Unseen networks – improving hotel connectivity without compromising aesthetics

Piers Benjamin, EMEA market development manager IBN, Corning Optical Communications looks at installing connectivity without compromise.

In our increasingly digital world it’s no surprise that delivering reliable networks and high-speed internet are becoming an integral consideration for the hospitality industry.

Today’s hotel guests expect to be able to stream entertainment and video conference with no hiccups and no service-oriented industry can afford to not meet these demands – least of all the hotel industry.

Meeting these expectations isn’t just the reserve of modern, newly built properties but also older hotels and resorts. Here the challenges are amplified – updating network infrastructure to meet growing bandwidth requirements while maintaining a traditional aesthetic brings new complexities.

The job for network designers and manufacturers? Enabling service providers to service the hospitality industry with high-speed broadband and network connectivity, while making the cables virtually disappear.

Out of sight, out of mind

There’s lots of innovation happening in the industry to make this idea of an unseen network a reality. One technique is building micro-replicated features into the cable’s pathway design, which creates an effect called diffuse reflection. When light hits the surface, it is scattered in many angles, making the cable pathway almost disappear.

Minimising the use of glues, staples, plastic raceways, or extra ductwork that could compromise the aesthetics of the building is another core consideration. Cable pathways which provide an adhesive backing can be easily installed on practically any surface and simply require the user to peel back the protective liner and press.

As with any build, proper cable management is essential to prevent attenuation. High-density, space-efficient fibre solutions, such as bend insensitive fibre cables with reduced diameter, are best-in-class here.

Putting this into practice at the Wigwam Resort

The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, has a rich history dating back to 1929. Known for its luxury, it offers three signature dining venues and pools, championship golf courses, and a vast spa over the span of 440 acres. With a century's worth of historical charm, a quality that makes the resort different from its competitors, its network infrastructure required modernisation without compromising on aesthetics.

The resort faced challenges with its existing infrastructure, particularly with end-to-end saturation of internet connectivity. Guests found it difficult to maintain a steady stream of connection upon leaving their rooms. This was of course important to address for guest’s work and relaxation, but also paramount to the facilities back-end staff operations. From check-in process, concierge services, to surveillance cameras and safety control systems, high-bandwidth connectivity is the technological backbone of a high-quality resort.

We worked with the resort to connect and install fibre in every room, enabling saturated connectivity throughout the property. We employed bend-insensitive single-mode fibre, which allows for low latency across large facilities. This fibre was routed into a clear pathway solution with adhesive backing, allowing for fast installation and aesthetic benefits – this enabled the resort to avoid cutting into the walls, while maintaining the resort's ambiance and visual appeal.

The Fibre to the Room (FTTR) approach significantly reduced the need for telecom rooms. The entire property is now efficiently fed by just two racks in the main distribution frame. This not only enabled easier network management, but it also reduced costs associated with maintaining multiple server rooms. To ensure the resort is well-prepared for increasing bandwidth requirements of today and tomorrow, installers deployed three miles of cable across the property.

Why FTTR is an essential amenity

While our work at the Wigwam Resort is a great example of how we can make a FTTR solution work well in a retrofit project, its space-saving benefits are best realised in a new-build hotel. When engaged early, a network designer can take advantage of the ideal placement of intermediate distribution frame (IDF) closets and determine the best number to meet the needs of the establishment.

In practice, using an FTTR approach in a new-build hotel can reduce IDF closet requirements by at least 50% with the benefits increasing at scale. A smaller, 150-room hotel that would otherwise need two could be reduced to one. Whereas a 1,000-room, 40-story hotel that may have planned on 20 IDF closets could manage with 10 or fewer.

As with the Wigwam Resort, with retrofit projects, you will need to work within the current building structure, taking into consideration things like the space constraints of your current IDF closets, and how to get new cabling into the rooms. Thankfully, FTTR architecture lets you take advantage of what precious space you have, adding minimal cabling to already crowded pathways.

Ultimately, whether enhancing an existing property or designing a new one, FTTR empowers hoteliers to create seamless guest experiences, proving that cutting-edge technology can thrive within any framework, from historic retreats to towering new builds.