Source: OpenWays

Groundbreaking solution using proven technologies that supports ALL technology platforms

- Bluetooth Smart / 4.0, RFID, Pure NFC and CAC — using existing locks and works with ALL cell phones in the world; Visit OpenWays in Booth 1209 at HITEC

Los Angeles – To respond to the demands of modern travelers for mobile-based check-in solutions, OpenWays, developer of the hospitality industry's first mobile key front-desk bypass solution, is unveiling a true mobile alternative to traditional check-in offering straight-to-the-room service delivery that is sure to "wow" guests across the globe. Today, OpenWays introduces BlueWays©, a mobile key product that is adding the power of Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) and iBeacon® to enable quick and cost efficient deployment, thanks to new upgrade kits made for the major hotel lock brands.

Working in consultation and gaining deployment experiences with several of the world"s leading hospitality companies, OpenWays has meticulously thought through the many issues that must be addressed in order to develop and deploy a mobile key solution that:

  • Creates an outstanding guest experience with the most stringent security available
  • Adds significant value to hotel smart apps and to hoteliers' mobile strategies
  • Allows for scalability, deployment speed and guest mobile phone ubiquity
  • Allows fast and cost efficient upgrades to existing hotel locks
  • Mitigates hoteliers dependency on one lock vendor
  • Drives operational efficiency and helps with core hospitality needs, such as enhancing loyalty membership, marketing communications and even redirecting OTA traffic back to brand.com sites
  • Considers the entire life-cycle of the guest and hotel experience
  • Is robust and flexible enough to work every market and environment
  • Understands the challenges inherent in working in the mobile space from phone companies, to app developers, to brands, to guests
  • Delivers the maximum benefit for minimum investment, and
  • Enhances sustainability efforts

These requirements have led to the introduction of BlueWays© and BlueWays+©.

Adapting Proven Technology

The design for BlueWays© evolved from the technology developed for OpenWays popular residential mobile key solution, OKIDOKEYS. BlueWays© capitalizes on the advancements offered by Bluetooth 4.0. (also referred to as Bluetooth Smart, 4.0 or BLE). These new capabilities enable the BlueWays© receiver to be discreetly placed inside the room and under the lock inside trim where it is virtually invisible. For the highest security, BlueWays© uses OpenWays" end-to-end, best-in-class 256bit AES encryptions.

In the ever-evolving field of mobile, hoteliers express concern over the risks of betting long-term on a single, stagnant technology solution.

With Bluetooth 4.0 / iBeacon® joining the ranks of other technologies coming into play, such as NFC, RFID, CAC, hoteliers are facing an increasingly difficult choice; which technology to bet on? Each of these technologies add their own unique value for different uses in the hospitality field.

Problem Solved with BlueWays+

To avoid the wrong technology investment, OpenWays is introducing BlueWays+©. Whenever hoteliers desire to address more than Bluetooth 4.0 cell phones, they can upgrade to BlueWays+©.

BlueWays+© adds an external wireless wall-mounted receiver which expands the technology capability to include Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, RFID and Crypto-Acoustic Credentials™ (CAC™), which empowers each of the 7 billion cell phones in the world to work with BlueWays©. In addition, BlueWays+© is capable of enabling NFC or RFID cards to provide enhanced security for those without a mobile phone, or enabling waterproof wristbands for children in resort environments. And when the next new technology is created for the mobile space, OpenWays will develop an upgrade to this "+module" to address its use. BlueWays+© also contains door-bell functionality.

"Being the first in the market in 2010, and working to resolve the many issues associated with mobile keys, is enabling OpenWays to come to market with actual experience and the most robust, reliable and deployable solutions on the market," said Pascal Metivier, OpenWays CEO. "We are leveraging our portfolio of intellectual property to ensure the highest quality security and functionality for these solutions without having to make compromises that impact guest experience or security."

Further expounding the virtues of this OpenWays advancement, Peter Klebanoff, SVP of business development for the Americas, said: "With the existing OpenWays line, and now the advent of these new state-of-the-art Bluetooth© technologies — BlueWays© and BlueWays+© — hospitality owners, brands and management companies can implement a single mobile key technology in their mobile applications that can function seamlessly across the globe with any mobile phone and all the major guestroom door locks.

"Imagine the cost of having to change out every door lock, or the complexity of managing a variety of mobile key technologies for a multi-property company," Klebanoff added. "Locks are a mission-critical part of a hospitality company"s loss prevention plan and operate on a different life-cycle than a software-driven solution like a mobile key. For security, economics, and the skill sets of the providers, they need to be integrated yet independent in order to maintain their functional integrity and to remain current with technology. That"s why we"ve developed this open, end-to-end platform that, as we have demonstrated, we continue to enhance to remain current with technology advancements and client needs."

To be relevant to the guest, marketing staff and management of a multi-property operator, it is critical that implementation of a mobile key solution be deployable quickly and ubiquitously across as much of the room-base as possible. It is also critical that it present a consistent user experience to facilitate guest adoption and enable management of the hotel or brands mobile app. The only practical and economically viable way to accomplish such implementation is with a solution that can be added to existing lock mechanisms quickly and easily, almost no matter what lock is currently installed. Lock manufacturers are expert in making locking hardware; OpenWays is expert in developing software and enabling adaptors to enhance that expertise and enable a mobile key solution. That is how OpenWays solutions — including BlueWays© and BlueWays+© — works.

About OpenWays

OpenWays is a global solutions provider of mobile-based access-management and security solutions. With offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seoul and in Europe, 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 7 billion cell phones in service in the world today. For more information, please contact Barb Worcester at +1 440 930-5770 or email [email protected]. More information can be found by visiting www.OpenWays.com.

Barb Worcester
+1 440 930 5770