Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced today that “Wired for Business®” will be available at more than 180 Marriott and Renaissance hotels. “Wired for Business” is designed to meet the needs of guests who want to stay connected to work and home by offering them a bundle of communications services including high-speed internet access and unlimited local and long distance phone calls within the U.S. for $9.95 per day.

Beginning today, the service is with an additional 30 hotels launching the service within two months. Marriott plans to offer the service in all major markets by the end of 2003. Guests can request “Wired for Business” at check-in or anytime during their stay.
“Our tests showed that many of our guests prefer having all of their communications needs bundled and offered for one price. ‘Wired for Business’ provides our guests with a compelling value in voice and data connectivity,” said Lou Paladeau, Marriott’s vice president of technology business development.

The announcement comes after an extensive “Wired for Business” test that included nearly 40 hotels in the Washington, D.C., area as well as eight other markets around the country. The expansion of “Wired for Business” brings the service to Marriott and Renaissance hotels in major markets including New York, Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

With more than 650 hotels installed, Marriott leads the industry in providing guests high-speed internet access. All high-speed internet systems installed in Marriott’s hotel brands work with any internet-compatible laptop or PC (they do not require any special accessories). Guests are also offered 24-hour, toll-free customer assistance. Marriott’s primary high-speed internet access provider is Salt Lake City-based STSN.

Note: “Wired for Business” is $12.95 at New York locations.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading worldwide hospitality company with nearly 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries and territories.
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