LAS VEGAS, May 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Admit it. We've all become completely reliant on mobile devices, including cell phones, laptops, tablets and smartphones. When traveling, whether for business or pleasure, the mobile devices are in hand and we expect to connect, regardless of where we are.
Understanding the needs of the mobile user, Mobilitie LLC and MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) have collaborated with Cisco Systems to create a high-density Wi-Fi network designed to re-define the wireless guest experience. The three companies have developed the highest-performing wireless LAN in the industry, allowing travelers with multiple wireless devices to enjoy high quality Wi-Fi. These new high-tech capabilities put MGM Resorts ahead of the curve with the ability to meet guests' ever-evolving expectations.
MGM Resorts International selected Mobilitie LLC, a leading private telecommunications infrastructure provider, to deploy, own and operate this next-generation, dependable system, which provides superior services including location based and "push" advertising. Advantages of the solution include 30 percent faster connectivity resulting in longer battery life used by mobile devices, automatic Wi-Fi connections that eliminate user hassle, and delivery of customized, relevant and timely offers and information delivered directly to guests' mobile devices.
The Wi-Fi rollout at MGM Resorts' destinations in Las Vegas began with Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage, and all were completed at the end of 2012. Additional Las Vegas resorts, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor and Excalibur, are installing Wi-Fi that will be online by late summer 2013. The installations cover the low-rise public spaces – including pools, casinos, lobbies and restaurants – any place a visitor may wish to have mobile service. An integrated Wi-Fi experience also will soon be available in the guest rooms.
While visiting one of these resorts, guests receive complimentary Wi-Fi in the public spaces with the option to upgrade to higher bandwidth, ensuring that everyone has the mobile experience they want. Hotel guests and meeting attendees enjoy upgraded Wi-Fi.
The Wi-Fi solution includes a state-of the-art interactive way of finding resort maps and on-site promotional offers. Currently available at Bellagio with other resorts to follow, the location-based map provides users with point-by-point directions to nearby restaurants, the nearest coffee shop, retail stores, restrooms and much more. While on property, Wi-Fi users also may receive offer notifications sent to mobile devices for members-only promotions and services for M life, MGM Resorts International's premier rewards program.
Convention Groups
The new Wi-Fi delivers a superior customer service experience for convention attendees as well as the average guest. Regardless of the size, meeting organizers want connectivity for their attendees, who use two devices per person on average. Now meeting groups have the support they need, even for large conventions, with the option to upgrade to a premium-level, guaranteed service. Previously able to offer support for up to 4,000 concurrent users, the new Wi-Fi deployment has the capability to support up to 120,000 concurrent users in Las Vegas and will allow for seamless Wi-Fi roaming between MGM Resorts' properties, regardless of which MGM Resorts' property is hosting the convention.
Another key feature for groups is the ability to customize Wi-Fi networks. Within a specially created, private Wi-Fi network, a meeting organizer can design targeted information, provide notes and reminders, update agendas and communicate last-minute changes and much more, based on the group's individual needs. Sub-groups can even be set up with unique passcodes to limit access to certain information. New user-friendly capabilities for convention groups provide greater control and timely dissemination of information and offers. Sponsor and advertising placements within the custom network are an option for those wanting to offset event costs or provide clients with marketing opportunities. Specialized apps, enabled by Wi-Fi, also are available to provide an added level of information and attendee engagement.
Additional Wi-Fi features include location-based services, so attendees can understand where they are and how to get to their next session or booth. With higher bandwidth available to groups, presentations can be quickly downloaded and streaming video presentations can be uploaded. All these new capabilities allow groups the flexibility they need to create the event they want.
"With our experience building CityCenter in Las Vegas, we learned best practices that we applied in building this new guest network that is the finest in the industry," said John Bollen, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer for MGM Resorts International. "Our resorts are open 24/7, and we needed a company that could deliver guaranteed, high-level service to enhance our premier resorts' offerings. We found that through our partnership with Mobilitie and their use of Cisco Systems wireless network infrastructure. No one else in Las Vegas, and even in the U.S., can offer the unique scale, quantity and quality of wireless services we now have available."
Bryon Davis, Senior Vice President of Wi-Fi Strategy & Operations at Mobilitie said, "The sizable scale and capacity of the solution we have deployed allows MGM Resorts and Mobilitie to start pushing Wi-Fi capabilities beyond comparatively simple mobile Internet connectivity. Now, Wi-Fi is about enabling venues to engage their guests in ways that genuinely improve their experience of a location, yielding a true competitive advantage. Whether it's context-aware social apps, games, messaging or any number of emerging Wi-Fi enabled technologies, this launch is just the tip of the iceberg. We look forward to continuing to help MGM Resorts blaze the trail in this area."
The new Wi-Fi system, designed and deployed by Mobilitie and MGM Resorts, is poised to define the future of wireless Internet experiences at resort destinations by addressing rapidly changing business and consumer demands through unique Wi-Fi services.
About Mobilitie
Mobilitie is a leading provider of in-building wireless infrastructure solutions for public venues throughout the United States. Mobilitie offers wireless carriers and venue owners comprehensive wireless infrastructure solutions, including Wi-Fi, neutral host Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and Small Cell deployments. Mobilitie's networks can improve wireless connectivity in large public venues, including Hospitality, Sporting Arenas, Universities, Retail and Healthcare, where traditional macro coverage is insufficient to meet the growing wireless demands of consumers and venues. Mobilitie offers full turnkey wireless solutions that afford venue owners and carriers an unparalleled degree of financial flexibility and operating transparency. Mobilitie is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. For more information about Mobilitie, please visit www.mobilitie.com or contact our public relations department at 415-939-0139.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at http://www.mgmresorts.com/">mgmresorts.com.