The High Cost of Cutting Corners in Hotel Network Infrastructure
FOR YEARS, hotel management has rewarded the cost-cutters. The surest route to a lower operational expense, the advice goes, is to source the cheapest possible contractors and hardware, each project coming in a bit cheaper than the last. Online forums are filled with tales of rock-bottom installation quotes, cloaking potential future problems as savvy financial management. In operations meetings, teams debate just how little they can spend on infrastructure before the guest experience might start to suffer. (A few hundred dollars saved is the consensus, though a brave few argue for skipping certification entirely.)
This short-sighted approach to network infrastructure is a ticking time bomb for any hotelier. A guest’s frustrated cry of "why isn't my ethernet working" is often the first and most audible symptom of a much deeper problem: a network installed to a price, not a standard. While the initial quote from low-bid data wiring companies might seem attractive, the long-term costs in guest dissatisfaction, negative reviews, and emergency service calls will quickly erase any perceived savings. The integrity of every video conference call, every streaming movie, and every point-of-sale transaction hinges on the quality of the physical cable plant hidden behind your walls.
Investing in proper certification from the outset is non-negotiable. A professional-grade certifier is the only tool that can definitively prove a cable run meets industry standards for performance, ensuring bandwidth is delivered as promised. While the allure of a cheap network cable certifier might be tempting for a quick check, these devices often provide a false sense of security. They typically only perform basic connectivity tests (wiremaps), completely missing critical performance parameters like signal-to-noise ratio, return loss, and insertion loss that are essential for modern high-speed networks. Using an inferior tool is like assuming an electrical circuit is safe because the lights turn on, without ever checking the three phase power installation cost or quality behind it. Both are fundamental, unseen investments that power your entire operation.
The consequences of unverified cabling are severe for a hotel:
- Intermittent guest internet connectivity leading to direct complaints and poor reviews.
- Chronic, unexplainable downtime for critical systems like property management, point-of-sale, and keycard encoders.
- Exorbitant costs for troubleshooting and rework long after the original installers have left the project.
At JET Hotel Solutions, we understand that true cost savings come from reliability, not from the lowest initial bid. As a full-service consultancy, we provide a single source for hotel technology solutions, partnering with over 50 best-of-breed technology providers. We ensure your network infrastructure is designed, installed, and certified correctly the first time, enhancing the overall guest experience while driving down long-term costs to provide a favorable ROI. Don't let a faulty cable undermine your investment. Partner with JET Hotel Solutions for technology that works as hard as you do.
