TOP 5 WIFI TIPS for your Hotel

Wifirst’s EMEA Vice President, Vincent Jouan, shares his top five tips for the implementation of a Wi-Fi service in the hotel environment.

1. Plan Ahead. Think carefully about the future when implementing a Wi-Fi system. Consider evolving technology and exponential increases in device ownership, streaming service subscriptions and data usage. Recognise that today’s top draw Wi-Fi system is likely to be middle of the road in 3/5 years, and slow and sluggish in 5-7 years. So, make sure you invest in a system that’s flexible and scalable.

2. Don’t skimp on the bandwidth… When thinking about bandwidth, plan for peak time, peak occupancy usage and again, factor in the future – bandwidth requirements are only going to increase. Our current recommendation is 25MB per guest, but if you ask me the same question in 12 months’ time, I’m sure it will have increased!

3. …or the equipment. There’s not much point in providing a universe of bandwidth if the equipment isn’t up to task. Start with suitable network and cabling infrastructure – Cat6 should be the bare minimum and if maintained properly, will last 10 to 20 years. Install plenty of RJ45 points, implement quality routers and perhaps most importantly - get the gateway right. The gateway is the brain of the infrastructure, controlling and monitoring every aspect of the system’s hardware and software – so make sure it’s up to date and running efficiently.

4. Think about the guest experience. Don’t make connecting to the Wi-Fi a chore. The login process should be simple and intuitive, avoiding multiple sign-ins and complicated log-in screens. Ideally, one login should offer the guest Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel (not just in the guestroom) for the duration of their stay. Essentially, look to provide the same experience in the hotel as the guest would expect at home. That’s the holy grail!

5. Consider Wi-Fi as a service. Wifirst’s ‘Wi-Fi as a Service’ model circumnavigates technical obsolescence by providing hardware equipment and charging a monthly service fee. Essentially, this allows a hotel to provide a Wi-Fi service that’s constantly evolving and improving. Wifirst will refresh or replace Wi-Fi equipment as and when necessary – at no additional cost - ensuring a hotel’s Wi-Fi is current, robust and fast at all times.

 About Wifirst:

Founded in 2002, Wifirst is the European leader in Managed WiFi as a service.

Covering 30 countries, Wifirst has been active in the UK since 2016, and partner with Airwave to provide an integrated technology offering to the hotel, student accommodation, senior living and healthcare markets.

To find out more, get in touch: vincent.jouan@wifirst.co.uk