Seamless Wi-Fi on the Seven Seas:

ANTlabs Powers Elcome and Starlink Partnership

The maritime industry has long struggled with delivering reliable, high-speed internet at sea. In an era where staying connected is vital for quality of life at sea, Elcome International, a leading maritime systems integrator, partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to offer a revolutionary satellite broadband service. At the core of this solution is ANTlabs’ SG5 Gateway and ASP Cloud Wi-Fi Services Management platform, enabling seamless connectivity and advanced bandwidth controls that are powerful and flexible for maritime vessels worldwide.

The Challenge

Providing internet connectivity at sea has traditionally been an expensive and limited endeavor. Maritime operators faced challenges such as:

• High Costs: Legacy systems imposed high fees on operators and users, restricting widespread access.
• Limited User Control: Absence of robust tools for bandwidth management, prepaid systems, or volume tracking caused inefficiencies.
• Poor User Experience: Frequent connectivity interruptions and lack of roaming capabilities frustrated users.
• Fragmented Solutions: With various Wi-Fi vendors providing access points across fleets, operators needed a unified platform capable of integrating diverse systems seamlessly.

To address these, Elcome required a robust backend solution that could pair with Starlink’s low-latency satellite service. ANTlabs delivered the critical components to make this a reality.

The Solution: ANTlabs’ Role

Elcome launched its groundbreaking “WELCOME” internet service in mid-2024, powered by Starlink’s satellite technology and ANTlabs’ Wi-Fi Services infrastructure. Officially unveiled during a press release in Dubai, the service represents a milestone for maritime connectivity with availability in all international waters and territorial waters of 70 countries. The service boasts bandwidth of up to 350 Mbps and average latency below 99ms.

ANTlabs’ Contributions

1. SG5 Gateways: High-performance gateway devices connecting onboard users to the Starlink satellite network. Robust security and seamless integration with Elcome’s maritime systems.
2. ASP Wi-Fi Services Management Platform:

• Prepaid Internet Plans: Enables users to purchase data bundles or subscriptions at prices starting from $3, ensuring cost-effective access.
• Efficient Volume Tracking and Analytics: Operators and users alike benefit from data updates every minute, ensuring near real-time monitoring
• Roaming Capabilities: Users can retain their data plans when switching vessels.
• Payment Gateway Integration: Offers seamless online payment options.  Multiple payment options make access simple and stress-free, including seamless Stripe payment integration to ensure safe and secure transactions at sea.

What sets ANTlabs apart is its unique combination of deep R&D expertise and proven leadership in delivering connectivity solutions for hospitality and telecommunications industries. With over two decades of innovation, ANTlabs has been a trusted partner for hotel groups, Telcos, and ISPs, delivering scalable, user-centric solutions that set industry standards. Applying this extensive experience to the maritime sector has enabled ANTlabs to solve complex connectivity challenges with unmatched reliability and flexibility.

These solutions form the backbone of WELCOME’s service delivery, providing connectivity to over 1,500 vessels by late 2024, with plans for thousands more in 2025.

Impact and Results

Since its launch, WELCOME has significantly improved the quality of internet access for crew members at sea:

• Enhanced Crew Welfare: Crew members enjoy consistent, high-speed connectivity to stay in touch with family, access entertainment, and participate in online learning.
• Roaming Benefits: With WELCOME, crew members can use the data they purchase on one WELCOME-equipped vessel on another, ensuring seamless connectivity as they move between ships.
• Collaborative Opportunities: Elcome plans to partner with content and service providers to extend the reach of their products via WELCOME, further enriching the crew’s experience.

Voices from the Frontline

“We are excited to introduce WELCOME, a game-changing maritime internet service that will revolutionize how ships and offshore installations stay connected at sea.” – Asneed Ameer, Senior Manager Connectivity at Elcome (Elcome International).

Key Features at a glance

• High-Speed Internet: With bandwidth of up to 350 Mbps and average latency below 99ms, the WELCOME service ensures efficient communication and data transfer at sea.
• Flexible Payment Options: Affordable and customizable prepaid plans starting at $3 cater to diverse user needs.
• Roaming Across Vessels: Seamless connectivity for crew members who frequently change ships, ensuring they stay connected as they move.
• Global Coverage: The service is available in all international waters and the territorial waters of over 70 countries.
• Enhanced Crew Experience: Partnerships with content and service providers will offer additional benefits, extending access to entertainment, education, and more.
• Vendor Agnostic: Seamlessly integrates with diverse Wi-Fi access solutions, enabling broad scalability across fleets.

Conclusion

ANTlabs is proud to have provided the technological foundation behind Elcome’s WELCOME service, combining advanced satellite capabilities with user-centric features. By enabling high-speed internet access, cost-effective prepaid models, and real-time management tools, ANTlabs empowers Elcome to redefine personal connectivity at sea. As the rollout continues across thousands of vessels, ANTlabs remains committed to driving innovation and supporting the maritime industry’s digital transformation. With unmatched R&D capabilities and a proven track record of solving connectivity challenges, ANTlabs stands as the technology leader uniquely equipped to deliver global-scale solutions that enhance the onboard experience for crew and passengers alike.

Full disclosure: This article was written with a little help from AI—think of it as having Lt. Data from the Starship Enterprise assist with the writing. Seamless, precise, and a bit futuristic—just like the Wi-Fi we’re rolling out across the Seven Seas!

Musings of a Discerning (and Nerdy) Traveller:

How Breakfast Reminds Me of Hotel Wi-Fi

Okay, hear me out: As a self-proclaimed hotel tech nerd (occupational hazard, I know) who travels a lot, I’ve developed a particular appreciation for the details that turn a routine stay into something exceptional. Crisp satin sheets—Madonna was onto something there—paired with a pillow menu for neck support, refillable Nespresso capsules at the ready, and a “fix it in 20 minutes” attitude that keeps everything running smoothly. While most guests might swoon over skyline views or sip on a crisp, easy-drinking Prosecco, my inner geek is drawn to something else entirely.

I see guest experiences like breakfast buffets through a distinctly geeky lens—think user authentication, QoS, and integrated PMS databases. If that sounds strange, well, you’ve clearly never compared your Eggs Royale to retrieving elite status membership from the PMS. Let’s fix that.

Picture this scenario: It’s early morning, and I head down to the hotel’s breakfast buffet, looking forward to a decent meal before a day packed with meetings and emails. At the entrance stands a grinning trainee-of-the-day. She’s holding a clipboard and chirps, “Good morning, Sir. Room number, please?”

Under my breath, I mutter, “Ah… a cheap or no HSIA gateway,” referring to High-Speed Internet Access—just as an online gateway checks your credentials before granting you web access, this trainee is essentially a human “portal” controlling my entry to breakfast. I provide my room number (like inputting a username), she checks a printout (a low-tech guest database), ticks a box (permission granted), and waves me in.

Doesn’t even authenticate my credentials,” I grumble quietly. Simple enough, sure, but still something’s missing.

But as I navigate the buffet stations, I realize there’s indeed something missing—no recognition that it’s my 20th stay at the hotel, no personalized greeting, no sense that I’m anything more than “Room Number X.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not expecting a VIP trumpet fanfare, but it’s a bit like having to log into a captive portal every single morning. I have “access” to the service (breakfast), but no memory of who I am, no saved settings, and no elite-user bandwidth. It’s just a one-size-fits-all login that grants me entry but offers none of the personalization I’ve earned. I’m being treated the same as a one-time tourist from the tour group that just arrived last night. I might be tempted to quote my neighbor’s room number next time, just to test the system. 😉

Now, let’s fast-forward to the next day. The trainee calls in sick. This time, the duty manager is at the entrance—think of this as an upgraded HSIA gateway, one that’s integrated with the property management system (PMS) and loyalty database. The moment I show up, I get a warm, “Welcome back! Glad to see you again.” Suddenly, I’m not just a room number. “Ah-ha! This is a better HSIA gateway with auto-relogin and seamless PMS integration. Facial recognition too?” I muse. It’s as if the network has recognized my device and credentials from yesterday, automatically granting me higher QoS (Quality of Service) and remembering that I’m a returning “user” with premium privileges. No re-entering details, no guessing who I am—just seamless, automated recognition.

Let’s take it a step further. Later in the week, with 95% occupancy—it’s all hands on deck—and the Executive Lounge Supervisor steps in to help at breakfast. She spots me and says, “Hi, Mr. Ang. Not breakfast in the Lounge today? Missing your Eggs Royale, I presume?” I grin, “Well, I felt like exploring the main buffet’s selections and indulging in some carbs at the noodle station today.” Without missing a beat, she offers to have the Lounge chef whip up my usual—extra hollandaise, extra smoked salmon, no muffin Eggs Benedict—still respecting my low-carb preferences. “We’ll have them sent down in about 10 minutes,” she says, ensuring that I can enjoy my favorite dish here in the main restaurant. “Ah, they are using our ANTlabs HSIA gateway with the Guest Experience platform,” I noted with glee, maintaining my composure. It’s as if this “intelligent system” (the hotel’s integrated IT infrastructure and loyalty membership database) has cached my preferences, dietary quirks, and past orders. Every staff member is effectively connected to the same central “profile server,” no matter their department or role. No re-authentication, no awkward “Actually, I’m a Diamond member” explanations. Instead, the experience flows smoothly, like a well-orchestrated suite of backend services instantly retrieving my data and applying it wherever I log in.

Of course, not every property can count on having a seasoned lounge supervisor at every breakfast shift, and with inevitable staff turnover, ensuring that even a new trainee can access a guest’s profile on demand is priceless.  But with the right IT system, you can empower any team member to be instantly “brought up to speed,” replicating that personal touch and guest familiarity no matter who’s on duty.

Before you think I’m stretching the analogy too far, hear me out again: Surveys consistently show that breakfast and Wi-Fi are among the most important factors for travelers. If the hotel let anyone walk into the breakfast buffet unchecked, they’d run out of premium fare in no time, turning a special perk into a chaotic free-for-all. Likewise, if Wi-Fi were open to the entire neighborhood, legitimate guests would struggle with sluggish speeds. Authentication, integration with loyalty programs, and differentiated service ensure that the right people enjoy the right benefits—maintaining quality and exclusivity for those who matter most.

Here’s another thought: I spend maybe 30 to 45 minutes at the breakfast buffet, but I’m glued to my laptop or phone for hours each evening—working, streaming, and video-calling loved ones. My engagement with Wi-Fi far exceeds my time at the buffet, so shouldn’t the quality of connectivity command at least as much attention (and budget) as breakfast?

In fact, it may cost less to provide quality Wi-Fi and personalized digital services for an entire year than what the breakfast operation spends on gourmet coffee beans and teas in a single month. When you break it down, the investment in IT infrastructure, loyalty integration, and personalized service is not just a hospitality nicety—it’s a strategic, cost-effective move that pays off in loyalty, satisfaction, and glowing word-of-mouth.

If I know I’m getting a carefully curated experience all around, I’m not going to ditch this hotel for a modest discount elsewhere. I’ll happily remain a loyal guest, indulging in Eggs Royale one day and working over blazing-fast Wi-Fi the next—because both the culinary and the digital experiences are tailored just for me.

Full disclosure: I used AI to help fine-tune my ideas and even generate the accompanying image. But rest assured, the Eggs Royale scenario—and the way I savor them—are 100% my own invention. The geeky analogies linking breakfast buffets and Wi-Fi were mine as well. No AI yet can replicate my low-carb preferences or extra hollandaise indulgences!

#Hospitality #HotelTech #GuestExperience #LoyaltyPrograms #DigitalTransformation #HSIA #HotelWi-Fi #ANTlabsHospitality

Unlocking Hotel IT: A Game-Changer for Guest Experience

The Luxury Paradox: Why IT Often Falls Behind

As a frequent business traveler, I’ve had the privilege of staying in some of the most luxurious hotels across the globe. Each time I walk into a hotel room, I’m greeted by a meticulously designed space where every detail—from the plush bed to the invigorating shower—exceeds the comforts of home. The room service is impeccable, and the guest services are always a phone call away, ready to cater to my every need. And while we’re talking about impressive service, let’s not forget that a plumber and aircon repair person on call 24/7 and arriving within 15-20 minutes is nothing short of amazing! It’s the epitome of luxury, and yet, there’s one aspect that consistently falls short: the IT infrastructure.

Despite the lavish amenities, the IT experience in most hotels is often lackluster compared to what I have at home. Think about it: I enjoy a blazing 10Gbps FTTH connection at home, secure access to my Wi-Fi 7 router, and seamless casting to my big-screen TV. In contrast, hotel Wi-Fi is often slow, inconsistent, and requires re-authentication (depending on which HSIA solution). Casting content from my phone to the hotel TV, if possible, is usually a frustrating process involving outdated technology.

The TikTok Generation’s Expectations: More Than Meets the Wi-Fi 😉

For today’s travelers, especially the Gen Zs and the TikTok generation, this disparity is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a deal-breaker. This demographic has grown up with technology as an integral part of their lives, and their expectations are sky-high. They’re not just looking for a place to sleep; they want an experience that complements their digitally connected lifestyle. If a hotel can’t provide that, they’ll quickly turn to one that can.

Bridging the Gap: Integrating Loyalty Programs with IT

Moreover, there’s another critical aspect that many hotels overlook: the integration of IT infrastructure with loyalty programs. In an industry known for high turnover and fierce competition for manpower, it’s all too common for guest preferences to be overlooked or for elite status to go unrecognized. While long-serving staff members might remember returning guests and their preferences, a new intern or less experienced staff member often lacks the knowledge or empowerment to provide the personalized service elite members expect. This can lead to frustrating experiences where the frequent traveler feels undervalued and their requests mishandled.

By integrating loyalty program databases with the hotel’s IT services, hotels can ensure that a guest’s preferences and status are immediately recognized, no matter who is attending to them. Imagine walking into your room to find a QR code for ordering room service (with elite status discounts applied) or submitting service requests via an app or web portal that auto-fills your preferences from the last stay, making it easy to get what you need without picking up the phone.

Small Investments, Big Impact: The Case for IT Upgrades

Here’s a perspective that may surprise you: the investment required to upgrade IT infrastructure is often a fraction of what hotels spend on other luxury amenities. For instance, the cost of implementing a high-speed Wi-Fi network with modern digital service solutions might be comparable to, or even less than, the annual expenditure on premium coffee beans for the hotel’s restaurant or the routine deep cleaning of carpets. These investments in IT not only enhance guest satisfaction but also offer long-term value that can significantly boost a hotel’s reputation and guest loyalty.

In an era where physical luxury is becoming increasingly standardized across brands, the next frontier of competition lies in the digital experience. And this is where IT infrastructure comes into play.

Future-Proofing Hospitality: Embracing IT for Long-Term Success

This is where companies like ANTlabs come in. As a leader in providing cutting-edge solutions for the hospitality industry, ANTlabs understands the critical role that robust IT infrastructure plays in enhancing the guest experience. From high-speed internet access to seamless TV casting and integrating digital service requests via QR codes and apps with the loyalty membership system and property management system, ANTlabs offers a suite of hospitality solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s tech-savvy travelers.

Imagine a hotel where the Wi-Fi is as fast and reliable as what guests have at home, where they can easily cast their favorite shows from their devices to the in-room TV with just a tap, and where QR codes enable quick ordering of room service or submission of service requests. Such features might seem like small incremental upgrades, but they can significantly enhance the guest experience, making their stay not just comfortable, but memorable.

Conclusion

Investing in robust IT infrastructure is no longer optional; it’s essential. Hotels that recognize this and take proactive steps to upgrade their technology will not only meet but exceed the expectations of their tech-savvy guests. They’ll create an environment where the digital experience matches—or even surpasses—the luxury of the physical space.

For the hospitality industry, this is an opportunity to differentiate in a highly competitive market. By prioritizing IT infrastructure, hotels can ensure that their guests feel as connected and comfortable as they do at home, if not more so. This isn’t just about keeping up with the times—it’s about staying ahead of the curve and setting new standards for what it means to offer a truly exceptional stay.

As we move forward, the hotels that invest in their IT infrastructure and integrate it with their loyalty programs will be the ones that win the loyalty of the next generation of travelers. And in a world where guest satisfaction is the ultimate measure of success, this is an investment that will pay off in more ways than one.

End Credits:

In the spirit of full transparency—and because honesty is always the best policy—I’d like to thank my AI co-author for its tireless work on this article. While I was busy sipping hotel room coffee and reminiscing about my latest travels, my AI sidekick was feverishly ensuring my grammar was flawless, my arguments were sharp, and my puns were (mostly) on point.

Yes, you heard that right—this article was brought to life with a little help from AI. But don’t worry, no robots were harmed (or overworked) in the making of this post. Just a digital assistant doing its part to help me sound smarter and save time. If you think this article was a tad bit longer than necessary, well, that’s because it’s my style and I’ve edited the drafts just the way I like it. Again, a demonstration that technology should be used to make things work easier for me and you.

So, the next time you’re enjoying seamless Wi-Fi or using a QR code to order room service in a hotel room, just remember: technology is here to make everything better, even blog posts. And if my AI co-author keeps this up, it might just ask for a raise—or at least a coffee break.

Revolutionizing Hospitality Technology: The Impact of Digital Onboarding for Competitive Advantage

Introduction

I had an interesting observation before a recent business trip. It struck me that when I step into a hotel room, every facet of hospitality surpasses the comforts of my own home. There’s 24-hour room service, daily housekeeping, and even the swift arrival of an aircon technician if needed. It’s a haven of comfort, luxury, and convenience.

On the other hand, every aspect of the hotel network will pale in comparison to what I enjoy at home without fail, even in the most luxurious suites. In my humble abode, I revel in a dedicated broadband connection or Fiber to the Home (FTTH) link that boasts speeds of 1 or even 2 Gbps. My home Wi-Fi connection is secure, and I can upgrade the router every 2 to 3 years. I have a second large LED monitor for my laptop to work on. Streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube keep me entertained and snacking late at night. A Covid-era colour inkjet printer is on standby.

So, why can’t we have the best of both worlds in a hotel room? With Digital Onboarding and a secure Wi-Fi profile, we could seamlessly connect to the hotel network. Likewise, having the capability to cast my content to the room TV securely would enable me to utilize my personal subscriptions for the latest episodes or stream my favourite Spotify and YouTube tunes. I can even request for housekeeping and room service online. Picture it: ordering room service, sipping on drinks, and indulging in the latest episodes in the lap of luxury.

The bar for hospitality is set so high in a luxury hotel that as an everyday consumer I cannot surpass it, and yet I easily outspend the hotel on consumer tech which surely is a minimal percentage a large hotel spends on coffee beans a month. From such a low base, the returns from an incremental investment in digital services far outstrip the increment returns to upgrade the already high hospitality aspect.

If we could indeed merge exceptional hospitality with efficient technology, wouldn’t that be a game-changer for the post-COVID era and the tech-savvy TikTok generation?

ANTlabs and Our Journey

Welcome to the future of hospitality, where technology meets exceptional guest experiences. At ANTlabs, we envision a transformative path that leverages Digital Onboarding to redefine how hotels engage with their guests and deliver digital services to deepen guest engagement and customer loyalty. In this blog, we embark on our journey through the Hospitality 2.0 Pyramid. This is a strategic framework, where the key to success lies in seamlessly integrating technology and hospitality, unlocking competitive advantage.

ANTlabs Hospitality 2.0 Pyramid

ANTlabs has over two decades of expertise in hospitality, collaborating with Telcos and service providers. Our technology, including internet gateways and Cloud Wi-Fi management platforms, has powered guest Wi-Fi solutions worldwide. Notably, our networking solutions played a vital role in facilitating connectivity during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, arguably the world’s largest hospitality event in recent history.

We use the Hospitality 2.0 Pyramid to systematically deconstruct the guest’s digital journey across diverse sectors, encompassing hotels, airports, stadiums, and F&B retail. At its core lies Digital Onboarding, the cornerstone upon which exceptional guest experiences are constructed.

Digital Onboarding: The Foundation for Excellence

Digital Onboarding, a seamless guest registration process, extends beyond mere Wi-Fi connectivity. It encompasses an array of user-friendly steps, including app downloads and enticing incentives for loyalty program enrollment, setting the stage for an unforgettable stay.

User Identification: A Crucial Step

Moving up the pyramid, User Identification is a pivotal phase where the recognition of users on the network takes center stage. The absence of authenticated user devices destroys the capacity to provide personalized and distinctive services.

User Recognition allows the network to associate a guest’s identity and elite member status, allowing for personalization while ensuring privacy. This is achieved via integration through the PMS interface, loyalty program databases, identity management solutions, or a combination of the above.

User Engagement: Elevating the Experience

In the middle of the pyramid, User Engagement comes into play where personalized interactions through digital services and apps enhance guest convenience and overall satisfaction.  For example, the use of AI Chatbots or just simple messaging maintains a high-tech, high-touch hospitality experience, in the absence of a trained and experienced guest relations officer.  As a returning customer, I am always vexed by talking with interns or inexperienced operators who don’t understand what I want.  In a previous stay, I didn’t have the same issue.  The use of technology can mitigate the global hospitality staff shortage and maintain a high level of guest relations.

Provision of Digital Services: Enriching the Journey with Digital Onboarding

At the pyramid’s peak lies the Provision of Digital Services. Here, the focus shifts to crafting tailored offerings and streamlining service requests and delivery, resulting in a memorable guest experience.   For example, elite status members may be entitled to premium Wi-Fi speeds, allocated public IP addresses, enjoy secured Wi-Fi connectivity, and even web filtering services on the hotel Wi-Fi network for better security.  Other services can include casting user content like NetFlix to the in-room large-screen TV, seamless access to chatbots for service requests, and many more.

The Power of Seamless Onboarding: Increasing Loyalty Program and App Adoption

This logical diagram visually illustrates how the onboarding process can increase loyalty program sign-ups and app downloads. Through Digital Onboarding, a Passpoint or Hotspot 2.0 compatible Wi-Fi profile can be effortlessly stored on the guest’s device, guaranteeing seamless login and roaming privileges within the hotel group.

Guests should be incentivized to download and install the hotel app, accept the Wi-Fi profile, and participate in the loyalty program. This strategic approach maximizes guest engagement and lays the foundation for comprehensive digital service delivery.

Merging Hospitality with Technology

The anecdote that started our journey highlights a crucial point: we deserve the best of both worlds, especially in a mid-scale to luxury hotel room. By harmonizing exceptional hospitality with efficient technology, hotels can gain a competitive edge in the post-COVID era and appeal to the tech-savvy TikTok generation.

Conclusion: Aligning Hospitality with Technology

In conclusion, the guest’s journey through the Hospitality 2.0 Pyramid encompasses onboarding, user identification, engagement, and personalized digital services. This alignment of exceptional hospitality with technology will help discerning hotels differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market.

Without Digital Onboarding and User Recognition, meaningful guest engagement is not possible. It’s akin to losing the front desk manager who recognizes your most loyal guests.  A new desk staff will greet and treat every customer the same, and guess what? Over time, your guests will also treat you just like any other hotel – without loyalty!

With Digital Onboarding, connectivity becomes seamless, and recognition instantaneous, ensuring that guests receive the elevated service they deserve.  Seamless connectivity and instant recognition can also be extended across all properties within the same hotel group or loyalty program.

And with that, we conclude our exploration of the future of hospitality technology. We trust that you’ve found these insights valuable as we navigate the dynamic intersection of hospitality and technology.

ANTlabs powers guest Wi-Fi for Millennium Hotels & Resorts

Elevating guest digital experiences and hospitality for the world-renowned hotel group

In today’s hyper-interconnected world, delivering seamless guest experiences is the key to success in the hospitality industry. ANTlabs, a leading hospitality IT solutions provider, is proud to play a pivotal role in this pursuit by providing cutting-edge solutions to Millennium Hotel & Resorts (Millennium H&R), an established and world-renowned hotel group. The successful completion of the first phase marks a significant milestone as Millennium H&R has standardized their Guest Wi-Fi portal and integrated ANTlabs’ solutions across their Middle East properties. This will greatly enhance guest satisfaction, and brand identity, and allows the IT management to streamline its operations.

ANTlabs: A Proven Innovator in Hospitality IT for Over 23 Years

With over 23 years of industry experience, ANTlabs has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in hospitality IT solutions and garnered the trust of hotels and resorts worldwide. “Our collaboration with Millennium Hotel & Resorts in the Middle East has been a testament to ANTlabs’ expertise spanning more than 2 decades in delivering exceptional IT solutions for the hospitality industry. Through our high-capacity SG5 gateways and ASP Cloud Wi-Fi Management platform, we have successfully standardized their Guest Wi-Fi experience across their Middle East properties. We are thrilled to witness the positive impact on guest satisfaction and brand identity, and we eagerly anticipate the next phase of seamless roaming and loyalty program integration.” – Mr. Peng Soon, Aw, VP Sales & BD, ANTlabs.

Standardizing Quality Hotel Wi-Fi Experience with Unmatched Flexibility

Through ANTlabs’ high-capacity SG5 gateways and the ASP Cloud Wi-Fi Management platform, Millennium H&R have achieved a unified and immersive brand identity across their properties in the Middle East. The portal standardization has amplified guest engagement and satisfaction while granting Millennium H&R the flexibility to customize services to cater to local preferences and cultural nuances.

Advanced QoS for Streamlined Bandwidth Management

Millennium H&R can now seamlessly manage and optimize bandwidth allocation with ANTlabs’ Advanced QoS features. This ensures uninterrupted connectivity for guests, regardless of their location within the premises. A multi-stage QoS engine will allow the hotel to flexibly manage the bandwidth per device, or per user account, and even assign dedicated bandwidth tiers to certain user groups if needed.

Cross-Pollination of Technology Features for Unmatched Scalability

ANTlabs’ expertise extends beyond the hospitality sector as they also serve large service providers and mobile operators. This cross-pollination of technology features allows ANTlabs to infuse the scalability and robustness of solutions designed for massive network infrastructures into the hospitality domain. Hotels and resorts benefit from state-of-the-art technologies that have proven their mettle in demanding and complex network environments. One example is the Advanced QoS feature that has multi-stage QoS control and field tested in large public venues and city-wide Wi-Fi hotspots by mobile operators.

Looking Ahead: Seamless Roaming and Loyalty Program Integration

The upcoming phase will see ANTlabs further enhancing guest experiences through seamless roaming capabilities, allowing guests to transition effortlessly between different Millennium H&R properties in the Middle East after a first visit. Moreover, the planned integration of Millennium H&R’s esteemed “MyMillennium” loyalty program with ANTlabs’ solution will encourage enrollment and offer guests exclusive benefits. Recognition of Elite members will enable Millennium H&R to extend personalized VIP experiences, reinforce customer loyalty, and deepen customer engagement and relationships.

Conclusion

With the successful completion of the first phase, Millennium H&R has taken significant strides in transforming guest experiences through standardized Guest Wi-Fi offerings and brand identity. ANTlabs’ cutting-edge solutions have elevated guest satisfaction and streamlined bandwidth management, enhancing operational efficiency. As Millennium H&R looks forward to the next phase, they anticipate even greater success in enhancing guest engagement and promoting their MyMillennium loyalty programme. With ANTlabs as their trusted HSIA Hotel Wi-Fi solutions provider, the hospitality industry can expect continuous growth in guest experiences and loyalty, solidifying Millennium H&R’s position as a leading brand in the Middle East. The collaboration underscores ANTlabs’ commitment to delivering unparalleled guest experiences while empowering Millennium H&R to achieve excellence in their hospitality services.

CapPort Support on ANTlabs Gateways

Improving Captive Portal Detection and Venue Published Information for better visibility

Captive portals are commonly used by public Wi-Fi networks to restrict access to the internet until the user agrees to certain terms and conditions or authenticates successfully. While captive portals are necessary for many public Wi-Fi networks, they can be frustrating for users who are unable to connect to the internet until they have completed the login process.

Frustrations can stem from captive portals not loading fast enough or freezing, and some login methods can be lengthy or complicated. Thankfully, ANTlabs gateways provide a plethora of seamless login methods, including social media login, SMS OTP, PMS integration, Hotspot 2.0, etc to suit many usage scenarios. CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways offers an elegant solution to the other aspect of the problem, while providing improved captive portal detection and venue published information.

Improved Captive Portal Detection

ANTlabs gateways support the use of DHCP option 114 to indicate the captive portal API URL during IP address assignment. This means that supported devices can immediately fetch the API content after connecting to the network, which prompts the user to log in if the network is identified as captive based on the API response. There is no need to redirect or intercept the initial web requests that would trigger security warnings in modern browsers or delay the delivery of captive portals.

In other words, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways enables faster and more accurate reliable detection of captive portals, and greatly improve the user experience and reduce frustration.  The diagram on the left shows an example of an Android phone’s locked screen showing the visual cues to allow the user to click the captive portal URL.

Venue Published Information for Better Visibility

In addition to improving captive portal detection, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways also enables venue published information. Without this feature, after a user is successfully authenticated, they are free to move to other web content and the venue will lose the opportunity to engage with the customer further.

When a CapPort message is displayed on a device using captive portal API, the user can interact with it to immediately open their internet browser and navigate to the Venue Info URL at any time. This feature is particularly useful in scenarios such as staying at a hotel, where guests may want to easily access information about services or amenities. By simply clicking on the system message, users can access venue information, including spa, restaurant hours or any promotions offer. With the addition of location-aware websites, the guest journey becomes even more intuitive and seamless.  The diagram on the right shows the user interface where a user can find the venue URL by clicking on the “Open Site” icon.

It is worth noting that more mobile devices are beginning to support CapPort feature, specifically Apple (iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur) devices and Android 11 onward. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways is a powerful tool for improving captive portal detection and providing venue published information. By using DHCP option 114 to provide the captive portal API URL and including the Venue Info URL in the CapPort message, CapPort support streamlines the process of connecting to public Wi-Fi networks and provides users with easy access to important information about the venue. As a result, CapPort support can lead to increased customer satisfaction, repeat business, and revenue for businesses.

How to deploy ANTlabs Advanced QoS/QoS+ and dramatically improve your Wi-Fi network

Are users complaining about slow WiFi speeds? Do you want to provide your guests, or staff with all the bandwidth they need?

Are you struggling to meet bandwidth requirements for guest WiFi, and cringing at the prospect of asking Management for yet another budget request to buy more internet connections?  Wished you read this article before the last budget request?

Have you been asked to implement QoS on your network but don’t know where to start? This blog post will explain how Advanced QoS can help you with all the above. Let’s get started!

Basic QoS 101

Quality of Service (QoS) can help you by providing better control and management of your traffic. QoS can improve your user experience by giving certain types of traffic priority over others. This can be especially useful if you have time-sensitive applications or need to manage large amounts of traffic.

Without QoS, your network would be a free-for-all where every application competes for bandwidth equally. That might work fine for small networks, but as soon as you start adding more users and applications, things can get bogged down quickly.  With QoS, you can give priority to the traffic that matters most to your business. For example, you can prioritize voice traffic over email or video streaming. Alternatively, you may decide that social media usage like YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter is banned in your network.

However, not all QoS features are built equal. You need to understand that simple QoS solutions don’t help much, if at all. For example, simple rate-limit, or device-level QoS control targets individual devices. It has no idea what applications are being used, who the user is, or how many devices within the same room are hogging all the bandwidth. A small group of users can monopolize the network. Implementing QoS can be complex, but the benefits are worth it.

What is Advanced QoS / QoS+ and how does it work?

Save money and time, while improving the end-user experience: Advanced QOS (AQoS) and Advanced QoS Plus (AQoS+) module from ANTlabs control who gets priority, where, and when. No need to buy expensive network equipment, and spend days installing and troubleshooting, as both are software modules add-on to our ANTlabs gateways.  It is easy to deploy and optimizes throughput over a network with a multi-stage QoS engine and customizable application shaping. It enables you to grant VIP users more bandwidth, speeds up those applications that need them (e.g., VoIP or IPTV), and it provides comprehensive control over the quality of your network.  The IT administrator just needs to define the locations, and QoS plans that is to be applied to different user groups, and simply configure on a graphical web-based interface on our managed Cloud Wi-Fi platform (ASP/Cloud ASP).

ANTlabs Advanced QoS / QoS+ is a powerhouse

With more than 20 years of R&D and industry experience for visitor-based networking in hospitality and large venues, ANTlabs has purpose-built the QoS engine to optimize hospitality Wi-Fi, and offer world-class airports and sports venues superior guest Wi-Fi solutions.

One of the unique features of the ANTlabs Advanced QoS 3-stage engine is its capability to allow multiple devices to share a single bandwidth rate limit per user. For example, you wish to allocate 10MB per guest or staff. Each user will only use up this amount of bandwidth among all his/her active devices, and it will be shared equally amongst them.

With the Advanced QoS 3-stage engine, bandwidth utilization can be maximized by creating differentiated classes of services for different groups of users.

All user traffic goes through the Advanced QoS 3-stage engine:

Stage 1.  As we mentioned earlier, the first stage engine is unique to ANTlabs, and applies bandwidth rate limit to the individual user instead of device-level. Together with authentication, this innovation allows different users to be treated according to their VIP status or needs, instead of blindly applying one simple limit to a device.

Stage 2.  This second stage engine defines different QoS Tiers (Guaranteed Tier, Premium Tier and Basic Tier) where different user groups can be assigned to the desired tier. Between the tiers, higher or lower priorities are given as to who gets the bandwidth, and the IT Manager can specify the total maximum bandwidth allocated to a tier for better control.  In this way, no single group of users can monopolize the whole network and the IT Dept has better visibility and control.  Furthermore, the surplus bandwidth from any bandwidth tier, can be temporarily re-allocated to another congested bandwidth tier automatically, optimizing network resources.

Stage 3.  In the third stage, global application traffic shaping can be applied to network ports used by applications. This allows the bandwidth used by specific types of applications (of all users) to be controlled further.  In this way, more control can be applied so that no application will be starved for network resources.  Certain applications’ bandwidth consumption can be suppressed or given more priority to use up the network bandwidth.

Advanced QoS Plus (QoS+) is the latest innovation leap by ANTlabs.  It has all the features of the original Advanced QoS module and more! As some applications like BitTorrent evolve to evade port-based application blocking, Advanced QoS+ classifies the applications more accurately based on website categorization without relying on which network ports are being used.  This signature-based website categorization is regularly updated to improve accuracy.  Another improvement is more fine-grained control for the global application shaping.  By allowing you to define QoS policies for different user groups, you can optimize the network further with better accuracy.

For example, you can create a special user group to give priority to streaming services.   When you apply this to paying customers or VVIP customers, they will be able to enjoy better quality streaming in their rooms or anywhere in the network.   You can also make your network more family-friendly and safer by blocking adult-related, gambling sites or known blacklisted sites.

How does Advanced QoS /QoS+ help improve the user experience?

As far as the users are concerned, they will find that applications will now run better on their devices with Advanced QoS enabled. They may not even notice any slowdown or pausing in their applications, and simply assume more internet connections were added. If you are a VIP user, you will be pleased that even in public areas, you enjoy a faster and better quality of bandwidth compared to guest users. For the management, you can be assured that the existing network resources are well-optimized, and buying more Internet bandwidth can be delayed or dispensed with.  In some cases, you may even scale down the number of internet connections, and save costs since network usage has become more efficient.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by deploying ANTlabs’ Advanced QoS / QoS+, you can greatly improve your network performance and ensure that critical applications always have the bandwidth they need. You don’t need a lot of network expertise or expensive hardware to implement.  By carefully planning your QoS strategy and implementing it correctly, you can take your network to the next level and please everyone (including the bosses!), leaving you more time to handle other pressing matters.

Make sure to include ANTlabs’ Advanced QoS or Advanced QoS Plus module in your next budget request so that you don’t need to go back to ask for more in future!

Automation: The Next Big Thing for Cloud and Digitization

A for Automation

According to Wikipedia, automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes. As the tongue-in-cheek section header implies, automation may very soon be the first thing on your priority to-do list.  Much has been said about the merits of moving to the “Cloud” or “Digitization”.  While shifting to the cloud or making business processes more digital will have some inherent productivity gains or even strategic advantages, we feel that automation is key to driving more impactful revenue and operational results.

Automation is critical to providing a consistent and satisfying customer experience, benefiting from expert decision-making, or ensuring a high level of service quality.  These are attributes that are especially important for the service industry, including for Network Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Telcos, and the Hospitality industry.

Benefits of Automation for the MSPs, Telcos and Hospitality Industry

1.  As business activities pick up, MSPs that can scale up and down quickly and cost-effectively will be able to benefit from this trend. Venue owners and businesses who are facing uncertainty will prefer low start-up cost and pay-as-you-use subscription business models. MSPs who can provide flexibility to customers and tune their pricing models quickly will dominate the market. “Wi-Fi-as-a-service” (WiFi-aaS) is fast gaining popularity and increasingly preferred.

2.  The demand for Enterprise managed Wi-Fi services should pick up as business owners and corporates want to outsource infrastructure investment or migrate from Capex to Opex spending model, while relying on MSPs to deliver reliable wireless connectivity for their operations. Centralized monitoring, with easy remote onboarding of customers while empowering them to self-help or administer basic functions are critical success factors.

3.  It is important for MSPs to have deep understanding of their target customer segments and what is happening in their network, in order to spot business opportunities or respond quickly to operational issues respectively. In the past, many MSPs have built systems in silos to address different business opportunities which made data consolidation and analytics difficult or impossible. A good centralized system that incorporates data analytics with machine learning can help both Marketing, Business Development and Operations team to better address market segments and ensure service levels are met.

ANTlabs ASP / ASP Cloud Managed Wi-Fi Solutions for MSPs

There are many ways that automation can be applied to allow companies to reap the benefits mentioned earlier. Here are some examples that ANTlabs has helped evolve our customer’s business processes with our product features or our ability to help customize to their requirements.

Backup and recovery automation for optimum system availability and resiliency

With our ASP managed service platform or ASP Cloud service, configuration and recovery data can be backed up centrally. During system failures at a local site, high availability on our gateways automatically kicks in, preventing service downtime. Alerts are sent out automatically. In the event of a full local system failure, the MSP can quickly send in a replacement unit and restore the service fast with the backups that are stored in the cloud. With simple instructions, a non-IT staff can power up a gateway and allow both the gateway and ASP to automatically self-configure and restore optimized settings finetuned by IT group corporate. All these can be monitored remotely by an administrator(s) from our ASP platform.

Dynamic login pages automation for best user experience and lower operation workload

The IT Administrator of a MICE venue can predefine and configure new login portal pages to be shown at a specific location at a specific date and time so that they don’t have to remember to change or rush to make last-minute changes before a new event starts. Our Event Manager module helps save time, while potentially allowing non-IT staff to help in times of manpower crunch with the easy-to-use, and intuitive user interface.

Automated surveys for more customer satisfaction insights

A customer satisfaction survey can be sent automatically after a guest has checked out of a hotel or finished a meal at a restaurant. Instead of relying on staff to remember to do this mundane step and collate the results, such a simple form of automation can alert management if service standards have been exemplary or degraded.

Improve Telcos and MSPs productivity and mitigate manpower resources crunch

During government-mandated lockdowns, ANTlabs Tru’AUTH AAA and Tru’IP DHCP/DNS systems have aided Telcos and MSPs to respond rapidly to shifting consumption spikes of bandwidth in the network. AAA authentication, DHCP, and DNS service are important network services for a Telco. With automation, a much leaner network team could bring up new network coverage quickly and shift the required network resources to multiple sites without sacrificing quality. Coupled with the use of telemetry data, automated expert rules can help Operations teams during maintenance windows to ensure that pre-established operational procedures set up by experienced operators can be faithfully executed by less experienced staff. Real-time visibility on our systems, help provide human engineers or managers with speedy confirmation of service recovery and relevant reports for audit.

The above examples illustrate the wide range that automation can enhance service quality in small steps for individual customers or create a huge impact on an operator’s network affecting millions.

Conclusion

Automation is the next step to realize the benefits of shifting to the cloud and digitization of business processes. For more than 20 years, ANTlabs has built robust networking solutions for Telcos, MSPs, large venues, and the hospitality industry. With our unique insight into the needs of small venue owners to large-scale network operators, we continually apply automation through product innovation and customize for our customers. The ability to customize to our customers’ environment is one of many unique advantages offered by ANTlabs.

Automation is key to driving more impactful revenue and operational results. It will allow the MSPs, Telcos, and hospitality industry to provide a consistently high-quality customer experience, respond faster to a dynamic business environment and ensure a high level of operational efficiency.

How Managed Wi-Fi Service Providers can prosper in 2022

A new year of challenges and opportunities

As the new Lunar Year of the Tiger is upon us, we are hopeful that 2022 will be a year of opportunities for managed service providers (MSPs) providing Managed Wi-Fi services. For the past 2 years, there have been unpredictable drops in customer demand and business activity, as well as sudden surges after lull periods. Shortage of labour and supply chain disruptions have also created unforeseen issues which require innovative solutions and change in mindset and paradigms to ride through the challenges. Technology and innovation are often cited as catalysts to help businesses transform to overcome these disruptions and emerge more agile and competitive. So how can MSPs position themselves to win in 2022?

Here are 5 ways that we believe MSPs can take advantage of the business opportunities:

1. As business activities pick up, MSPs that can scale up and down quickly and cost-effectively will be able to benefit from this trend. Venue owners and businesses who are facing uncertainty will prefer low start-up cost and pay-as-you-use subscription business models. MSPs who can provide flexibility to customers and tune their pricing models quickly will dominate the market. “Wi-Fi-as-a-service” (WiFi-aaS) is fast gaining popularity and increasingly preferred.

2. The demand for Enterprise managed Wi-Fi services should pick up as business owners and corporates want to outsource infrastructure investment or migrate from Capex to Opex spending model, while relying on MSPs to deliver reliable wireless connectivity for their operations. Centralized monitoring, with easy remote onboarding of customers while empowering them to self-help or administer basic functions are critical success factors.

3. It is important for MSPs to have deep understanding of their target customer segments and what is happening in their network, in order to spot business opportunities or respond quickly to operational issues respectively. In the past, many MSPs have built systems in silos to address different business opportunities which made data consolidation and analytics difficult or impossible. A good centralized system that incorporates data analytics with machine learning can help both Marketing, Business Development and Operations team to better address market segments and ensure service levels are met.

ANTlabs ASP / ASP Cloud Managed Wi-Fi Solutions for MSPs

With more than 2 decades of experience working with Telcos, service providers and hospitality players, ANTlabs has developed a centralized managed service platform called ASP (ANTlabs Service Platform) that can help MSPs address the opportunities outlined here. For customers with small number of sites, ANTlabs also provides ASP Cloud – a pay-as-you-use subscription service based on the same ASP platform to help them get started and realize the benefits that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.

4. While wireless connectivity is indispensable, it is also fast becoming a commodity. Yet delivering good quality high-speed internet access (HSIA) service can make or break the success of WiFi-aaS for MSPs. Consistently high quality of service (QoS) requires end to end effort: from the edge devices providing differentiated network QoS control for different user groups, to controlling what kinds of application traffic has priority so that overall user experience is enhanced.

Beyond HSIA: User-aware, location aware services

Besides HSIA as a service, MSPs should allow other network services to easily launched and subscribed by end customers. ANTlabs ASP platform has the unique ability to allow MSPs to launch user-aware, location-aware services that are customizable to fit different customer segments. Take for example, a web filtering service to protect network users from malware or undesirable content. MSPs can provide a different customer profile with a corresponding set of filtering criteria for corporate use, versus, hospitality customers.

5. Finally, with the trend to move business processes online and the shift towards Cloud operations, MSPs should leverage on the same WiFi-aaS platform to capture customers in other business verticals. ANTlabs ASP platform has multi-tenancy features that allow different end user organizations to subscribe and manage their own network, and flexible features that allow the MSPs to address different verticals like corporate, hospitality, retail, finance and even education. With small increment cost, MSPs can leverage on the ANTlabs ASP platform to expand their existing business by providing Managed WiFi business to new business verticals.

Conclusion

ANTlabs has built the ASP platform to be a robust centralized managed service platform for MSPs to realize a scalable, and cost-effective Managed WiFi Service model with the added benefit of launching new services quickly, and allowing them to expand beyond their traditional hospitality or corporate customer base. As WiFi-as-as-service (WiFi-aaS) becomes the norm with more businesses going online in 2022 and beyond, MSPs who can capitalize on these trends will have first-mover advantage and build a sustainable and profitable business.

How web filtering secures your network further

Updated: 8 December 2021

Web content filtering is mostly used to keep inappropriate content out of kids’ hands and restrict timewasters in corporate networks. However, its primary advantage is not limited to preventing access to undesirable content. Reduced malware infections and access to phishing websites are among the lesser-known but probably equally important reasons web filtering is gaining favor in Enterprise WiFi networks.

As users become more IT savvy, they need the reassurance that they are connected to a secure network, especially when they are not in their own homes. Of course, establishments can explicitly say that users use their WiFi at their own risk in their Terms and Conditions. However, while that may potentially save them from legal troubles, it may not shield them from PR nightmares should malware infect the users’ devices while in their network.

How ANTlabs Web Filtering Service Works

ANTlabs Web Filtering Service can be used in organizations with various WiFi hotspots. For example, if you administer a school WiFi network, you may wish to keep pupils from mistakenly viewing harmful content such as gambling, pornography, or hate sites. Because these new sites constantly change and new ones appear every day, manually blocking them is not an option. Another situation when category filtering comes in handy is when your school or workplace disallows visiting time-wasting websites like YouTube is prohibited during specific hours. YouTube and related sites are classed as “Time Wasters > Entertainment” and are restricted when this category is selected. You also save time and effort by not having to type in the URLs of these websites manually.

ANTlabs Web Filtering protects users by giving operators the controls to block by category. It is based on DNS filtering—a type of content filtering using the DNS layer to filter based on IP addresses. The main difference is that this service gives blanket protection to sites you choose within your organization.

When users bring in multiple devices, the filtering works across these devices and filters websites into six major categories (Security, Adult-related, Bandwidth Hogs, Illegal Activity, Time Wasters, and General Sites) with more than 60 pre-defined subcategories and inspects encrypted sites. In addition, the URLs categorized in the security module’s database are constantly updated, so service providers who subscribe to this feature shall have peace of mind knowing they have protection from the latest threats.

Other ANTlabs Product Features that Enhance Security

ANTlabs’ built-in Anti-SPAM Protection and Anti-DOS Protection are two other ANTlabs product features that combine well with Web Filtering Service to secure your network further. Another ANTlabs gateway function that helps you secure your guest networks is Lawful Intercept, which helps your organization comply with numerous IT cyber regulations.

The ANTlabs Web Filtering Service was released in December 2021 with ASP Cloud. It benefits guest WiFi networks like hotels, schools, universities, enterprises, and other corporate networks that aren’t classified as guest WiFi.