Nabil Khalil, executive vice president of R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa tells Hotel News ME the importance of high-end cable connections and infrastructures for seamless connectivity. 
Why is it important for hotels to have high-end network infrastructures?
The benefits of a solid structured cabling backbone extend well beyond providing just fast and reliable internet access. It opens up the possibility to incorporate new bandwidth hungry technologies such as IP based phones, digital entertainment and on-demand services and even backend facility management and building management systems. These applications require large amounts of bandwidth to be made available at all locations of the hotel over a very reliable connection.
Apart from high-speed data, what other benefits come from R&M cable connections?
Although the structured cabling which is the physical infrastructure of the network represents only a small fraction of the total network expenditure (typically about 5%), about 80% of network issues relate back to shortcomings in this layer. So the importance of a reliable and expertly installed cabling network cannot be understated. One of the main benefits of R&M cabling is quality, this isn’t just a statement- we back this claim by offering a 25-year warranty on our systems that have been deployed by our certified installation partners.
Why should a hotel choose Power over Ethernet (PoE) as its cabling solution?
POE means a single cable provides both power and data to the network device- which can be a wireless access point, CCTV, VoIP phones, POS terminals and other such equipment. The first benefit is that it simplifies installation and allows the system integrators to conveniently install the network device anywhere in the hotel.
There are also cost benefits. Not only are these solutions easier to deploy- meaning simpler design, and faster installation- they require fewer cables to be pulled as it eliminates the need for separate power and data. For the hospitality sector in particular, where aesthetics is a pivotal factor to success, more compact cabling is a big plus point.
How can high-speed internet, voice-connectivity and IPTV increase a hotels revenue?
The explosion of technology in the last decade has meant that today’s traveller is far more tech-savvy. High speed Wi-Fi are no more a luxury at a hotel than running water. Failing to acknowledge the need for technology adoption can directly impact business. An annual survey by SpringHill Suites revealed that 57% of guests would not give up social media on vacation in exchange for a 25% hotel discount!
