Private Wireless Networks Are Powering Research, Student Education, and Safety on College Campuses
Institutions of higher learning are working to create the Digital Campus. In order to make this transformation, they need better wireless communications infrastructure to meet their various connectivity needs and future-proof themselves for coming applications.
Many colleges and universities have upgraded their Wi-Fi networks in order to meet the demand for greater connectivity. But Wi-Fi has significant limitations when it comes to security, performance, and coverage. These limitations could severely inhibit higher education from benefitting fully from the IoT revolution currently underway.
Private wireless networks such as Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud from Infinity Technology Solutions will enable institutions of higher education to fully embrace 5G by giving them new spectrum options for digital and Industry 4.0 applications.
By adding private LTE to their existing hardlines and Wi-Fi deployments, colleges can support better and more efficient campus services, while powering greater research, education, and collaboration.
Next-Gen Campus Wireless Communication
The diverse and changing needs of universities demand that they implement better broadband infrastructure. As primary schools are discovering, education at all levels benefit from private wireless solutions.
Below are some of the applications driving demand for private wireless in higher ed:
- Classroom technologies such as smart boards, smart podiums, and smart lighting
- Research labs that facilitate the study of communication technologies for industrial IoT applications
- Enhanced campus security systems and functions, such as smart cameras, emergency call stations, and drone surveillance
- On-campus communication applications such as push-to-talk and push-to-video
- Digital signage for campus events, directions, and emergency notifications
- Remote learning opportunities for AR and VR classrooms
- Enhanced connectivity for student residences both on campus and off to help bridge the digital divide in education, and provide better student broadband services
- POS kiosks and mobile delivery services for such things as ticket sales to student events, as well as food and beverage services.
The Benefits of Private Wireless Technology
Nokia’s private wireless solutions for higher education combine the reliability of hardline broadband with the coverage and capacity of the best 4.9G/LTE and 5G networks.
With a lower latency and higher data performance than Wi-Fi hotspots, campuses with PLTE networks can connect hundreds of devices, machines, sensors, and workers, with a single small cell. Private wireless networks are the perfect solution for a college campus because they support a high density of devices in a small area.
Here are some of the key benefits of PLTE for colleges:
Cybersecurity
Wi-Fi lacks robust cybersecurity and is vulnerable to criminals. By comparison, Nokia’s 3GPP standard includes end-to-end encryption, strong ciphering, IPSec for network communication, and rigorous authentication protocols for all users and devices.
Highly Reliable
Nokia’s private wireless network technologies from Infinity Technology Solutions deliver up to 99.9% reliability. By deploying advanced schedulers, PLTE adapts to radio efficiency, device encoding, and resource use in real-time, giving users much greater accessibility.
Pervasive Indoor and Outdoor Coverage
Unlike traditional Wi-Fi whose signals can become easily obstructed by buildings and other facilities, private wireless networks utilize spectrum options that enable it to provide pervasive indoor and outdoor coverage across your entire campus.
Predictable Performance
The performance of Wi-Fi degrades rapidly as more users jump onto your network to connect devices and transmit data. With private wireless as your go-to network, throughput remains stable and predictable even when loads are heavy.
High Multi-User Capacity
Due to its advanced scheduler, private wireless provides enough bandwidth to support hundreds of active users and thousands of connected devices per small cell. By comparison, Wi-Fi hotspots can become overwhelmed by a mere 30-50 devices.
Full Mobility
Enjoy seamless mobility for a number of use cases, such as campus security operations involving fast-moving vehicles with private LTE. Wi-Fi, with its limited mobility, was designed for the home or office—not large institutions and organizations.
Infinity Technology Solutions for Private Wireless
With Nokia’s complete portfolio of private wireless networking solutions for higher education at our fingertips, Infinity Technology Solutions has decades of experience obtaining and installing PLTE for public and private universities.
Learn more about how we are contributing to the digitalization of higher education.
