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Xirrus' Wireless Network Enables BYOD Scheme and M2M Communication at New College Swindon
THOUSAND OAKS, CA, Feb 15, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
Xirrus(R), the leader in high-performance wireless networks,
announced today that it has deployed an 802.11n wireless network at
New College Swindon, one of the largest campuses in the UK for A
Level and GSCE students. The new high-performance network has created
the UK's first wireless-only annexe, and allows the school to run a
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scheme. This enables students and staff
to connect to the campus network from anywhere, at any time, using
their own devices. The reliable, scalable solution also supports
extensive Machine-to-Machine communication (M2M), and has resulted in
substantial cost savings and improved efficiency, amongst other
benefits.
A recent renovation of the campus was the ideal opportunity for New
College Swindon to investigate potential improvements to its wireless
connectivity. With increasing demand from 3,000 full-time and 10,000
part-time students for remote access to applications and the Internet
via their own laptops, tablets, and other devices, the school
recognised the need for a new wireless network that could handle the
ever-increasing user density.
"More and more students were coming to us wanting Wi-Fi and, more
importantly, simply expecting it to be there and running at a high
performance level, 100 percent of the time," said Phil Quinn, ICT
Manager at New College Swindon. "The system we had just couldn't cope
with the demand. After a thorough review, we chose Xirrus -- their
technology is best in breed and their experts provided the most
cost-effective solution with the right balance between network
coverage and bandwidth. The transition to the new wireless network
has been so successful that our testing of the wireless arrays was
seamless. We took one classroom with 20 heavily used PCs and
installed wireless cards. We didn't tell anyone, just put them in,
left the cables in place, turned off the switch, and waited to see
what fallout there might be. And there wasn't any. Students and staff
didn't notice any difference and assumed the PCs were physically
connected, which is testament to the reliability and performance of
Xirrus Wireless Arrays."
The school has enjoyed a number of different benefits thanks to M2M,
which the new network supports. For example, print costs have been
reduced by connecting Multi-Functional Devices (machines which scan,
print and copy) to the wireless network, and activating them by swipe
cards. Interactive projectors, smartboards, and other digital
displays are connected wirelessly and can be operated remotely -- and
more efficiently than before -- using PCs and other devices. VoIP
handsets, which will deliver cost savings on calls and, again, are
connected wirelessly, are being rolled out.
"Students and staff are already realising the benefits of M2M
functionality," said Quinn. "At the start of the project, I was told
by other technology providers that M2M wasn't possible because of the
amount of data that goes across. So to now have all these devices
connected wirelessly and working flawlessly is incredible. With
colleagues having suffered poor wireless experiences, many said to me
'you just can't do it.' Well, we did!"
Sean Larner, VP of EMEA Sales at Xirrus, said: "New College Swindon
is a fantastic example of how wireless technology can be used
innovatively to deliver concrete business benefits to an
organisation. The campus now enjoys wireless connectivity that
delivers wired performance and supports a BYOD scheme and M2M
communication. We look forward to working with New College Swindon as
their application of wireless networking evolves."
About Xirrus, Inc.
Xirrus is the leading provider of
high-performance wireless networks. Our array-based solutions perform
under the most demanding circumstances -- always. Their wired-like
reliability and superior security allow our customers to confidently
take their business-critical applications and operations mobile. Our
solutions are unique in the industry, transforming enterprises and
organizations around the world. At a time when everyone expects to
connect wirelessly everywhere and business is increasingly done in
the cloud, Xirrus wireless solutions are providing a vital strategic
business and IT infrastructure advantage in thousands of deployments
worldwide. Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, CA, Xirrus is a privately
held enterprise designing and manufacturing its products and
solutions in the USA.
Xirrus and XR Series are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Xirrus. Other trade names used in this document are or may be the
property of their respective owners.
Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1886725
SOURCE: Xirrus, Inc.
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