Hosting over 30 passenger airlines, Houston Airports is ensuring it can meet the mobile experience expectations of today’s travelers by rolling out high-performance, free guest Wi-Fi connectivity.
It is also debuting a step-by-step wayfinding app to help travelers get to their gate, baggage claim, and airport amenities.
In today’s air travel world, passenger typically expect connectivity and convenience during their airport experience.
Houston Airports Upgrade
To meet these demands, Houston Airports, one of North America’s largest public airport systems, is undergoing a significant transformation.
It will partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) and adopt a Wi-Fi 6E-enabled HPE Aruba Networking solution.
With this rollout, Houston Airports aims to revolutionize guest connectivity across George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.
Houston Airports play a vital role in the local economy, contributing over $36 billion and providing employment to more than 190,000 individuals.
As an international gateway to the south-central United States and Latin America, Houston Airports serve as crucial hubs for global travel and commerce.
Wi-Fi connectivity is becoming an increasingly important service offered by airports. Here’s why:
- Enhanced traveler experience: Wi-Fi allows passengers to stay connected, check emails, browse the web, or stream entertainment during layovers. This can significantly improve the overall travel experience, especially for long waits.
- Business needs: Many travelers, particularly business professionals, rely on Wi-Fi to stay productive during airport downtime. They can use it for tasks like video conferencing, accessing documents, or keeping up with communication.
- Global expectations: In today’s digital world, travelers expect Wi-Fi access in most public spaces, including airports. Airports offering free or affordable Wi-Fi are seen as more modern and user-friendly.
- Competitive advantage: Airports can leverage Wi-Fi as a way to attract passengers and differentiate themselves from competitors. Reliable and high-speed Wi-Fi can be a significant selling point.
Partnership with HPE Aruba Networking
With approximately 60 million passengers annually, Houston Airports recognize the need to meet modern travelers’ expectations for connectivity and convenience.
Wireless Infrastructure
The adoption of Wi-Fi 6E-enabled HPE Aruba Networking solution ensures high-performance, free guest Wi-Fi connectivity. This caters to the increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming 4K video content.
Improving Traveler Navigation
Houston Airports have introduced a user-friendly wayfinding app, allowing travelers to navigate the airport efficiently. Features include gate navigation, baggage claim assistance, and real-time flight updates.
The app provides real-time parking availability updates, enabling travelers to locate parking spaces conveniently, reducing stress and enhancing overall travel experience.
Leveraging Location-Based Services
Houston Airports have deployed HPE Aruba Networking Beacons to enhance location-based services. These beacons provide valuable telemetry data, supporting the functionality of the wayfinding app.
The adoption of HPE Aruba Networking solution opens doors to future expansion opportunities, including advanced features like parking reservations and in-app purchases.
Embracing IoT and Sustainability
Houston Airports are leveraging HPE Aruba Networking APs as an IoT platform to create smart facilities.
This includes restroom optimization and real-time maintenance adjustments based on foot traffic data.
The Wi-Fi infrastructure also contributes to Houston Airports’ sustainability initiatives. It enables energy-efficient operations and supporting the development of location analytics for space optimization.
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