Bittel Announces UNO, a New Communications and Entertainment Platform

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bittel Electronics, Ltd. today unveiled its new UNO product line, which combines – for the first time ever in the hospitality industry – a full-featured hotel room phone, an alarm clock/radio, and an iPod/iPhone/mp3 player audio interface. The new product line is designed to allow hoteliers in all segments of the industry to reduce the number of devices they purchase and deploy in guest rooms, as well as provide a significantly updated and contemporary design aesthetic. A free UNO product brief is available on the company’s website: www.bittelcom.com.

“It’s an indisputable truth that guest room phone usage has declined dramatically over the last ten years”

Bittel UNO is designed for hoteliers who are looking for ways to reduce costs, while continuing to enhance guest experiences through the use of innovative technologies. UNO enables cost cutting initiatives by allowing hoteliers to reduce the number of guest room devices they must deploy. As UNO combines a full-featured hotel room phone with an alarm clock/radio and audio player interface, hoteliers can replace two devices with one: UNO.

Key UNO Features

Innovative, Contemporary Industrial Design

Breaking new ground in the industrial design of hotel room communications and audio devices, UNO looks unlike any other product that has preceded it. Featuring a sleek, high-tech appearance, UNO is designed to complement other guest room electronics, such as flat-screen televisions, entertainment and environmental control panels, and similar devices.

Saves Money, Saves Space, Reduces Clutter

UNO takes the place of two devices on the nightstand: the phone and the clock radio. For less than the cost of a separate phone and clock/radio with iPod dock, UNO provides the functionality of both devices in one unit. UNO also reduces the clutter associated with tangled cords that connect these two separate devices to power and communications outlets.

Convenient Audio Player Interface

The UNO flagship model provides USB and line-in audio inputs, supporting a wide range of portable personal electronic devices, so guests can easily enjoy the music they carry with them on mp3 players, mobile phones, and similar devices. An optional iPod/iPhone dock allows guests to enjoy dock-and-play convenience while simultaneously charging their device.

High-End Audio Performance

UNO features premium speakers and audio circuitry to deliver high-end audio performance, providing guests with maximum enjoyment while enjoying their favorite music.

A Complete Family of Solutions

Offering a complete suite of solutions, UNO is available in a range of price points and feature sets that are appropriate for every industry segment and hotel type. Phone-only UNO models (without clock/radio function, multi-function display or audio player interface) are perfect as low-cost companion phones to the flagship UNO model, or in standalone deployments for hoteliers who want to upgrade the design aesthetic of their hotel rooms. UNO touch-screen models present HTML and XML content and room control functionality on a bright, large color display that tightly integrates with various property and hotel corporate information systems. UNO DECT cordless models support up to four remote cordless handsets, linked to a common base station. TrimLine UNO phones are perfect for bathrooms and public spaces, or anywhere space is a concern. All UNO models will be available in both analog (TDM) and VoIP (SIP) configurations.

Dean Compoginis, Bittel’s recently-hired chief marketing officer, comments, “With the launch of UNO, we are introducing a completely new communications platform to the industry. UNO is a first-of-its-kind device that enables hoteliers’ cost-cutting initiatives, while simultaneously delivering a serious cosmetic upgrade to one of the most tired and bland devices in the guest room today, the phone. Frankly, we wondered why no one had done this before.”

“It’s an indisputable truth that guest room phone usage has declined dramatically over the last ten years,” Compoginis continues, “so why should hoteliers be forced to purchase a separate device just to deliver voice services in the hotel room? The UNO value proposition is simple: take voice services off of a dedicated device – the phone – and converge them onto another device in the room. We feel that the most obvious place to do that is the clock/radio. And, since the vast majority of travelers carry a variety of personal electronic devices with them, we also thought it made a great deal of sense to provide a convenient place for them to plug in their iPod, iPhone, mobile phone, or mp3 player. Having dual USB ports also provides guests with a convenient place to charge their mobile phone without hunting around under furniture for an electrical outlet. We think the industry will enjoy the new math: one plus one equals UNO.”

Availability and Pricing

The first UNO models will be available by the end of the first quarter of 2010. UNO pricing is not yet available, however the product is designed to sell for less than the combined cost of a hotel phone and alarm/clock radio with iPod docking station. Please visit www.bittelcom.com often for the latest updates, or to sign up for notification when pricing becomes available.

About Bittel

Headquartered in Rizhao, China, with significant distribution and marketing resources around the world, Bittel is a rapidly growing provider of innovative technology solutions for the global hospitality industry. Bittel products are known for their reliability and groundbreaking designs, and are installed in thousands of hotels around the world. Bittel is not interested in making the same tired products as other companies. Bittel is moving forward. Please visit us at www.bittelcom.com.

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