The Sofitel Saigon (Vietnam) Plaza has implemented a new Wi-Fi solution from Nomadix. The hotel features 286 guestrooms and suites in addition to several restaurants and meeting spaces.
To better manage guest Wi-Fi access, management sought a solution that could support more than 1,000 simultaneous devices, as well as offer greater bandwidth management and control to improve the overall guest experience.
Previously, the hotel had been using a gateway that was incapable of supporting such a large number of devices accessing the network at once. The existing gateway also was unreliable, resulting in slower connections, drops in service, and did not always provide access to the guest log-in page. The lack of seamless integration with the hotel's property-management system led to more work for employees. Therefore, the most important factors when choosing a new solution were greater reliability, more features and the ability to easily integrate with existing technology.
To resolve these issues, the Sofitel Saigon Plaza enlisted its internet service provider NetNam to provide a recommendation. The Nomadix AG 5900 that was implemented at the property easily integrated with the hotel's PMS, Opera, to enable the hotel to collect guest information and classify users into the correct tier. It also integrated with a number of other existing technologies, including NetNam's software, which the Sofitel uses to monitor the system, establish policies for different areas of the network and customize internet packages.
"The Nomadix gateway has provided good stability for our guest network and the ability to connect up to 2,000 users at the same time," Tuoi Nguyen, IT manager at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza, said in a statement.”We couldn't have asked for a better solution for managing our internet access."
One of the AG 5900's most important features is a customizable log-in page for all guests accessing the visitor network. The log-in page serves a number of functions. From a technical standpoint, it allows the hotel IT staff to define, limit and monitor users/devices accessing the network so bandwidth is distributed fairly. SSP also can segment VIP/Club members from standard guests to provide different levels of access. From a marketing standpoint, the log-in page can be customized with a welcome greeting for each guest. It also affords both the hotel and its partners with promotional campaign opportunities that reach every guest who logs in to the visitor network.
The Nomadix gateway has had a significant impact on the satisfaction of SSP's guests. Strong bandwidth-management tools and increased visibility into internet traffic patterns have led to better optimization of existing bandwidth. This means guests can simultaneously use their laptops, tablets, smart phones and other mobile devices to access the network. The reliability of the gateway has provided a stable connection and minimized downtime.