[Toronto, Jun 27 2023] – ANTlabs, a pioneering provider of advanced network solutions for the hospitality sector, is pleased to launch ANTlabsEzCast, an innovative casting solution designed specifically for hotels. “As internet traffic continues to surge with streaming services dominating content consumption, ANTlabsEzCast enhances the guest experience by seamlessly integrating secure access to individual room TVs,” says Wee-Tuck, Teo, CEO of ANTlabs.  “With ANTlabsEzCast, we aim to empower hotels to launch digital services like casting that mirror the comforts and convenience of home and the luxury of utilizing the large-screen TV.”

According to recent statistics, streaming now accounts for more than 60% of global internet traffic, making it the dominant form of content consumption. In response to this growing trend, ANTlabsEzCast allows hotels to cater to the evolving needs of tech-savvy hotel guests. Guests can easily pair their mobile or Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the in-room TV via QR Code or via browser authentication.  With the ability to transform large-screen TVs into powerful work or entertainment hubs, ANTlabsEzCast provides guests with a truly engaging digital experience. Privacy and security are also ensured as no credentials are stored on the TV.

ANTlabsEzCast delivers a cost-effective standalone solution with cloud management and on-premise gateway control. When paired with ANTlabs gateways’ onboard Advanced QoS and application-shaping technologies, hotels can be assured that the surfing speeds do not degrade significantly with the additional streaming internet traffic. Furthermore, it offers a superior technical advantage by eliminating multicast traffic overhead. This is achieved by creating a private network between the end user’s devices and associated Chromecast devices.

Benefits of ANTlabsEzCast for hotels and guests:

• – Unmatched in-room experience that drives brand loyalty and delights guests
• – Cost-effective solution with cloud management and on-premises gateway control
• – Effortless content casting for guests, eliminating the hassle of HDMI cables
• – Ease of deployment and monitoring for IT Managers, minimizing troubleshooting
• – Centralized reporting and cloud-based configuration through a unified dashboard

ANTlabsEzCast offers competitive pricing and low operating costs, making it the most cost-effective choice when combined with High-Speed Internet Access (HSIA) services.

ANTlabsEzCast will be showcased at the prestigious HITEC 2023 event in Toronto, where industry leaders and IT professionals convene to shape the future of hospitality technology. The official launch of ANTlabsEzCast is scheduled for June 27th, with interested customers and partners gaining access to this innovative solution starting in Q3 2023. ANTlabs invites technology enthusiasts and industry professionals to explore the forefront of in-room entertainment and experience ANTlabsEzCast.

Established in 1999 and headquartered in Singapore, ANTlabs is a market-leading provider of innovative networking solutions for the hospitality, large venues, telcos, and ISP industries. ANTlabs helps our customers deliver high-quality, high-touch, and highly reliable digital services to their guests and users, driving revenue growth and operational efficiency. ANTlabs Pte Ltd offers a wide range of networking solutions, including on-prem network gateways, cloud-based Wi-Fi services management platforms, bare metal appliances, and virtualized telcos network infrastructure solutions through in-house R&D. With resellers worldwide including North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, ANTlabs has established itself as a trusted market leader.

Captive portals are commonly used by public Wi-Fi networks to restrict access to the internet until the user agrees to certain terms and conditions or authenticates successfully. While captive portals are necessary for many public Wi-Fi networks, they can be frustrating for users who are unable to connect to the internet until they have completed the login process.

Frustrations can stem from captive portals not loading fast enough or freezing, and some login methods can be lengthy or complicated. Thankfully, ANTlabs gateways provide a plethora of seamless login methods, including social media login, SMS OTP, PMS integration, Hotspot 2.0, etc to suit many usage scenarios. CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways offers an elegant solution to the other aspect of the problem, while providing improved captive portal detection and venue published information.

ANTlabs gateways support the use of DHCP option 114 to indicate the captive portal API URL during IP address assignment. This means that supported devices can immediately fetch the API content after connecting to the network, which prompts the user to log in if the network is identified as captive based on the API response. There is no need to redirect or intercept the initial web requests that would trigger security warnings in modern browsers or delay the delivery of captive portals.

In other words, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways enables faster and more accurate reliable detection of captive portals, and greatly improve the user experience and reduce frustration.  The diagram on the left shows an example of an Android phone’s locked screen showing the visual cues to allow the user to click the captive portal URL.

In addition to improving captive portal detection, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways also enables venue published information. Without this feature, after a user is successfully authenticated, they are free to move to other web content and the venue will lose the opportunity to engage with the customer further.

When a CapPort message is displayed on a device using captive portal API, the user can interact with it to immediately open their internet browser and navigate to the Venue Info URL at any time. This feature is particularly useful in scenarios such as staying at a hotel, where guests may want to easily access information about services or amenities. By simply clicking on the system message, users can access venue information, including spa, restaurant hours or any promotions offer. With the addition of location-aware websites, the guest journey becomes even more intuitive and seamless.  The diagram on the right shows the user interface where a user can find the venue URL by clicking on the “Open Site” icon.

It is worth noting that more mobile devices are beginning to support CapPort feature, specifically Apple (iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur) devices and Android 11 onward. 

In conclusion, CapPort support on ANTlabs gateways is a powerful tool for improving captive portal detection and providing venue published information. By using DHCP option 114 to provide the captive portal API URL and including the Venue Info URL in the CapPort message, CapPort support streamlines the process of connecting to public Wi-Fi networks and provides users with easy access to important information about the venue. As a result, CapPort support can lead to increased customer satisfaction, repeat business, and revenue for businesses.