You check in to your hotel, or are maybe sitting in the lobby enjoying a coffee, and want to check your emails. Everywhere you go nowadays, there’s a Wi-Fi network that you can log onto, and usually for free. Many hotels however tend to have a charge for this, which begs the question, how much does it actually cost to install Wi-Fi in a hotel?

It’s an absolute given that all hotels must provide their guests with Wi-Fi, so naturally one of the first things any hotel wants to know about a Wi-Fi installation is how much is it going to cost.  This is often a tricker question than it seems, because there’s no such thing as “one size fits all” Wi-Fi, at least not yet.  A full consultation is necessary to be able to give exact estimates – good Wi-Fi deployment needs to be personalized for a business.

The simplest network architecture these days is virtualised.  In such a setup, such as one using Bluesocket, the WiFi Access Points (APs) themselves are effectively all a location needs.  There’s no need for an expensive central server or controller.

In setups like these, a single Bluesocket AP will cost between approximately £300-£550 depending on its features.  Then those costs go up according to how many APs are being installed.

However, there are other elements that come into play; Here are some other elements that may influence the kind of Wi-Fi architecture your hospitality business installs.

Three Major Factors Influencing The Costs Of Hotel Wi-Fi

1 – Wall Thickness

As you’ll see from one of our instagram posts from a little while back, this is a factor not always considered when setting up Wi-Fi. The walls in a hotel are quite often literally a barrier to reliable WiFi service. The thing with hotels is that guests expect almost soundproof environments, which generally requires walls that are either thicker or extra-reinforced with elements like concrete to reduce their noise-transmission.

Unfortunately, such measures also limit their Wi-Fi transmission.  Depending on the thickness and material composition in your walls, to provide a reliable service as well as quiet rooms, you may have to invest in more powerful antennas to “punch through” the walls.

2 –  Larger Location Size

Hotels that cover large pieces of land may have issues spreading service across their location.  For one thing, no “Wireless” network is truly wire-free.  At the least, there’ll be a cable coming in from the outside world, providing the Internet service.  You may also need wires across distances too far for Wi-Fi to reach.

And, there are hard limits on how long those cables can be, especially when dealing with copper.   Generally, a copper Ethernet cable can only reach about 100 meters before signal interference becomes a major issue.

There are a few options to overcome these issues:

• Signal boosters/repeaters every ~100m to keep the signal strong.
• Optical cabling, which can stretch for kilometers with minimal signal loss.
• A larger network of virtualized APs, spreading the signal between themselves.
• ADTRAN ActivReach products, which allow for copper wiring up to around 400 meters.

Of course, having to use these options may add to the final cost.

3 – Number of APs

So how many AP’s do you really need?  Not enough and you end up with spotty or unreliable service, but too many are just a waste of money – especially when they’re circa £400 each.

The best option here is usually to hire a specialist in networking design.  They can quickly survey your operations and create a “heatmap” of network usage at your location.  This is also combined with signal-strength measurements designed to avoid common sources of interference, such as microwaves or Bluetooth office products.

A single consultation can create a tight, well-optimized network that provides the coverage you need with a minimum of access points.

Pre-Owned Equipment Lowers Your Costs

Despite the extra challenges that may face a hotel installing Wi-Fi, there’s a simple way to keep costs down:  Buying pre-owned.  This is perfect for business on a budget! The recent boom in networking has created an equally booming trade in certified/refurbished hardware.

And don’t worry – Refurbished pre-owned hardware is still warrantied and guaranteed, so it’s also as safe as buying new.

Unless they are truly a five-star establishment, there are few reasons a hospitality business would need brand-new top-grade hardware.  Otherwise, hardware that’s just a year or two old can be had for huge discounts over buying new.  Sometimes, you can even trade in existing hardware for more savings.

To find out more about our work in the hospitality trade, have a look at our website https://geekabit.co.uk/ or contact us via any of the below. We are the UK’s specialist Wi-Fi consultants and can help your business with Wi-Fi Site Surveys, Planning and Design, Installation and much more.

Contact us: London 0203 322 2443 | Cardiff: 02920 676 712 | Winchester: 01962 657 390 |  info@geekabit.co.uk

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