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Three Essential 2015 ResNet Trends

AUSTIN, TX — (Marketwired) — 01/14/15 — As the holiday season fizzes into 2015, the beginnings of an era of change are budding. In the last year, the Bring-Your-Own-Everything (BYOE) trend and the explosion of devices are transforming not only the way students are learning and seeking entertainment, but also the way Business, IT and Housing departments in higher ed institutions work together to strategize and service student expectations.

Although many of the trends from previous years continue to dominate the discussion of what–s next, the need to find and implement solutions to existing issues became more pressing in 2014, and will continue into 2015.

Apogee–s Key ResNet trends for the year include:

1. As devices tripled at Apogee–s partner universities in 2014, schools are bracing for the next round of smart objects this year, starting with the introduction of wearables such as Google Glass and smartwatches. In the coming year, the IoT is predicted to be the biggest grower of bandwidth consumption and will require dynamic networks that can adapt to deliver added security and meet quality of service expectations. To help cope with the continuous streaming of machine-to-machine data and rapidly-evolving technologies, schools should consider outsourcing the residential network to help offset the capital risk needed to scale the network. Working with a dedicated ResNet specialist will help offset the additional manpower needed for always-on network monitoring and tackle other issues such as latency.

2. More schools are improving their wireless connectivity, with the 2014 ACUTA/NACUBO/ACUHO-I State of the ResNet Study reporting a jump of 16% in schools offering robust wireless coverage (four bars or more) throughout 81 to 100 percent of their campuses. Despite these efforts, more work needs to be done to keep up with student needs, as the study also noted that residential networks lagged behind the administrative and academic networks in wireless coverage. This year, Apogee anticipates that more schools will take action to boost Wi-Fi coverage, which has now become an expected amenity and not a luxury, in an increasingly- competitive housing landscape. EDUCAUSE also noted a greater need than ever for schools to find funding models and source technologies at scale to reduce costs, sustain core service and support innovation.

3. As school functions become more heavily dependent on technology, two things have happened: IT infrastructure and technology budgets have become of interest to institutional leaders; and CIOs are now playing a greater role in both strategy and implementation of campus-wide initiatives. A hot topic in 2014 was the realization that there was a need for better communication and collaboration across departments, and this dialog is expected to continue this year. In fact, one in five business officers does not meet with their housing or IT counterparts to discuss their ResNet (2014 State of ResNet Report). In an interview with EDUCAUSE, John Walda, President of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), called on officers to work together to make data-informed decisions, to “better understand the total cost of ownership and the measurable cost savings, revenue enhancements, and service improvements for any technology project,” in order to better predict return on investment.

“As we stand at the dawn of 2015 and reflect on the challenges of 2014, we encourage schools to find a true partner that can work with key stakeholders to design and implement the appropriate strategy and scalable solution, and give students a residential experience that meets or exceeds what they have at home,” said Chuck Brady, CEO of Apogee. “Partnering with Apogee unlocks the full potential of ResNet — by not only helping students to access online content seamlessly; but also helps institutions reduce risk, derive greater value from capital investments and stay competitive.”

Apogee is the largest, most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNet) in higher education. Partnering with Apogee for ResNet services allows colleges and universities to enhance their network infrastructure while offloading the growing volume of administrative responsibilities associated with managing a student network. This partnership allows IT, Business and Housing to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university. Find out why nine out of 10 schools that outsource their ResNet choose Apogee at .