i-Connect Interface

It is universal hospitality middleware. That provide superior connectivity with almost all PMS and PBX system via LAN with full interactive features.

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The Telephony Service that lets the hotel to offer a new standard of comfort, entertainment and interactive service.

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Check-in/check-out with class-of service changeover

All guest data is sent from the PMS to iConnect when guests check in/out, then stored in the check-in file and transferred to Pabx.
The guest telephone is automatically enabled when this is done and all relevant call data (date, time, destination number and cost of each call) is logged for invoicing purposes whenever calls are made.
The data will be buffered if the PMS is not ready to receive. As soon as it is ready again the data will be transferred from iConnect and the buffer file then cleared.

Entry of name for caller identification

The guest’s name is also stored in the system on check-in and is displayed on digital telephones when the guest calls reception, for instance. The guest’s name is deleted on checkout.

Determining call costs … using meter pulses

The charge rate units transmitted by the telephone company (carrier) are transferred from the Pabx system to iConnect. iConnect calculates the call costs using the pre-configured unit price and transfers this to the PMS.

… using a surcharge table

It is also possible to add surcharges to the call costs calculated by UNITY Connect using a table. The call price calculated in this way is then transferred to the PMS.

… using destination number tables

If the telephone company (carrier) does not provide any meter pulses, call costs are calculated in iConnect using configurable charge rate tables, time tariffs, and tariff assignments. The call costs are determined on the basis of the destination number, call duration, and time of day, and transferred to the PMS.

Wake-up service entry

The wake-up service is managed independently by iConnect, which distinguishes three types:

• Wake-up orders from a guest telephone without voice prompting. The guest enters the required wakeup time directly via the telephone keypad.
• Wake-up orders from a guest telephone with voice prompting If the optional wake-up system (with voice prompting) has been installed, guests will be supported by voice prompting when entering their wake-up request (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish voice prompts are included in standard delivery).
• Wake-up orders from the PMS if a guest has placed a wake-up request with reception, the room number and wake-up time will be transferred automatically from the PMS to iConnect after the reception attendant has entered the relevant data.

To carry out the wake-up orders, iConnect constantly checks its internal wake-up order file and calls the guest when they entered wake-up time has been reached. If a guest does not lift the handset after a certain number of wake-up calls, renewed ringing is activated after a time that can be set. All wake-up attempts, whether positive or negative, are transmitted to the PMS and logged. Any still active wake-up orders will be canceled when the guest checks out.

Room status entry

The room status can be entered by room staff on the guest telephone. When a checked-out room is being cleaned, the room status is set by the room staff and the room is offered by the PMS as being available again. The room statuses can alternatively be administered and changed using the PMS.

• Without voice prompting. If no VoiceMail system has been installed, administration and forwarding of room status entries is carried out by iConnect.
• With voice prompting. If the optional VoiceMail system has been installed, room status entries from the guest room telephone are supported by voice prompting. The VoiceMail system then forwards the entries to the PMS.

Use of the minibar

Without voice prompting
If items are found to have been consumed from the minibar in a guest’s room, the room staff can enter the details directly on the guest telephone. Each minibar entry is acknowledged to prevent incorrect entries. Optional entries for minibar items are item numbers (max. 6-digit) or invoicing amounts and a personnel code. With the expanded minibar function it is also possible to cancel any entry over the telephone.
Optional entry types:

• Standard minibar entry
• Advanced minibar entry (consumption registered/canceled)
• Advanced minibar entry with personnel number (consumption registered/canceled)

All entry data is transferred transparently to the PMS.

With voice prompting
If the optional VoiceMail system has been installed, minibar entries from the guest telephone are supported by voice prompting. The VoiceMail system checks the entries and returns a voice report. Incorrect entries will therefore be noticed immediately and can be corrected. The entries are then forwarded to the PMS.

VoiceMail system

iConnect has an optional VoiceMail module specifically tailored to hotel applications. Since this VoiceMail module supports several languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish) in parallel it can be tailored to each hotel’s individual requirements. When a guest checks in, “his/her” language is registered at reception by the PMS and forwarded to iConnect. iConnect then opens a voicebox for this guest and changes over voice prompting to “his/her” language. Thanks to VoiceMail’s relocation function, guests can change rooms in the hotel without losing their voice messages. A check is carried out on the PMS when guests check out to see if there are any messages that have not yet been listened to. Only then is the voicebox cleared. The VoiceMail system also offers voice prompting for the “wake-up, minibar, and room status” services.
The iConnect VoiceMail system comprises two components:

• Wake-up facility module incl. minibar, and room status
• VoiceMail module

Receiving a message (Message Waiting lamp)

Messages that arrive during a guest’s absence can be signaled over the PMS by “setting” the Message Waiting lamp on the guest telephone.
Under certain technical conditions it is also possible to equip analog guest telephones with Message Waiting Lamps.

Do-not-disturb

This room telephone class-of-service can be pre-configured in Pabx and set by the front office personnel as and when required.

Administering virtual directory numbers

To allow special guests (“VIPs”) to retain the same telephone number in different rooms each time they visit the hotel, or to equip a guest room with an additional fax line, the front office personnel can issue an additional, virtual telephone number as and when required.
iConnect ensures that when this is done the virtual number is assigned to the real number of the room or to the real number of the fax line in the room. This assignment is always canceled on check-out. Where the fax line is concerned, this ensures that no faxes will get into the wrong hands after guests have left.

Interface to external charge solutions

iConnect accepts the charge data record from Pabx, automatically calculates the call costs, and forwards these to the PMS. But it is also possible to connect an external charge solution to iConnect, and arrange for call costs to be calculated by the external solution. But for this arrangement the external solution must support the relevant data records (open interface).

Multiple PBXs support

Up to 4 PBXs in mixed mode (Unify, Alcatel, NEC, Cisco, Grandstream)

Changing over the language on the telephone display

A guest’s nationality is recorded on check-in, depending on the PMS. This information is forwarded to iConnect. If the guest’s room has an telephone with a display, the user interface will automatically be changed over to the guest’s national language (if available).

Front Office component

Guests in large hotels frequently call the operator (central office) to arrange for a wake-up call or have their telephone class-of-service changed. To enable the operator to use specific hotel functions, the iConnect client component can be used on the operator’s PC. This component can be installed on any PC with Java. This allows the operator to perform the following functions:

• enter wake-up orders,
• change telephone classes-ofservice,
• set or clear the Message Waiting lamp,
• set the do-not-disturb function.

The PC must be connected to iConnect via LAN.