Hilton Hotels Corp. Teams With San Diego Firm To Offer Internet Access In Hotel Lobbies
Hilton Hotels Corp. teams with San Diego firm to offer Internet access in hotel lobbies
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif / Continuing to take a lead position in the hospitality industry, Hilton Hotels Corp. has signed an agreement with San Diego-based Infone to provide quick Internet access via new public Internet phones.
Created by Infone, the public Internet phones, known as Infone Stations, will allow Hilton guests to stay connected while away from home or the office.
Through Infone Stations, people can gain full access to e-mail or the World Wide Web quickly and easily by purchasing Internet time with a credit card (or an Infone Internet Access Card). A customer simply "swipes" a credit card at the Infone Station and through the use of a touch screen, follows easy instructions, much like using an Automated Teller Machine or public phone.
"Hilton is very pleased to be the first major hotel chain to offer this technology to our guests who desire fast, efficient Internet connectivity while away from the office," said Robert E. Dirks, senior vice president of marketing for Hilton Hotels.
"This represents another example of our commitment to serving the needs of business travelers by enabling them to be more productive through the use of technology provided within our hotels."
Through Infone Stations, Hilton guests will also be able to access
More than 60 Infone Stations are scheduled to be installed in U.S. Hilton hotel lobbies and public areas throughout the next few months. Infone and Hilton have conducted successful testing of Infone Stations at the San Diego Hilton Beach and Tennis Resort and San Diego Mission Valley Hilton since December 1996.
"We are delighted that Hilton has taken the lead in providing a key service that we know will become increasingly critical in the very near future," said Timothy White, CEO and president of Infone. "All of our research indicates an increasing dependence on the Internet among business travelers as a means of daily communications."
The San Diego firm also expects that mainstream consumers will soon demand access to the Internet. Infone's Public Internet Access Stations were designed to be user friendly so that consumers who are unfamiliar with computers feel comfortable using the technology.
It is expected that vacationing guests at U.S. Hilton hotels will use Infone Stations to try the Internet for the first time, as well as stay in touch with loved ones.
Additional information about the Infone Internet Access Network can be accessed on the Internet at
Hilton Hotels is recognized internationally as the pre-eminent gaming and hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises hotel-casinos, resorts and vacation ownership and hotel properties.
Reservations can be made at more than 400 Hilton, Conrad International and Vista hotels worldwide on the Internet at