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Texas A&M-Commerce Upgrades Residential WiFi to Meet Blended Learning Demands

In order to meet the connectivity and bandwidth needs of blended learning, Texas A&M University-Commerce has rolled out a new wireless network across all of its residence halls. The institution expanded an existing partnership with managed technology services provider Apogee to provide reliable, highly available wireless for all students living on campus.

Students now have a WiFi access point in each room that can connect up to seven devices at 100 Mbps of bandwidth per device, allowing them to participate in online classes, Zoom with family and friends, watch streaming video, engage with social media and games, and more, according to a news announcement. The network also supports personal area networking, and Apogee provides 24/7/365 support via phone, text and e-mail.

"COVID has changed higher education and campus life, and we have taken steps at A&M-Commerce and have risen to the challenge," said Michael Stark, director of residential living and learning at the university, in a statement. "While connectivity was challenged by the influx of devices, COVID demanded even more. Our new Apogee ResNet delivers new equipment and bandwidth critical to meet both needs. Students report higher satisfaction as they now experience fast and consistent internet access in residence halls."

"More than any other time in history, colleges and universities need to be ready for both on-campus and remote learning and be able to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances. Technology has always been vital to learning, but now, it's absolutely essential," commented Travis A. Ball, A&M-Commerce's chief procurement officer. "Thanks to Apogee, we're putting the campus on a progressive path of staying ahead with technology."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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