How often do you use that traditional telephone set in your hotel room these days?

With so many travelers glued to their cell phones, some hotels are exploring the idea of doing away with the guestroom phone.

But Jon Inge, an independent hotel technology consultant who discussed hotel telephones’ future in a blog post earlier this year, says they won’t disappear just yet.

The biggest sticking point has to do with safety, he says. Hotels face a legal requirement that if a guest calls 911 for help, the hotel must be able to tell which room she or he is calling from and right now a traditional phone is the cheapest, most reliable way to go, he says.

As cell phones become more widespread among the traveling population, some believe hotels can replace the guestroom phone with a red “panic” button that when pressed would connect the guest to the front desk via a wired, intercom system, Ingle says. Yet he doubts this option will take off because it may not be perceived as reassuring enough to guests.

Another complicating factor: Hotels still can’t guarantee wi-fi or cell signal coverage in all rooms and public spaces, he says, which means that even if everyone did have a cell phone, they won’t be 100% reliable.

Improvements in technology should eventually change the equation, Inge says.

Cell phone makers, for instance, are working on barometric pressure change sensing capability that can estimate which floor a guest is located. And hotels that want to offer tech-savvy guests the latest tech features “will have no option but to provide much more consistent and reliable signal coverage throughout their buildings.”

Tell us how often you use the guestroom phone and for what purpose? Is it mainly to call the front desk? Or is it because your hotel room lacks a powerful cell signal? Be sure to include details, including hotel name and location.

 Researcher : Ceyda

Source: USA TODAY