Wifirst provides Aethos Hotels with a fully converged network that allows it to grow, at its own pace
Aethos Hotels overview
Aethos is an international community of hotels and member clubs in Europe and was founded on the belief that travel and hospitality should leave a positive and lasting impact on the body, mind, and spirit. With destinations in Italy, France, Portugal and more opening soon, Aethos is a library of places that celebrate the curiosities of local culture.
The Challenge
Aethos Milan was acquired by Aethos Hotels in 2021 from an art collector (formerly The Yard); the facility had undergone several expansions over the years, and the network infrastructure went through several installation phases with additions to both space and services. As a result, a network with little logic or structure, no documentation, consisting of multiple unconnected networks was in place, with connectivity provided by two different lines, one for the hotel and one for the new restaurant. Wifirst was called on to update this infrastructure, which was no longer suited to the standards of the Aethos brand.
During the survey phases, we found unmanaged switches inside the false ceilings, a highly dangerous solution. Information about the various network points was absent, so it was impossible to know the various cable terminations or which were working and which were not. WiFi and network access was via WPA, so the network could be easily attacked. There was also no access control.
The Solution
To solve their network infrastructure disparities, Wifirst’s own WAN network was installed. With 1 main fibre line of 1 Gbps and another fibre with 100Mbps as a backup, Aethos can now rely on an automatic backup in case of problems on the main line.
Before installation was to begin, the entire network infrastructure had to be reviewed, implementing a new design with new cabling that would unify the various networks so that Aethos could have a single converged network used for all services: Guest WiFi, Staff WiFi, front office and back office wired network, POS catering, CCTV and the audio system. Wifirst installed new hardware (switches and access points) with the latest WiFi 6 technology so that better coverage and higher performance could be guaranteed.
Finally, to improve the guest experience and higher quality of service offering, Wifirst installed it's Stream & Cast solution in all the guest rooms.
The Results
The property now has a new converged network on which the various services for clients and staff are provided (WiFi, CCTV, PMS, POS, Audio) and is ready for the implementation of new digital solutions that the property is considering like VoIP or access control, as well as any other future technologies.
Since our destinations invite you to escape, the connectivity in our hotels must be flawless. Wifirst was able to offer us a solution in “unified” mode which proved to meet our needs, both for the customer experience and for the level of security required on the business side. Alex Haas, VP of Operations, Aethos Hotels
About Wifirst
Wifirst is the European leader in managed WiFi for professionals. The operator deploys and operates high-performance, secure and sustainable "as a service" connectivity solutions. Its know-how and technologies appeal to IT decision-makers from the largest companies and public organisations (AccorHotels, Havas, The French Ministry of the Army, Norauto, The Ascott, etc.) In 2023, Wifirst joined the Next40: a program from the Ministry of Economy which identifies the most promising companies of the French tech ecosystem. Headquartered in Paris, Wifirst operates across 29 countries and is present in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Germany where it has acquired the German operator Hotsplots, specialising in on-board WiFi solutions. For more information: www.wifirst.co.uk.
Alessandro Fenzl
Country Manager Italy
Wifirst
