SAN JOSE, Calif., March 25, 2002 -- Intrawest's Village at Squaw Valley USA has installed a new Internet Protocol (IP)-based voice and data communications system that will allow condo owners and commercial tenants to push a button on their IP phones to review weather reports, check stock prices, catch up on sports scores, view restaurant menus, and even order a cafi latte.
The network takes advantage of the flexibility and efficiencies gained by using a single, resilient IP network. Converging voice and data on one network allows Intrawest to use a wide array of advanced XML-based communication applications over an open, IP-based communication system throughout The Village at Squaw Valley USA. The new system will be in operation by mid-April of 2002.
"With help from Cisco, we are building a Village that addresses our customers advanced communication needs," said Tom Jacobson, Intrawest vice president of development at The Village at Squaw Valley USA. "With nearly 80 percent of The Village at Squaw Valley's homeowners living in the San Francisco and San Jose areas, having a high-speed communications system is nearly as important as ski-in, ski-out access. Our goal is to provide the very best communications technology for our customers and also to yield a positive return on our network investment."
Peter Cowley, Intrawest vice president of Lodging Product Development estimates that the new network will generate revenues of $780 per condominium per year, growing to $1,000 per unit per year as adoption of the IP phones grow and services and features are increased. "Revenues will be generated through a variety of vehicles including monthly charges to owners, advertising revenue for those commercial tenants making use of the XML screens, and long distance and Internet access charges for our hotel guests," said Cowley.
The web-browsing feature on the Cisco IP Phone will allow guests to pre-book activities, view restaurant menus, and even order room service. Additionally, the browser is set to be linked to the Village's own private intranet for easy communication and notification of community events.
"We are very excited to be working with Intrawest and The Village at Squaw Valley USA to create a converged communications system that will be a true showcase for personal productivity benefits and revenue generation attainable with new world telephony technology," said Marthin De Beer, vice president and general manager for Cisco's Enterprise Voice, Video Business Unit. "The Village at Squaw Valley USA will provide a shining example of the true value of convergence for destination resorts across the country and the world."
In the future, each Village home will also have teleconferencing, streaming video and video-on-demand services available over the network. Cisco Systems is also developing a Virtual Private Network for the Village at Squaw Valley that will provide homeowners and rental guests to have high-speed, secure access to their workplace networks.
Intrawest, a Canadian company known for its high standards and distinctive resort real estate developments will make the new network and Cisco IP phones available to homeowners, commercial tenants and rental guests. The system will be initially available to 139 condominium owners and the 19 commercial businesses on the 16-acre resort property, located at the base of Squaw Valley USA in Lake Tahoe. When the final phase of the Village is complete, there will be approximately 600 condominiums with access to the converged network.
