ture-rich phones followed, offering Internet access ei-ther over mobile networks or Wi-Fi. Business execu-tives were already travelling the world with their laptops and logging into the web via fixed-wire connections, when the combination of Wi-Fi and mobile phones came along and gave them much more mobility.

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Going wirelessAccording to the Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update (2015–2020), Wi-Fi traffic from both mobile devices and Wi-Fi-only devices together will ac-count for more than half (53 per cent) of total IP traffic by 2019, up from 41 per cent in 2014. The rise of mobile traffic is significant to global Wi-Fi demands because of offloading. Offloading occurs at the user or device level when a user switches their device from a cellular con-nection to Wi-Fi or small-cell access.

Fixed traffic will fall from 55 per cent of total IP traffic in 2014 to 34 per cent by 2019. Mobile and offload from mobile devices togeth-er will account for almost 30 per cent of total IP traffic by 2019, a testament to the significant growth and im-pact of mobile devices and lifestyles on overall traffic. (Cisco)

The switch is being fuelled by a proliferation of mobile devices and by the growing number of public venues that offer Wi-Fi access.

A ComReg report reveals that 2013 was a water- shed year for Ireland in this regard, with the number of public hotspots rising to 2,655; an 84 per cent increase on 2012. Data published in February 2016, shows the number of Wi-Fi hotspots has now risen to 3,672, a 7.8% increase (Q42014 V Q42015).

Smartphones and tabletsIt took until 2007 and the launch of the Apple iPhone to engage consumers on any scale, kick-starting what would become the smart-phone revolution. Wi-Fi was an integral feature and drove a need for public hotspots that would get a further boost with the arrival of the tablet, again spearheaded by Apple with its iPad launch in 2010.

Research firm eMarketer predicts that more than one third of all the people on the planet will have a smart-phone by 2017. Because of an increase in the aver-age number of devices

and connections per house-hold and user, devices and connections are growing faster than the population.According to Statista, the number of smartphone us-ers worldwide is forecast to reach 2.08 billion by the end of 2016, and 2.66 billion by the end of 2019.

Stephen McNally, IHF President, has noted the phenomenon. “In today’s world our average guest has at least two devices on arrival which include laptops, powerful smartphone with expanded Internet browsing capabilities, tablet comput-ers, gaming device,” he said.

In today’s world our average guest has at least two devices on arrival which include laptops, powerful smartphone with expanded Internet browsing capabilities, tablet computers, gaming device.

Stephen McNallyIHF President

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guests expect

Wi-FiWhy

Of course, the average guest isn’t carrying three devices just to check their emails. Wi-Fi serves a variety of needs, from work to entertainment. Six factors have become particularly prevalent:

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New ways of working

1. 2. 3.Social media

interaction Communi-

cationThe rise of cloud computing, where appli-cations and services are accessed directly through a web browser, is making employ-ees even more productive when they are out of the office. As remote access to corporate networks becomes easier and cheaper, business ex-ecutives that always travelled with laptops are now armed with smartphones and tablets that enable them to work and com-municate from anywhere. Such activities can be demanding of the network, particu-larly if employees are remotely accessing their office PCs via a VPN. The demand for in-room Wi-Fi is so important that 90 per cent of European hoteliers voted it the top business traveller amenity (Choice Hotels Europe).

People’s participation in social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter has been one of the most significant changes in behaviour in the developed world in the last decade. Facebook has 1.65 billion monthly active users; Twitter averages 310 million (Statistica).

A recent survey from the Pew Research Center, 54 per cent of people admitted to using the Internet at least occasionally or owning a smartphone. Of these, 76% said that they use social networks, which include Facebook and Twitter in all coun-tries (except for Twitter in China), plus other popular country-specific social networks.

For both business and consumers, the Internet has replaced the telephone and be-come a free and easy way to communicate – by voice, instant messaging, email or even video. Skype is particularly preva-lent. Offering free and low cost voice and video calls, it has over 300 million users worldwide who spend 3 billion minutes on the platform each day.

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Travel infor-mation

4. 5. 6.Entertain-

mentHoning in on

hotspotsNot only has the Internet become the primary source of information for people planning to travel, it has become an invalua-ble guide when they get to their destination, offering instant access to local information, complete with maps and location based services.

The Internet has become the number one entertainment platform for millions of people, displacing television as the source of things to watch. Mobile video traffic ac-counted for 55 per cent of total mobile data traffic in 2015, and this trend is only going up. In 2019, nearly a million minutes of video content will cross the network, every second. It would take an individual over 5 million years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks each month in 2019 (Cisco).

Streaming audio services like Spotify, which has 30 million users (Statistica), allows people to access their favourite music from anywhere with an Internet connection. TV channels offer Video on Demand, allowing guests to stream their local news from wherever they are.

“Guests are bringing their own content”, says Bitbuzz’s Russell McQuillan. “The ho-tel TV is becoming an expensive ornament.”

Business travellers and consumers now simply expect a public Wi-Fi hotspot wherev-er they go, whether it’s a hotel, coffee shop or restaurant. Rather than pay data roaming charges to mobile operators, they are in-creasingly inclined to find a free or low-cost Wi-Fi connection. There is a perception (not always justified) that a hotspot will provide a faster and more stable connection. By 2020, 55 per cent of mobile network traffic will be offloaded to Wi-Fi up from 51 per cent in 2015 (Cisco).

The upshot of all this demand is that surveys repeatedly name Wi-Fi as the most important factor for people when choosing a hotel – 90 per cent in a Forrester Consult-ing poll, with ‘lots of power outlets’ coming a distant second at 52 per cent.

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IrishWi-Fi in the

markets

andUKAll evidence shows that the availability and quality of Wi-Fi is a key influ-encer when it comes to booking hotels. While business travellers once accepted that it comes at a cost, there is growing sentiment – stirred by consumer websites – that it should be free.

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Free, quality Wi-Fi is notably high on the agenda for UK hotels. The four-star chain Amba Hotels confirmed this with a survey; asking guests what was most important to them when booking accommodation. More impor-tant than location (65 per cent) and proximity to travel hubs (34 per cent), was free Wi-Fi (67 per cent). Respondents were also asked their most important consideration when rating a hotel. Again, free, unlimited Wi-Fi came first (60 per cent), more than a good night’s sleep (58 per cent) and friendly staff (40 per cent).

International hotel brands realise that travellers choose chains for the expectation of high standards in a Wi-Fi service. In a market where it’s not unusual for a hotel manager’s bonus to be tied to guest satisfaction surveys or TripAdvisor ratings, Wi-Fi is being pushed to top of the agenda.

In Ireland, figures from the CSO show business tourism grew 17 per cent between 2014 and 2015; an extra 60,000 corporate visitors from over-seas in one year. Tech and pharma giants with European headquarters in Dublin and London and high profile industry conferences bring waves of demand for rooms fit for tech executives and their various devices. Hotel-iers can fill thousands of beds a month from a single firm, and see it drop to zero the next month if a visiting executive reports an underwhelming Wi-Fi experience.

Hotelwifitest.com evaluates two character-istics of hotel Wi-Fi in its annual survey: if it’s free in-room (not just in public areas) and the quality. Quality is as much about basic expectations as speed, that the ser-vice is robust and stable, not necessarily superfast. Minimum recommended speeds are 3Mbps for downloads (the Netflix rec-ommendation for streaming standard qual-ity video) and an upload speed of 500Kbps (the Skype recommendation for high-quality non-HD video calling).

Based on Quality criteria, Dublin is ranked the fourth city in the world, behind Tokyo and Stockholm, but ahead of Montreal and Amsterdam. When the whole country was considered, Ireland dropped to 14th place, with South Korea topping the table. Regionally, Asia also came out first for hotel Wi-Fi quality but was at the bottom for the percentage of hotels offering free in-room Wi-Fi.

How Does Ireland

Rank On Wi-Fi?

1. Free WiFi (67%)

2. Location (65%)

3. Fast WiFi with unlimited downloads (34%)

4. Close to travel hubs (34%)

5. Good bars / restaurants in hotel (26%)

Considerations for UK travellers choosing accommodation

Top 5

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The Benefits Of Having

QualityWi-Fi

The Internet has had a disruptive effect on many businesses and the hotel industry is no exception. A challenge with providing Wi-Fi is that it will inevitably impact on other services

and revenue. Outbound telephone calls and video on-demand, for example, will decline. The hotelier must embrace the change and focus on the benefits that Wi-Fi can deliver:

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Wi-Fi is the most important factor for many people when choosing a hotel, so provide and promote a free, high quali-ty service to attract more customers.

Attract new customers Enrich the guest experienceGuests more used to having a poor experience will appreciate a fast and robust Wi-Fi service, freely available in all parts of the hotel. According to a 2016 study by UK aparthotel chain Roomzzz, 34 per cent of people claimed it has been years since they stayed in a hotel without free Wi-Fi.

Grow customer loyalty Attract high value business travellersA Wi-Fi service allows hotels to get clos-er to customers. The login process is an opportunity to capture valuable data about them and use it for marketing purposes.

A fast and robust Wi-Fi service really matters to business customers. Some will pay a premium for a guaranteed faster speed, which has encouraged many hotels to offer different tiers of Wi-Fi service and charge accordingly.

Avoid reputational damage Enrich your marketingThe upside of online websites that eval-uate hotel Wi-Fi is that a positive review can be used in marketing collateral – a good reason for investing more in net-work infrastructure.

It is not uncommon to ask customers for some details before accessing free Wi-Fi. This might in include their name and e-mail address for instance. Learning more about your customers is a great way to improve your future marketing to them.

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of Quality Wi-FiThree Elements

The

Most Irish hotels have an existing Wi-Fi service, but many are facing up to the reality that it is inadequate by today’s guests’ standards. Upgrading and replacing an outdated and underperforming network is a common challenge for most hoteliers.

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There are three fundamentals to consider for upgrading or

deploying a new Wi-Fi network:

Access points (APs) allow wireless devices to connect to a fixed network using Wi-Fi. To achieve optimal cov-erage, strategic decisions are made on the placement, number, and type of APs. There is no rule of thumb for how many access points a building will require.

The next fundamental is a survey of the location and scoping the availability of the service you want to achieve. Consider room occupancy, and the type of guest: business or leisure. Question if it’s sufficient to provide a single guest in one bedroom with enough bandwidth for up to four devices, for example, or will you aim to cover two guests with eight devices?

The last part of the jigsaw is the connectivity in and out of the hotel, and how it even-tually interconnects with the backhaul network.

Common pitfalls in network design are to focus on the first and third and spend too little time on the second. Un-less you ensure all guests and their devices have the bandwidth they need, end to end, the coverage and broadband connection plan-ning is wasted.

Coverage Capacity Broadband1. 2. 3.

The 3 factors go hand in hand.

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a Wi-Fi Service

Provider

ChoosingNot all Wi-Fi services are the same, because not all Wi-Fi service providers are the same. The onus is on hotels to choose a qualified Wi-Fi partner that under-stands their business, how to support their guests and where Wi-Fi is going in the hospitality market.Hoteliers are increasingly choosing a fully-managed Wi-Fi service, for the comfort that SLAs, dedicated response times and guaranteed uptime can bring to both hotel manage-ment and each individual guest.

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From positioning access points (APs) to allocating channels, your Wi-Fi partner should pay granular attention to in-room coverage and where exactly people will use Wi-Fi. The desk, bed, window and bathroom are all common places for Wi-Fi usage…Yes, people are even streaming video to watch in the bath. Your Wi-Fi partner should install the network in such a way that even if one access point fails, a guest won’t experience any disruption of service because of the strategic position of other APs.

Choose a partner who will not just support the hardware but also provide 24-hour support to guests if they are having trouble getting online.

Ensure your Wi-Fi partner has a contrac-tual obligation to replace and upgrade equipment throughout the partnership and not just in the 12 month ‘warrantee period’.

Seek out added value services from your Wi-Fi provider such as the ability to capture guests’ email addresses for marketing purposes or re-directing the

guest to a web page that promotes the hotel spa or restaurant.

Your Wi-Fi partner should be able to provision all parts of the service from broadband to support to installation and replacement, that way the onus is on them to ensure the service is 100%, 100% of the time.

Global technology and Wi-Fi trends are not static. They are constantly changing and evolving. Therefore, it’s crucial that your Wi-Fi partner is dedicated to keeping up with your customers’ changing habits. In the U.S., the decision made by the HYATT hotel group to offer free Wi-Fi in all of its hotels, regardless of “booking meth-od or loyalty programme participation”, has put pressure on its competitors to rethink the ‘future of free’. Other chains, such as the four star Amba Hotels group have followed in the HYATT’s footsteps and now offer free Wi-Fi as a basic ameni-ty. As Belinda Atkins, CEO of Amba Hotels explains, “Fast, free, unlimited WiFi is as important to our guests as any other fa-cilities provided by the hotel – it’s actually as important as a good night’s sleep”.

In Europe, some hotels choose to offer basic Wi-Fi free of charge, with faster upgrade options available at a cost. A

common alternative for budget hotels is to offer free Wi-Fi for a fixed period of time such as 30 minutes or an hour.The changing landscape is proving a chal-lenge for hoteliers providing free Wi-Fi and there has been much discussion emerg-ing from the U.S. about the future of free.Consumers are carrying more devices per person, and are placing ever-increasing demands on bandwidth. Checking e-mails has evolved into streaming hours of Netflix HD videos. Extra demand means pressure to improve Wi-Fi services and the costs that come with them. There’s also the cost of the cannibalisation of traditional in-room entertainment such as pay-per-view movies. C. Scott Hansen, director of guest technology for Marriott International told the New York Times that these costs would be “offset by guests’ purchases of internet access, commissions paid by services like Netflix for signing up new members and advertising revenue from companies that could use the TV or guest’s laptop or tablet screen for mes-sages”.This is a trend that Wi-Fi partners should be monitoring closely and advis-ing Irish hoteliers on as the discussion progresses.

Finally, choose a partner with a complete understanding of data protection and privacy issues to each installation, along with all the security requirements need-ed to deploy a Wi-Fi service that is less vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Attention to in-room coverage

Dedicated support for hotelier and individual guests

Equipment replacement and upgrades

Extract maximum value with CRM integration capabilities

End to end management

Market insights and understanding the future of free

Prioritise privacy

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mean for Wi-Fi?Neutrality

What does Net It’s been a turbulent time in Europe regarding net neutrality laws.

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Tim Berners-Lee, founder of the World Wide Web, has described net neutrality as “the principle that each ‘packet’ of data must be treated equally by the network”. Net neutrality has been likened to the Inter-net’s version of free speech: it preserves your right to communicate freely online (Savetheinternet.com). It holds that Internet service providers must treat all traffic sources equally.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to enforce net neutrality rules that prevent internet providers from blocking or intentionally slowing traffic or giving priority to Web services in exchange for payment. U.S. Internet service customers have filed 20,991 complaints under the category net neutrality with the FCC since the new rules went into effect in back in June 2015.

In February 2016, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), ruled that no service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tar-iffs for data services on the basis of content. This ruling was a blow to Facebook’s Free Basics service that sought to offer an ‘Internet lite’ service to those who could not avail of regular internet access.

In the EU, new rules on net neutrality are in effect as of 30 April 2016, following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 on 25 November 2015. Under this regulation, all traffic has to be treated equally. Every European will be able to have access to the open Internet and all content and service providers will be able to provide

In many ways net neutrality can be compared to a telephone service. The network operator is going to connect a call between person A and person B unless law forbids them from doing so. Net neutrality seeks to preserve this level of open communication between connections for people using the Internet for legal purposes. The operator also isn’t allowed to deem the connection of a phone call more important than another unless it has to, again by law. This second example relates to net neutrality via the discussion of ‘Internet fast lanes’. Lobby groups in the United States raised concerns that without net neutrality laws, network operators could create internet fast lanes that could be in a position to offer specific customers access to a faster connection than regular subscribers for a higher fee.

their services via a high-quality open Internet.This means, that there can be no paid prioritisation of traffic in the Internet access service. According to an EU press release, common rules on net neutrality mean that “Internet access pro-viders cannot pick winners or losers on the Internet, or decide which content and services are available”.

As regulators make their position very clear on the matter of net neutrality, hoteliers and their Wi-Fi partners should take a close look at their services and ensure they are fully compliant.

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Conclu-sion

The wireless connectivity demands on the hospitality industry have never been greater. As leisure travellers now rival their business counterparts with a number of devices per guest, and the thirst for streaming data-heavy content becomes insatiable, guests expect a seamless Wi-Fi experience more than ever. Buffering video is the new bad plumbing, and just like running water, guests don’t expect to pay for it presently. Hoteliers must invest in a quality Wi-Fi service that provides a guarantee on network uptime, hardware and dedicated guest support. Without it, they leave themselves exposed to a drop in returning guests, damaging online reviews, and even violations of privacy and data protection legislation.

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Europa,eu 2015, REGULATION (EU) 2015/2120 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/2120/oj

Statista 2016, ‘Number of paying Spotify subscribers’

http://www.statista.com/statistics/244995/number-of-paying-spotify-subscribers/

Cisco 2016, ‘Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2015–2020’

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/visual-networking-index-vni/

Choice Hotels Europe, 2013, ‘Hoteliers conform business travellers rate free internet as the most

valuable hotel amenity and fitness centres the least’

http://blog.choicehotelsuk.co.uk/business-travellers-value-free-wi-fi/

‘Forrester, 2014, ‘Marketing strategy for the mobile mind shift’

https://www.forrester.com/

Travelodge 2016, ‘About Us’ https://www.travelodge.co.uk/about-us/bookings-and-extras/wifi

Hotel Wifi Test, 2015, ‘Hotel WiFi Test ranks cities, countries, and world regions’

http://www.hotelwifitest.com/reports/134759/

Eurostat, 2015 http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=isoc_pibi_hai&lang=en

Skype Blog 2015, ‘Skype’s year in review’ http://blogs.skype.com/2015/12/17/2015-skypes-year-in-review/

CSO.ie 2016, ‘Tourism and Travel Quarter 4 2015’ http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/

Roomzzz.com 2016, ‘Brits Can’t Be Without Wi-Fi For More Than 7 Minutes’

http://www.roomzzz.com/blog/the-seven-minute-itch/

Pew Research Center 2016, ‘Smartphone Ownership and Internet Usage Continues to Climb in Emerging Economies’ http://www.pewglobal.org/files/2016/02/pew_research_center_global_technology_report_final_february_22__2016.pdf

ComReg 2016, ‘Irish Communications Market: Key Data Report – Q4 2015’

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1617.pdf

Statista.com 2016, ‘Number of smartphone users worldwide from 2014 to 2019 (in millions)’

http://www.statista.com/statistics/330695/number-of-smartphone-users-worldwide/

New York Times 2015, ‘Free Hotel Wi-Fi Is Increasingly on Travelers’ Must-Have List’

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/07/business/free-hotel-wi-fi-is-

GLH Hotels Management, 2014, ‘New Amba hotels launching with world’s fastest, free unlimited wifi’

http://www.glhhotels.com/press/press-releases/new-amba-hotels-launching-with-worlds-fastest-free-wi-fistar/

Emarketer, 2014, ‘Worldwide smartphone usage to grow 25% in 2014’

http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Worldwide-Smartphone-Usvvage-Grow-25-2014/1010920

Ars Techna 2016, ‘Net neutrality complaints have flooded into FCC since rules took effect’

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/05/isp-customers-filed-21000-net-neutrality-complaints-in-less-than-a-year/

Holiday Inn 2016, ‘Holiday Inn FAQ’ http://www.hibristolcity.co.uk/faq

Refer

ences

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The Economist, February 2015, ‘Relatively cheap free publicity’

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/02/hotel-wi-f

Irish Independent, 2013, ‘Cafes, hotels and shops rush to cash in on WiFi hotspots’

http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/cafes-hotels-and-shops-rush-to-cash-in-on-wifi-hotspots-29584445.html

Save the Internet, ‘Net neutrality: What you need to know now’

http://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now

Rotten WiFi http://rottenwifi.com/

New York Times, 2013, ‘In-room entertainment turns away from TV’

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/business/hotel-guests-turn-away-from-tv-and-toward-streaming-media.

Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), February 2015, ‘WiFi free-for-all in Irish hotels and guesthouses’

http://www.ihf.ie/content/wifi-free-all-irish-hotels-and-guesthouses

HYATT Newsroom, December 2014, ‘HYATT to launch free Wi-Fi access in all lobbies and guest

rooms worldwide’

http://newsroom.hyatt.com/122214-Hyatt-to-Launch-Free-Wi-Fi-Access-in-All-Lobbies-and-Guest-Rooms-Worldwide

Refer

ences

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About Bitbuzz

Bitbuzz was founded in Dublin in 2003 and quickly became Ireland’s leading Wi-Fi provider. It delivers fully managed Wi-Fi services to 14,500 hotel bedrooms and numerous, airports, cafés, pubs and public locations across Ireland and the UK.Bitbuzz grew on the strength of its service provision and obsession with quality of service, including 99.9% uptime on portal availability, direct guest support and guaranteed response times. Bitbuzz has carried out installations in hundreds of hotels of every conceivable shape and size, leveraging different technologies as they have evolved, meeting the needs of hotels with very different clients and goals.

Bitbuzz key clients include Holiday Inn, Tune Hotels, Travelodge, Costa Coffee, The Shelbourne Hotel, Insomnia Coffee Company, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Campanile Hotels The Lough Erne Golf Resort and Radisson

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