PRNewswire OVERLAND PARK, Kan. Nov. 9 :

In a first-of-its kind agreement for Sprint in the hospitality industry,
the communications company today announced it has signed a multiyear
agreement with Mandarin Oriental to provide an IP Communications system at
the soon-to-open Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. hotel. Mandarin
Oriental, Washington D.C., is the first hotel in the nation to begin
deployment of a Sprint VoIP offering.

Sprint, using infrastructure supplied by Cisco Systems, will deploy the
Cisco IP Communications system at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C.,
allowing it to put its voice and data services on the same network. Using
a converged network enables Mandarin Oriental to provide voice and data
traffic to all areas of the hotel—guest rooms, meeting rooms and
offices—over a single network, allowing it to operate more efficiently
and cost effectively than can be accomplished with separate networks. It
also provides a solid foundation for future technology growth, allowing it
to easily offer services ranging from security and mini-bar to advanced
video and entertainment applications.
“We chose to work with Sprint and Cisco because they are industry leaders
in providing high-quality communications solutions,” said Nick Price,
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group`s chief information officer and chief
technology officer. “Importantly, they understand the role that technology
can play in the hospitality industry, from offering value-added in-room
guest services to improving our operations. The combination of Sprint`s
network and service strengths with the equipment expertise of its
strategic partner, Cisco, not only addressed our current infrastructure
and communications needs, but will also grow with our future
telecommunications needs.”
Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., overlooking the Tidal Basin, is part
of the Portals project, a premier mixed-use development comprising
significant upscale office, retail and restaurant components located in
the southwest sector of the city. It has 400 guestrooms, including 51
suites, and 34,000- square feet of meeting space, including an
8,300-square-foot pillar-less Grand Ballroom for up to 900 people and a
5,000-square-foot outdoor event lawn overlooking the water. The property
includes a 10,400-square-foot full service spa and fitness facility with
indoor lap pool, themed wet areas, and eight treatment rooms providing
Oriental-inspired spa and wellness treatments. The property is expected to
open in March 2004.

“Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., is taking a visionary approach with
its communications network,” said Marty Leavengood, Sprint director of
hospitality sales. “A VoIP infrastructure gives the hotel a platform that
provides tremendous flexibility and will allow it to easily implement new
technology and applications in the future.”

Together, Sprint and Cisco are aligned in a strategic relationship that
focuses on meeting customer needs for IP equipment and services through
shared market research, joint development of new products and
technologies, and joint sales and marketing.

For more information, please visit Sprint at booth #3130 at the
International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show from Nov. 8-11 in New York
City.
About Sprint
-
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26
million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000
employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is
widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying
state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States` first
nationwide all- digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1
Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39
states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent
digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more
information, visit http://www.sprint.com/ .
About Cisco IP Communications
-
Cisco IP Communications is a comprehensive system of enterprise-class
solutions including IP telephony, unified communications, IP audio and
videoconferencing, IP video broadcasting, and customer contact solutions.
Enabled by Cisco AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated
Data), Cisco IP Communications solutions dramatically improve operational
efficiencies, increase organizational productivity, and enhance customer
satisfaction to create an empowered, effective work environment. More
information about Cisco IP Communications is available at
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns110/ns163/ns165/ns230/networking_soluti
ons _package.html .

About Mandarin Oriental
-
Mandarin Oriental is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the
world`s most prestigious hotels and resorts. In total, the Group operates
18 luxury hotels in key business and leisure destinations, with three
additional hotels under development, including New York (opening late
2003), Washington D.C. (opening 2004), Hong Kong (opening 2005) as well as
Tokyo and Boston (opening 2006). Mandarin Oriental now operates some 7,000
rooms in eleven countries with nine hotels in Asia, six in The Americas
and three in Europe. For more information, visit
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/ . Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. is
part of the Portals project located at 1330 Maryland Avenue, SW, a premier
mixed-use development comprising significant upscale office, retail and
restaurant components located in the southwest sector of the city, which
is being developed by Republic Properties Corporation.

——-