CMDL_GUY and I have seen discussing VoIP in the Hotel market recently, spurred on by his involvement with a new Starwood Aloft hotel project. They're already mandating VoIP phones in the guest rooms. I saw this press release today.

Whether it makes sense to us or not, that's where the brands are headed and I guess that's where we'll be going if we want to stay in the hotel market.

It makes perfect sense with all the advancements IP brings today and in the future also there is no doubt TDM is soon to be extinct as far a new implementations go.

That's pretty strong considering I still have a few 1A2 clients. It will be a long time before TDM is "extinct", maybe you should look that word up in the dictionary. TDM may be losing sales to IP, but there will be a market for it for the forseeable future in my opinion. Which is worth nothing by the way.

Professionally, personally, and on a practical basis, the idea of putting VoIP telephones in hotel rooms annoys the crap out of me. After years of supporting simple analog phones in that environment, I've been amazed at the creative ways that hotel guests (and staff) can screw things up. I shudder to think of what they'll be able to do when you start running voice, HSIA, and HDTV over the same infrastructure.

"To clarify I said new implementations."

Sure TDM will stay around but making a living off of new TDM sales is pretty much extinct - period..

I can guarantee you are not making much of a living servicing 1A2 and small TDM systems.

So put your sales hat on and upgrade the TDM sites to IP and then sell the 1A2 customers the used TDM stuff then take the 1A2 and send it to a museum then you'll make some money and you will be doing them a favor as well.

I don't make hardly anything servicing 1A2 systems, there are only a few and they don't break.

It's interesting that you can "guarantee I'm not making much of a living servicing small TDM systems." If you ever get to Pa., I'd be glad to show you around.

What is the advantage of IP phones over analogue in guestrooms?

Harry, how will they use the same infrastructure?

Jack

@Fletcher - I will have to put on my thinking cap to answer that one.

I'm sure there are many pros and cons to both... but it is a bit late for my brain to go into full logic mode

One thing I can think of is an IP system with already included, or built-in call reporting/accounting. maybe save $ on the initial install.

As to why one is "mandated" already is beyond me. I'm sure as with most IP ventures, they've come across the $ savings on the install. Who knows, maybe this is the way the hotel/motel industry is heading... to the cloud!

Sorry... been busy

Fletcher:
Regardless of what we think of the idea, the IT people push VoIP because they want everything to be TCP/IP and want it all to run on the same cabling and switches. Why? Frankly, I think it's a matter of turf... if it's on their network, they have control. Doesn't matter to them if they're trying to implement something they don't fully understand. Just makes for a larger budget that they get to manage.

I've already seen designs that show a single Cat6 cable to the desk to provide both VoIP and HSIA. I still don't have the full story on the Aloft design I saw but it looks like they might be preparing to ship video and signage over the same cable plant, too. What I see coming is a flood of finger-pointing every time something doesn't work on any of these systems and a huge bottleneck trying to get support for troubles we used to be able to handle on our own.

MacOSX:
The hotel franchises love to mandate stuff and it goes way beyond colors and patterns for carpets and blinds. They've always had a list of "approved equipment" and required features. At one point, all Holiday Inns were even supposed to have a specific standard dial plan. Hilton is now mandating the circuits and provider for HSIA, WAN, and voice.

As for savings, this more economical approach has nearly doubled the price on the first project I've seen (based on competing proposals)... seems that VoIP phones and PoE switches more than offset the savings from a "unified" cable plant.

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"As for savings, this more economical approach has nearly doubled the price on the first project I've seen (based on competing proposals)... seems that VoIP phones and PoE switches more than offset the savings from a "unified" cable plant."

Since a decent 1 line speakerspone for hospitality costs about X and a decent IP phone from Mitel costs 3X or more, I guess I can see it for the high end motels, but CI's, HIE's, etc are going to be hard pressed to justify the expense, esp since they'll have to have IT-smart folks on-staff! Never mind Harry's very valid comment about customer use/abuse of room phones.

Hey guys, as far as IP being a cost savings there isn't and I don't see where it makes much sense. The DATA guys just aren't smart enought to realize that putting SIP trunks in the systems is where all the savings are. NOW---if you have done like a couple of mine have, the XML IP phones, they sell AD space on them and get paid to advertise on the phone plus you can put a thumbnail and the caller can push it for a speeddial to a PizzaHut. All about maximizing profits, no more fliers slipped under your door, look on your phone LOL

That might be true when you have one site. But when you have hundreds of sites with voice traffic going back and forth between them, the cost savings from shifting calls from the PSTN to the WAN can be millions of dollars.

That might be true when you have one site. But when you have hundreds of sites with voice traffic going back and forth between them, the cost savings from shifting calls from the PSTN to the WAN can be millions of dollars.

Very true and that's about the only thing IP is good for.

-Hal

MichealS,
Motels have been 'selling' advertising on their phones for years. They use phones with 6-10 speed dial keys that are programmed for Pizza Hut, Joe's Grill, Applebees carry out, etc. And the overlay shows who it is. Usually, the 'rental' will support the actual telephones, which DO take a beating!