Manassas, Va.-based TelNet recently completed a project for the Manassas City Public Schools in which the company deployed 32,800 feet of Ethernet cable and 410 wireless access points to enable Wi-Fi access at eight schools in the area.
The company, which has traditionally focused on installation of telephone, audio-visual and cabling, told FierceInstaller, that TelNet has seen a surge in contracts for customers that need Wi-Fi connectivity.
According to TelNet President Michael Howard, in the Manassas City Public Schools project the company used category 6 cable for the installation, which he believed would extend the lifetime of the project. Aerohive Networks provided the wireless access points, Howard said.
The deployment was related to the school district's Digital Learning Program, under which students use tablets for much of their homework and for staying organized with school projects and activities. Howard indicated that he has two children in the school system and pointed out how students now are able to get caught up on assignments during moments when they would otherwise be waiting for something.
Most of the district's students now have smartphones. Howard said that heavy smartphone use by students and faculty is a secondary driver for the deployment.
TelNet has been able to secure contracts for similar projects in the private sector. A Toyota dealership in the Manassas area with three locations was recently outfitted for Wi-Fi connectivity by the Virginia company. This kind of Wi-Fi enablement is a real opportunity for companies such as TelNet, Howard said.
For more:
- see this Potomac Local article
Related articles:
AT&T agrees extend Gig service to E-rate schools, libraries as part of DirecTV deal
FCC raises E-rate subsidies to pay for extended education technology program