SAN JOSE, CA & WHITE PLAINS, NY Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Cisco Systems officially announced the formation of a strategic relationship to introduce broadband technology in Starwood s hotels beginning in 2001. Under the agreement, Cisco will act as the preferred infrastructure provider for high-speed Internet access and other broadband services. This marks the first major deal inked by Starwood Technology and Revenue Systems (STARS), a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Starwood will conduct a pilot installation of Cisco s broadband technology at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. The test will be followed by a rollout of the technology to more than 725 of Starwood s hotels worldwide. In addition, Starwood will work with Cisco to develop new broadband-based communication and entertainment services, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). (3/5/01)