Vanderbilt U and Med Center Expand Wireless Network with Sprint and Nextel

Vanderbilt University and Medical Center (VUMC) will be upgrading its wireless connectivity on campus with the help of Sprint, a long-time provider of wireless services to the school. Sprint will expand the existing system, including additional network coverage on both the Nationwide Sprint Network and the Nextel National Network covering eight buildings.

In 2004, Sprint installed an in-building system throughout the medical center at the university, including four CDMA and two iDEN towers on campus, a Sprint retail location on-site, and a dedicated account sales and support team housed on the campus. Advancements in technology, infrastructure modifications, and upgrades at Vanderbilt increased the demand for additional network capability on the campus.

The Vanderbilt Office of Emergency Communications (Flight Com), which operates much like a 911 dispatch center, will use Nextel handsets to dispatch and maintain two-way communications with internally tiered emergency response teams within the medical center. Those teams include trauma, STAT, RRT, and paramedics.

"The Nextel Direct Connect functionality allows dispatchers to simultaneously dispatch large groups of responders and support staff," said Jeff Gray, communications manager for Vanderbilt LifeFlight and the office of Emergency Communications. "Previously all dispatch to these teams was done by pager. Responders now have reliable two-way communications with dispatch that allows for additional directions or resources."

Employees and staff will also have access to Sprint Integrated Office, a solution used in both the hospital and other areas of the university. For example, within a hospital setting this solution is used to contact a nurse on duty. It allows the call to roll over from one nurse to another in case no one answers. The last call number in the group terminates to a desk phone, ensuring no call goes unanswered and unattended.

Montclair University in New Jersey is also a Sprint and Nextel network customer.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • interconnected cloud icons with glowing lines on a gradient blue backdrop

    Report: Cloud Certifications Bring Biggest Salary Payoff

    It pays to be conversant in cloud, according to a new study from Skillsoft The company's annual IT skills and salary survey report found that the top three certifications resulting in the highest payoffs salarywise are for skills in the cloud, specifically related to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Nutanix.

  • Abstract widescreen image with geometric shapes, flowing lines, and digital elements like graphs and data points in soft blue and white gradients.

    5 Trends to Watch in Higher Education for 2025

    In 2025, the trends shaping higher education reflect a continuous transformation of the higher education landscape to meet the changing needs of students and staff, while maintaining sustainable and cost-effective institutional practices.

  • abstract human figures stand on a glowing grid floor in a vibrant digital landscape with floating holographic buildings, luminous data orbs, and a neon blue and purple gradient sky

    Metaverse Org Declares the Technology Is Accelerating in Spite of Rise of AI

    A new report from the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) declares the technology initiative is alive and well, despite skyrocketing attention paid to artificial intelligence.

  • interconnected glowing nodes and circuits in blue and green, forming a neural network on a dark background with a futuristic design

    Tech Giants Launch $100 Billion AI Infrastructure Network Project

    OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle have unveiled a new venture, Stargate, through which they aim to build a massive AI infrastructure network across the United States. The initiative, which was announced at the White House with President Donald Trump, has been described as the "largest AI infrastructure project in history."