ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Jan. 26, 2010 - Cisco announced today that Grand Hotel Europe, one of the oldest and most prominent hotels in Russia, has completed the deployment of a Cisco® Unified Communications solution. It marks the first case of Cisco's advanced Internet Protocol (IP) communications systems being used in the hospitality business of Russia's northern capital. The hotel introduced a highly secure multiservice infrastructure that improves services and cuts operational and management costs. Cisco Unified Communications connects people, information, and teams, helping to enable comprehensive and effective collaborative experiences.
Key Facts / Highlights:
- The project was implemented by Nienschanz, a Cisco Registered Partner in Russia. Nienschanz deployed an enterprise IP telephony (wired and wireless) system based on Cisco Unified Communication Express, a Cisco Unity Express voice mail system, and a Cisco Unified Video Advantage video calls system at Grand Hotel Europe.
- CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution was used as an enterprise data network management system. Centralized management and control of the wireless network is provided by Cisco Wireless Control System with a wireless Cisco 4400 Series WLAN Controller.
- Implementation of a powerful IP telephony solution integrating voice, video and data was possible only on an advanced enterprisewide network infrastructure. For that reason Nienschanz decided to expand the existing structured cabling system, to update old sections of the network, and to replace all LAN equipment with Cisco switches.
- Implementation of the CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution and Cisco Wireless Control System with the wireless Cisco 4400 Series WLAN Controller simplified network installation, administration and monitoring procedures, and reduced management expenses.
Supporting Quotes:
- Alexander Ordynsky, IT director, Grand Hotel Europe:
- Alexei Yurochkin, head of enterprise customer department, Nienschanz:
- Pavel Bystrov, key customers manager, Cisco Russia:
"Cisco Unified Communications made centrally managed enterprise IP telephony services available to all hotel employees. As a result, the quality of voice communications grew up quite considerably, tuning and maintenance operations were greatly simplified, and the personnel became much more efficient."
"Cisco Unified Communications was installed to ensure broad wireless coverage throughout the hotel, to support advanced enterprise IP telephony and to raise the number and the quality of services. The hotel upgraded existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to expand voice communications functionality for hotel employees which, in the long run, will accelerate their reaction to guest calls."
"Grand Hotel Europe has built an advanced communications environment based on Cisco Unified Communications and Cisco Unified Wireless. Employees with Wi-Fi phones are now available anywhere on the hotel premises. Moreover, dual-mode GSM/Wi-Fi phones save a lot of money on outgoing calls routed through the hotel's existing telephone infrastructure. In future, Unified Communications will enable the integration of Grand Hotel Europe with other hotel systems and accommodation services. Its functionality will be expanded and complemented with such features as location-based services for personnel and valuable items with active RFID tags for movement monitoring."
Supporting Resources
Technorati Tags:
Cisco, Grand Hotel Europe, Cisco Unified Communications, Cisco Wireless Control System, Cisco Unified Communication Express, Cisco Unity Express, Cisco Unified Video Advantage, CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution, Cisco 4400 Series WLAN Controller.
About Grand Hotel Europe
Grand Hotel Europe is one of the oldest hotels in Russia, and the first five-star hotel in the country. Grand Hotel Europe is located in the center of St. Petersburg not far from the Russian Museum and the Hermitage. A building of great artistic and historical value, Grand Hotel Europe is located in the center of St. Petersburg not far from the Russian Museum and the Hermitage. In 2009 the hotel made the World Travel Awards list as "The Best Luxury Hotel of the World". More information is available at http://www.grandhoteleurope.com.
