Nordic Choice Hotels Going Live with OpenWays Mobile Key Front-Desk Bypass solution

Today Nordic Choice Hotels became the first hotel company in Scandinavia to go live with the OpenWays mobile-key front-desk bypass solution. The Comfort Hotel Xpress in Oslo, Norway, is first in the Nordic Choice system to deploy OpenWays Mobile Key combined with the new Saflok 790 RT™ next-generation RFID locking system with factory-installed OpenWays Mobile Key built in. The joint solution is also integrated with Ariane System's Allegro kiosk check-in system, thereby delivering a 100 percent automated self-service check-in experience. OpenWays will continue to be deployed at several Nordic Choice properties in 2011 and 2012.

"We are delighted to report that OpenWays is fully operational in both the United States and Europe, and for the first time in Scandinavia, a new, RFID electronic-locking system with OpenWays Mobile Key built in is being rolled out that adds a new dimension to guest convenience and choice," said Pascal Metivier, OpenWays Founder and CEO. "We are proud that Nordic Choice Hotels has selected OpenWays as the mobile key front-desk bypass solution because of its ubiquitous nature and because it is truly deployable today."

OpenWays provides Comfort Hotel Xpress with a competitive advantage from the moment the guest books their room. The arrival process harnesses the power of mobile technology and uses the principle of Crypto Acoustic Credential (CAC™) and text messaging (SMS) to enable hotel guests to bypass the traditional front desk check-in process and open their room doors using any of the 5.8 billion cell phones in the world -- any make, any mobile network. Mobile Key front-desk bypass solution deployed with Nordic Choice provides more choice and more convenience to guests than ever before.

"The technology deployed at the Comfort Hotel Xpress in Oslo is the first solution today that offers RFID, Mobile Key or both in a single unit out of the box . . . it is the only solution that is fully interoperable with all phones and is network carrier independent . . . and, it is the only truly ubiquitous and deployable front desk bypass solution on the market," Metivier said. "Now guests wishing to zip past the front desk and use their mobile phones as a room key can do so, knowing that they have the option to optionally stop at an automated kiosk to obtain an RFID keycard at any time during their stay."

For a demonstration of how OpenWays is working in the hotel environment, click on this video link: http://online.wsj.com/video/news-hub-mobile-phones-replace-hotel-keys/3A4F23A6-3901-4E86-8CD8-611A604E9FDD.html

Self-Service is Key to Satisfaction, Loyalty

Thomas Westergaard, senior VP of Comfort Hotels for Nordic Choice Hotels, said by adding the OpenWays Mobile Key option to its self-service check-in process, Comfort Hotels are giving even more choices for guests wanting to check-in where, when and how they want. For Nordic Choice Hotels, it gives them a key differentiator and competitive advantage.

"By maximizing the use of new technologies and offering increased self-service options, we are able to cater to the needs of our guests while saving operational costs that can be passed along to them in the form of better rates," he said. "Making OpenWays a part of our self-service culture and integrating their mobile solution with KABA Saflok's RFID electronic-locking system and Ariane Systems' check-in/check-out technology represents a first in the hospitality industry, and we are proud to be setting a new standard."

The innovative software platform developed by the integrating technology partners for Nordic Choice Hotels enables Comfort Xpress guests to check-in on their own terms. Should travelers opt to use their mobile device, they can set-up arrival and departure details, preferences and payment choices. On the day of arrival, guests receive an email/SMS with their room number and options on how to access the room withOpenWays Mobile Key-using their personal cell phone to go straight to their room and unlock the door.

For more information on OpenWays contact Pascal Metivier at ++ 33 6 85 622 306 or email [email protected].

About Nordic Choice Hotels | Nordic Choice Hotels is Scandinavia's largest hotel company, with 170 hotels and more than 9,200 employees. The company's brand names in the Nordic market are Comfort, Quality Hotels, Quality Resort, Clarion Collection and Clarion Hotels, as well as 8 individual brands within Nordic Hotels & Resorts. For more information, please visit www.choicehotels.no

About OpenWays | OpenWays is a global solution provider of mobile-based access-management and security solutions. With offices in Chicago, Las Vegas, Seoul and Paris, OpenWays provides technology solutions allowing for the secure issuance and delivery of access rights and keys processed via any cell phone operating on any network. The OpenWays solution is truly unique as it is built on the concept of credential dematerialization. The OpenWays mobile room key solution works on ALL the 5.8 billion cell phones in service in the world today. For more information, please contact Pascal Metivier at ++ 33 6 85 622 306 or email [email protected] or Barb Worcester at +1 440 930 5770 or email [email protected]. www.openways.com.

About Ariane Systems | Ariane Systems is the world's leading provider of self check-in / check-out technology solutions for the hospitality industry. Founded in 1998 by Michel Lavandier and Laurent Cardot, Ariane now has over 1,600 installations running at hotel properties in 20 countries. Numerous hotel chains utilize Ariane's electronic kiosk solutions to streamline the check-in/out process. These include Accor, B&B Hotels, Choice Hotels, Fasthotel, InterContinental Hotels Group and Starwood Capital's Louvre Hotels, among others.

With corporate headquarters based in Paris, France, Ariane Systems maintains regional offices in the UK, Germany, Spain, Benelux, Scandinavia, the Middle East and North America. For more information, please visit www.ariane.com.

About KABA, Saflok | KABA is a globally active, publicly traded security corporation. With its "Total Access" strategy, KABA specializes in integrated solutions for security, organization, and convenience at building and information access points. KABA is also the world market's number-one provider of key blanks, key cutting and coding machines, transponder keys, and high-security locks. It is a leading provider of electronic access systems, locks, master key systems, hotel locking systems, security doors, and automatic doors. www.kaba.com. Saflok has been a member of KABA since 2006. Saflok is a market innovator with nearly 30 years of experience designing, manufacturing, and distributing electronic locks and systems. Its solutions are installed globally in the hospitality, lodging, multihousing, and commercial markets. Saflok is committed to delivering best-in-class solutions that help properties achieve improved operations and reduced costs. www.saflok.com.