Success Story

A unified network for Aethos Hotels in Milan

aethos milan

Aethos hotels are a collection of properties that celebrate the particularities of culture. The group was founded on the belief that travel should leave a positive and lasting impact on body and mind. With destinations in Italy, France and Portugal, Aethos is a library of places that celebrate the curiosities of local culture. Here's a look back at the Milan-based establishment's connectivity.

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// ISSUES

Aethos Milan (formerly The Yard) joined the Aethos Group in 2021. The property has undergone several expansions, and the network infrastructure has changed with each one. The result was a network with little logic or structure , often with a dedicated network infrastructure for each department (for example, one for the hotel section and one for the new restaurant section). The Aethos group called on Wifirst to update this infrastructure, which was no longer adapted to Aethos brand standards.

During the audit phases, we found unmanaged switches inside the false ceilings, rather dangerous at the electrical level. Information on the various network points was missing, so it was impossible to know which cable terminations were working and which were not. WiFi and network access were via WPA, so the network could easily be attacked. There was no access control either.

// SOLUTION

Wifirst's WAN network was installed with a 1 Gbps main fiber and a 100 Mbps FO as backup, so that Aethos would have connectivity under all circumstances; i.e. even in the event of a problem on the main line.

The entire network infrastructure was reviewed, implementing a new design with new cabling unifying the various networks so as to have a single unified network used for all services: WiFi Guest, WiFi Staff, front office and back office wired network, POS catering, CCTV, and the audio system. We installed new hardware (switches and access points) with the latest WiFi 6 technology to guarantee better coverage and performance.

Finally, to enhance the guest experience and the quality of the service offering, we installed our Stream & Cast solution in all rooms.

// RESULT

The hotel now has a new converged network on which the various services for guests and staff (WiFi, CCTV, PMS, POS, Audio) are based. As a true technical foundation, the infrastructure is ready for the implementation of all the new innovations envisaged for the hotel: VoIP, automated access control and all other future technologies.

"Because our destinations invite guests to escape, connectivity in our hotels must be flawless. Wifirst was able to offer us a "unified" mode solution that proved to meet our needs, both for the customer experience and for the level of security required on the business side."
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Alex Haas

VP of Operations, Aethos Hotels

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