Acentic Joins HTNG to Promote Open Interface Technology to the Hotel Industry

COLOGNE, Germany, November 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Acentic, a leading supplier of broadband systems and digital interactive TV (iTV) for the hotel industry, has announced that it has joined Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), a global trade association dedicated to enhancing the deployment of technology in hotels. Acentic intends to support HTNG in moving the complex ecosystem of the hotel industry into a more formalised approach to technology integration.

Acentic has several years of proven experience creating mutually beneficial partnerships with other hospitality technology suppliers through their easily understood open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable easy integration of third party applications.

"Acentic will be able to bring its experience of what a hotel environment really is- that is to say, a mix of networks as opposed to the illusion that all hoteliers will implement IP in existing properties," said Richard Robinson, CEO of Acentic.

Through successful programs such as Acentic Horizon, that provides a cost-effective bundled solution due to the single PMS interface needed, Acentic has consistently been able to offer its services over legacy coaxial networks as well as IP networks that enable hotels to provide a state-of-the-art communication system that meets the evolving lifestyles of guests without the heavy upfront investment costs of a completely new delivery system.

Commenting on the collaboration, Bryan Hammer, Director of IT EAME for Starwood Hotels, who serves as HTNG's EAME Co-Chair of its Infrastructure & Device Forum, said, "HTNG serves as a neutral meeting place for suppliers and hoteliers, allowing an open exchange of ideas within specific work groups. When dynamic work group leaders are in place we are seeing cooperation between players who otherwise would have found it hard to exchange their ideas openly. HTNG provides an interesting framework for medium- to long-term developments."

Acentic expects the collaboration with HTNG to help to widen the Acentic's reach into new geographies. In particular, as Acentic expands into Asia, the Middle East and other territories.

About Acentic Group

Acentic is an international provider of high-speed Internet access solutions, digital TV services and hospitality focused mobile apps to hotels. Acentic's digital content, technology, support and services deliver information and communication, as well as entertainment and revenue generation tools, via the hotel television, providing a unique communications system that meets the evolving lifestyles of guests. Acentic's broadband and digital TV services are in many of the world's leading hotel chains, including Accor, Dorint, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group, Maritim, Marriott, Movenpick and Starwood in more than 30 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. For more information, visit http://www.acentic.com.

About Hotel Technology Next Generation

The premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, HTNG is a self-funded, non-profit organization with members from hotel and hospitality companies, technology vendors to hospitality, and other industry members including consultants, media, and academic experts. HTNG's members participate in focused workgroups to bring to market open solution sets addressing specific business problems. HTNG fosters the selection and adoption of existing open standards. Where necessary, it also develops new open standards to meet the needs of the global hospitality industry.

Membership in HTNG is open to hotel and hospitality companies, technology vendors to hospitality, consultants, academics, press and others. Currently, more than 400 corporate and individual members from across this spectrum, including most of the world's leading hotel companies and technology vendors, are active HTNG participants. HTNG's hotelier members represent more that 4.3 million guest rooms worldwide. Workgroup proceedings, drafts, and specifications are published for all HTNG members as soon as they are created, encouraging rapid and broad adoption. Specifications are released to the public domain as they are ratified by the workgroup. For more information, visit http://www.htng.org.

Acentic Media Contacts:

Smaro Makaronidou
Acentic
+49-171-6973108
smaro.makaronidou@acetnic.com

ink Communications for Acentic:
Marta Twardowska / EMEA
+31-6-21-18-45-85
marta@theinkstudio.com

Alex Crabb / North America
+1-617-484-3614
alex@theinkstudio.com