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Under the new agreement, LodgeNet's Professional Solutions Group has been hired to provide the installation support to upgrade the hardware required for DIRECTV's migration of their original HD programming from the MPEG-2 format to MPEG-4. The retrofit operation will be funded by DIRECTV and will be performed at no additional cost to the hotels. In addition to the above, plans are in place to further migrate additional channel offerings later in 2009, and it is anticipated that LodgeNet will manage this execution for DIRECTV as well.
The agreement with DIRECTV comes at the end of a year in which the newly
formed LodgeNet Professional Solutions group has been chosen by numerous
hoteliers to provide technical support and services in designing, managing or
installing the infrastructure to support media and connectivity solutions.
High-definition and broadband Internet technologies present complex issues for
hoteliers wanting to provide the latest high-technology entertainment and
connectivity services to their guests, and many have discovered that planning
and managing these installations is more complex than they had expected.
LodgeNet created its Professional Solutions Group in
Agreements secured by LodgeNet in 2008 include HDTV installations in over 15,000 rooms, broadband conferencing solutions for 25 properties and low voltage wiring implementation in 30 properties. Specific properties covered by the agreements include: The Resort at Pelican Hill, The Breakers, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation, Sheraton Suites San Diego, SpringHill Suites Bridgeton, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort, Agua Caliente Resort and Casino, The Inn at Charles Town, and Great Wolf Lodge Grand Mound.
"The volume of business we have secured to date underscores the growing
demand in our industry for professional advice and implementation to support
hotels with the latest media and connectivity technologies," said
The Professional Solutions Group also manages LodgeNet's exclusive Certified Installation Program. This program helps hoteliers save time and money as they plan and execute their transition to HDTV and includes comprehensive system planning, custom installation, centralized management and final testing so hotels get a system that is certified to function optimally when installation is complete. The Certified Installation program is currently supported by major digital HDTV manufacturers, including LG Electronics and Philips.
About LodgeNet Interactive
LodgeNet Interactive Corporation is the leading provider of media and
connectivity solutions designed to meet the unique needs of hospitality,
healthcare and other guest-based businesses. LodgeNet Interactive serves more
than 1.9 million hotel rooms representing 10,000 hotel properties worldwide in
addition to healthcare facilities throughout
LodgeNet is a registered trademark of LodgeNet Interactive Corporation. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE LodgeNet Interactive Corporation