900 hotels in France will be Wi-Fi hotspots

PARIS -- At least 300 Accor hotels will be equipped as Wi-Fi hotspots by the end of the year. France Telecom and Orange France have announced a strategic alliance with Accor to deploy their network of Wi-Fi hotspots in 900 Sofitel, Mercure, Libertel, Suitehotel, Ibis, Etap Hotel and Formule 1 economy, midscale and upscale hotels in metropolitan France. 

France Telecom said the agreement reflects the company's commitments to market Wi-Fi services that are secure, easy-to-use, and provide superior performance. It will make Orange the leading Wi-Fi provider in France, with the largest network of hotel, airport and other hotspots deployed at the end of 2003.

Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) is a wireless technology that delivers the convenience of broadband anywhere, anytime. Base stations linked to the France Telecom network allow users to connect to the Internet and corporate information systems, enabling seamless use of all types of data transfer applications.

Orange France said its service will meet the highest quality-of-service, security and user interface standards:

• The interface is very easy to use, in compliance with Accor and Orange specifications.
• Transmitted data will be secured end-to-end by the IPSec protocol, as well as via the SIM card used by Orange’s PC Enterprise plan.
• The network will be supervised, with guaranteed time-to-recovery.

Customers, whether or not they are Orange subscribers, can access the high-speed Internet using pre-paid cards sold at the Accor hotel reception desk. In addition, Orange has agreed to open roaming service to other Wi-Fi operators.

Business travelers

These new services will be intended for Accor customers, and especially business travelers. They will enable users to connect easily to the Internet and e-mail services. The Wi-Fi network will be deployed in common areas, such as lobbies and bars, in meeting rooms and in certain rooms. Orange will train Accor employees and supply on-site marketing materials, such as Accor/Orange signs.

The deployment timetable calls for 50 hotels to be equipped by June 30 and 300 by the end of the year. Among the 50 first-half sites will be the hotels hosting customers for the 2003 World Athletics Championship in St. Denis, north of Paris, which Accor is helping to sponsor.

By joining with France Telecom, Accor said it will be the first hospitality group to offer this high-value added service.

Orange France is a subsidiary of Orange SA, which comprises all of France Telecom’s mobile communications activities worldwide. It is France’s leading mobile operator, with 49.8% of the market and 19.2 million customers at December 31, 2002.

With 150,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities: hotels: 3,836 hotels (441,281 rooms) in 90 countries, casinos, travel agencies, and restaurants; and, services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 13 million people in 32 countries use a broad range of services (food vouchers, people care and services, incentive, loyalty programs, events) engineered and managed by Accor.