Wireless access points - the foundation for Hotel Transformania

Wireless Access Points and IoT

Earlier this year, we announced that some of our wireless access points include integrated IoT support. Hotels are using this technology to quickly and cost-effectively deploy new applications that enhance the guest experience. This can include facial recognition check-in, in-room controls including shade and lighting controls, personalized video, temperature controls and many more. And guests aren’t the only ones who benefit; hotel operations and staff can take advantage of this technology through water leak detection, maid efficiencies or increased safety with panic buttons for staff. We created a video called Hotel Transformania that depicts the current and future state of hospitality technology. It’s meant to be a fun video, but it does outline some significant challenges that the hotel industry will face over the coming years. The hotel industry is at an inflection point and is quickly heading toward the significant transformation that is happening due to multiple technologies that will dramatically impact the hotel industry As the leader in hospitality technology, Ruckus understands these challenges and we are excited to lead the industry through the next major phase of technology innovation. This innovation will have a massive impact on the industry — for guests, hotel staff and the way hotels operate.

A History of Firsts

Ruckus Networks has a history of leading in hospitality technology. This leadership has helped us become the standard for hotel Wi-Fi with over 80% of the world’s luxury hotel brands standardizing on the Ruckus Networks Smart Wi-Fi solution. We’ve obtained this leadership through technology innovation and helping to drive the hospitality industry forward with a series of “firsts” including:

• First to launch the industry’s first fully integrated wired and wireless wall switch with the Ruckus ZoneFlex 7025 (2013)
• First to launch the industry’s first dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) concurrent wired and wireless wall switch with the Ruckus ZoneFlex 7055 (2015)
• First to launch in-room access point wall plate with Ruckus’ patented BeamFlex+ adaptive antenna technology with the Ruckus ZoneFlex H500 (2016)
• First to launch a dual-band 802.11ac Wave 2 in-room access point wall switch with the Ruckus H510 (2016)
• First to launch an in-room wall-plate 802.11ac Wave 2 Access Point with integrated DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with the Ruckus C110 (2016)

These innovative Wi-Fi solutions changed the hotel industry by helping to enable excellent guest Wi-Fi experiences. Innovation has been the key to success, and it will continue to be the key to success as the hotel industry moves into the next phase of technology transformation.

Continued Innovation

Gone are the days when great Wi-Fi was the chief service guests wanted. Guests are starting to expect more and hotels that can deliver will see unmatched guest loyalty, along with significant efficiencies in operations. This is where Ruckus Networks latest innovation comes into play. Recently, Ruckus Networks announced another first…the first to achieve FCC CBRS certification. CBRS allows mobile LTE to be brought inside the hotel, so there are no more dead zones. Everyone knows the frustration of not being able to get a cellular signal. CBRS is technology that solves this problem for hotels. We have numerous trials underway, and this technology will be making its way into hotels soon. We also announced the new Ruckus R730, which is the first IoT- and LTE-ready 802.11ax access point. This provides unprecedented Wi-Fi capacity along with IoT and LTE/CBRS support to high-density areas such as conference centers within hotels. Innovation has enabled Ruckus Networks to become the leader in hotel Wi-Fi. It will be continued innovation that will keep us in the leadership position. We are relentless in our pursuit of innovation, and our recent advancements with IoT, CBRS, and 802.11ax are proof points. We are excited to lead the hotel industry through the next phase of technology transformation—something we call Hotel Transformania.