Johannesburg, 01 Oct 2014
Today, MTN Business signed a partnership deal with the City Lodge Hotel Group to be the group's connectivity and telecommunications support. This will significantly improve ICT services at the group's 51 existing hotels in South Africa and one in Botswana, and future hotels the group develops in South Africa.
Utilising MTN's high-speed next-generation fibre optic network and their ability to self-provide last mile connectivity, MTN will enable the hotel group to upgrade to carrier-grade WiFi Internet and voice services for its guests, enhance its internal network, and optimise systems stability.
According to Kanagaratnam Lambotharan, MTN SA Chief Enterprise Business Officer: "MTN's world-class Africa-wide network provides connectivity tailored to provide the best user experience."
He further states: "Our local expertise and knowledge enable us to develop tailored business solutions that enable the delivery of a seamless communication experience which is exactly what the City Lodge Hotel Group's business visitors will be exposed to."
Benefits for guests of the City Lodge Hotel Group - whose brands include Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge and Road Lodge - will include increased Internet speeds, greater reliability and lower telephony costs.
"Through our guest surveys, questionnaires, various feedback we receive and research that has been conducted, we recognised the need to implement technology that will result in an improvement in our guests' connectivity and telecommunications experience, and also benefit our internal operations," said Clifford Ross, chief executive of the City Lodge hotel Group.
MTN and City Lodge are in the final stages of developing a rollout plan which will include piloting the services to be included in the agreement.
It is expected the entire programme will be fully operational in early 2015 and that new hotels under construction and on the radar will be included in the next year's rollout plan.
"We are pleased to be partnering with MTN in this venture and look forward to the benefits that will be delivered over the next few weeks and months," said Mr Ross.
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