MANCHESTER, NH--(Marketwire - August 11, 2009) - Cellular Specialties, Inc. (CSI), the recognized leader in the design and implementation of in-building wireless products and solutions, today announced that Suffolk University has chosen CSI solutions to boost wireless signal strength for both data and voice services in highly congested, low coverage areas such as the university's student residence hall on Beacon Hill. CSI solutions play a crucial role at the University as wireless is used by most students and faculty to conduct secure messaging, send and receive e-mails and access data throughout the campus.
A private, urban university located on Boston's historic Beacon Hill, Suffolk University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 70 areas of study through its College of Arts and Science, Sawyer Business School and Suffolk University Law School. The university has campuses on three continents -- in Boston, Madrid and Dakar (Africa) -- as well as satellite locations in Eastern Massachusetts. Its mission is to provide quality higher education at a reasonable cost for students of all ages and backgrounds, with strong emphasis on diversity.
According to Fouad Yatim, Suffolk University's Chief Information Officer, the initial need for CSI solutions was driven by the university's in-campus emergency notification system: "Originally, in-building wireless was not even on our radar. But it quickly became an issue when we realized that poor cell phone coverage was hindering the ability for students to receive important in-campus notifications via e-mail and text when they were located in certain buildings. Once this weakness was identified, we reached out to CSI for help."
Cellular Specialties offers Suffolk University a range of solutions designed to boost the performance and call quality of in-building wireless networks, designed especially for high traffic, congested areas like Suffolk's Beacon Hill campus. Products such as amplifiers/repeaters, in-line boosters, and multi-directional antennas are geared towards supplementing and expanding the scope of wireless signals in low coverage areas. Initial installation occurred at the university's Nathan Miller residence hall, a 21 story building with 168,000 square feet in the heart of downtown Boston.
According to an article on Textually.org, cell phones continue to play an important role in the college setting as usage among college students is strong and continues to rise. The article states: "In 2000 just over 33% of US college students had cell phones on campus, according to a national survey by Student Monitor. In the fall of 2004, nearly 90% did." In recent years, this trend has played out at Suffolk University as well. As the CSI installation evolved, Yatim said the university realized just how important in-building wireless coverage was for their students:
"The ability to send and receive data regardless of location is crucial for students, as most are using texting rather than talking on their wireless devices. Additionally, more and more applications are being optimized to run on mobile devices, and students are connecting to these applications using their smart phones. For this reason, availability and accessibility of these applications regardless of location is critical."
Also, according to Yatim, it is the high-bandwidth wireless devices that are best suited for data traffic which are most problematic for in-building wireless coverage: "As phones are getting smarter, they begin to run on higher and higher bandwidth networks, as more and more data are being used. But these 2G and 3G networks have the most trouble penetrating buildings, making it much less likely that the wireless device will work indoors."
Addressing this problem, CSI's Custom Solution's Group (CSG) is the only in-building wireless service organization approved by all major wireless service providers in the United States and has implemented numerous turnkey solutions solving Voice, Data, WiFi, RFID and other wireless solutions. CSI's product division's digital repeaters are the product of choice by the nation's largest wireless carriers and are approved by most service providers across North America. Customers consistently turn to CSI for the company's ability to provide:
- Reliable products and services supported by a decade of experience in the design, engineering and installation of state-of-the-art in-building wireless systems
- Extensive application experience in a variety of industries, including: healthcare, stadiums and arenas, higher education, transportation, and manufacturing
- Knowledge of complex hybrid solutions where WiFI and cellular enhancement share the same DAS maximizing dollars.
Yatim concluded: "Working with CSI, we've been able to maximize our initial IT investment, as the system can be extended to other buildings across campus as needed -- without having to do costly redeployments or reinstallation. While I cannot forecast what new applications or uses for wireless devices might come down the road, I feel confident that our in-building wireless signal solution provided by CSI will handle it."
About CSI
CSI (Cellular Specialties, Inc.) is a world class organization that delivers superior products and services enabling anytime, anywhere in-building wireless connectivity. CSI has implemented thousands of turnkey solutions throughout the country. Our consultative and product neutral approach enables us to develop truly customized solutions for every client. CSI also holds the distinction of being the only in-building wireless service organization approved by all major wireless service providers in the United States. For more information about CSI, please call (866) 670-2205 or visit www.csiwireless.com.
Contact Information:
For More Information:
Jackie Abramian
Mike Emerton
BridgeView Marketing (For Cellular Specialties)
207-439-0963
Jackie@bridgeviewmarketing.com
mike@bridgeviewmarketing.com