Student Housing Business

NOV-DEC 2015

Student Housing Business is the voice of the student housing industry.

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CONNECTIVITY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 STUDENT HOUSING BUSINESS .COM 42 Staying Connected Outftting student housing properties with rapid-speed Gigabit Internet connectivity is becoming the norm as the number of Internet-enabled devices students use, and academics require, grows. By Scott Reid A An uninterrupted, rapid Internet connection has become the num- ber one amenity students seek in student housing properties, not just for streaming bandwidth-intensive entertainment and social media use, but also for academic success as online homework, streaming lec- tures and readings become more commonplace. Though the numbers vary, it's been found that the average col- lege student has three to seven devices that connect to the Inter- net, and more are being devel- oped that will gain popularity in the coming years. This accounts for an enormous amount of band- width that the wireless access points and cable infrastructure present in many student housing facilities just can't accommodate. Whether a student housing property on- or off-campus offers wired Internet or Wi-Fi, maintain- ing a constant, fast connection is a requirement for keeping residents happy and successful. Fiber is Coming Many student housing opera- tors are partnering with telecom- munications suppliers to switch from cable infrastructure to fber infrastructure to offer students Gigabit speeds, or 1,000 Mbps, often at great capital expense. According to Henry Pye, vice president of resident technology for Carrollton, Texas-based Real- Page, the design and methodol- ogy of high-speed Internet access has not changed signifcantly in the past few years. Ethernet (hard-wired) access has changed from megabit to gigabit speeds, wireless networks have pro- gressed to newest-and-greatest 801.11 G, N and AC networks, fber distribution transitioned from multimode to single mode, and developments have installed Category 6 cables instead of Cat- egory 5e for faster speeds over a shorter distance. What has changed signifcant- ly, Pye says, is bandwidth, the number of devices per resident, the way residents utilize Inter- net access and the lifespan of the related equipment. Specifcally, he says, communities now average 50 to 200 Mbps per bed, with a few as high as 1 Gbps; residents now have up to seven devices, with an average of 5.5 wireless devices; streaming video and gaming are the most prevalent applications; and wireless equip- ment needs to be upgraded every three to four years. Making connectivity as routine as putting gasoline in your car is important to Gainesville, Flori- da-based The Collier Cos. Aaron Harden, vice president of systems and technology for The Collier Cos., says, "We are shifting our focus toward dedicated fber and campus-wide wireless solutions, especially on new construction. Today's consumer expects the Internet to work on the frst try. We want to remove the layers of having to plug in or set up a modem and router on move-in day. "Using more sophisticated access points, we've also been able to implement 'by-the-device' managed bandwidth as opposed to 'by-the-unit.' The days of shar- ing bandwidth with your room- mates may be quickly coming to an end. Now it's possible for residents to have dedicated band- width on their phones, tablets and computers." According to Bruce Sanders, executive vice president of Elau- wit Networks, a connectivity pro- vider for the industry, the com- pany will deliver bandwidth via point-to-point microwave when circumstances merit. Richard Holtz, CEO of InfniSys Electronic Architects, says one of the more common technologies to Student Housing Hotels Mixed-Use 678-799-8960 www.chance-partners.com a s e d T h e C o l l i e r C o s A a r o AARON HARDEN Vice President of Systems and Technology for The Collier Cos.

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