Austin, TX – February 15, 2012

Rapid advances in mobile VoIP have begun to enable student residents to bypass their cellular carriers entirely, said Chuck Brady, Chief Executive Officer of Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, in an article in the winter edition of the ACUTA Journal. According to Brady, these digital mavericks will use wireless networks not just for surfing the internet, but also for calls, virtual teleconferencing and instant messaging on their network-enabled phones.

“From handheld VoIP applications to desktop videoconferencing, all signs suggest that the broadband network is the new frontier for digital communication, replacing legacy PSTN connectivity more rapidly than ever,” said Brady.

According to the article, the convergence of Web 2.0 architecture and increasing amounts of available bandwidth mean that new VoIP and Instant Message providers are now fighting for dominance with legacy carriers, like AT&T and Verizon.

For IT decision makers already challenged to keep up with skyrocketing bandwidth and mobility demands, the latest trend in a seemingly endless series of “game changers” may not seem like a welcome development. Brady responds, however, that as long as the institution has a “strong residential network in place, the convergence of cellular and VoIP can bring welcome amenities to students frustrated by poor service or restrictive minute allotments.”

To eliminate the problem of poor in-building cellular coverage and switch seamlessly from cellular to network communication, Brady suggests that IT administrators explore VoWLAN, an increasingly popular FMC (fixed mobile convergence) solution, as a competitive differentiator and enhancement to core ResNet services. In addition to maximizing existing ResNet investments such as WLAN infrastructure, VoWLAN enables ResNet administrators to better manage, monitor, and integrate VoIP usage with existing data stores or back-end applications.

While many schools use Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) deployments to meet this goal in campus environments, even a perfect DAS deployment is significantly more costly than FMC while frequently being carrier-specific. By integrating FMC into the a robust IP network, the article suggests that schools could ultimately eliminate coverage issues, bypass minute and data caps on student cellular plans, and introduce an attractive, leading-edge amenity to the residence hall.

“As lectures, television, movies, and videoconferencing all move onto the wireless network, fixed mobile convergence is only the latest trend on the horizon to demonstrate the absolute necessity of deploying tomorrow’s robust wireless network today. Being able to rely on high-capacity, high-density wireless coverage throughout the residential community adds value across the entire spectrum of academic use, entertainment, resident retention, and student satisfaction,” concludes Brady.

To view the full article in the winter edition of the ACUTA Journal, visit http://www.apogee.us/pdf/ACUTA_Journal_Winter_2011.pdf.

About Apogee 

Apogee is the nation’s largest and most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNets) for 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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us

Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services for higher education, today announced a partnership with Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY to deploy comprehensive ResNet services to the school’s roughly 400 on-campus residents. The decision to partner with Apogee follows several years of service offered by a regional cable provider.

“The network services that were put in place by the cable provider just didn’t meet the needs of Genesee’s residential community,” said Chuck Brady, Apogee CEO. “As robust wireless coverage and support for network-enabled mobile devices become a necessity on campus, we’re seeing that many of the solutions offered by large, mass-market ISPs who don’t have an exclusive focus on ResNet just no longer cut it.”

According to John Sisson, director of Genesee’s College Village residences, the move to a specialized ResNet provider was part of a strategic investment in the success of Genesee’s student population.

“The number one goal of the GCC Foundation is student success [and] this new network upgrade greatly assists our residents in becoming successful students,” said John Sisson, director of College Village.

Prior to the transition, GCC students experienced only limited wireless coverage and shared bandwidth access within each unit. Immediately after the the switch last December, students began enjoying dense capacity wireless coverage throughout every residential housing community, as well as comprehensive network access with dedicated bandwidth per user. Residents also benefit from live 24-hour network support accessible by phone, email or text message, as well as expanded VoIP phone and cable television choices.

“The wireless internet is working flawlessly so far,” said Kaileigh Domster, a resident assistant at College Village. “I love that I can connect my personal laptop to the network and not have any connection issues.”

The need for reliable network access on campus extends beyond campus living to academics, said Domster.

“It’s imperative that we can connect with our professors for any last minute questions regarding final papers or final exams,” Domster added.

About Genesee Community College

Genesee Community College is located outside the Upstate New York city of Batavia and nestled amid the scenic villages and farmland of the Genesee Region. Since its founding in 1966 as part of the prestigious State University of New York, Genesee has become one of the most highly-respected community colleges in the United States. For more information, visit www.genesee.edu.

About Apogee

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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

Centenary College IT director discusses $1.4 million cost savings after outsourcing for managed ResNet services

Austin, TX & Shreveport, LA – April 19, 2011

Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of outsourced residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, today announced that long-time partner Centenary College of Louisiana has been featured in the online edition of Campus Technology Magazine.

The article, written by IT Director Scott Merritt, details eight tips to ensure residential wireless coverage based on the college’s own successful experience collaborating with Apogee to deploy wireless infrastructure in 2009.

“Our deployment couldn’t have gone better,” said Merritt. “[In Fall 2009], new and returning student residents were greeted with wireless connectivity for all their devices, and, with that, the college and our students gained entry into the modern era of mobile connectivity.”

By partnering with Apogee to outsource management of the residential student network, the college was able to achieve significant cost savings.

“In weighing the costs associated with doing this ourselves versus through our managed ResNet provider, Centenary was able to save approximately $1.4 million over the life of the contract,” said Merritt. “As [Apogee] assumed the initial investment for both equipment and installation, Centenary was able to defer up-front capital expenditures, yet promptly set up a wireless network that scales as technologies and student needs evolve.”

Now, after several years of successful residential wireless coverage, Centenary College is very pleased with the decision to outsource.

“I still remember how quickly the troubleshooting phone calls stopped as soon as we deployed managed ResNet,” said Merritt. “That simple decision empowered and freed up my team to work with Centenary’s administrators to focus on the more strategic and academic IT issues of our school.”

To view the full article in Campus Technology Magazine, visit http://www.apogee.us/features/centenary-wireless.

About Apogee
Apogee is the nation’s largest and most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNets) for 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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

About Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South. Located in Shreveport, LA, Centenary is regularly rated as one of the top colleges in the South and is considered one of the nation’s “Best 361 Colleges” by The Princeton Review. For more information about Centenary College of Louisiana, visit www.centenary.edu.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us

IT Department calls decision to outsource “a no-brainer”

Austin, TX & Brockport, NY – April 6, 2010

Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, today announced that The College at Brockport has been awarded a national ‘Model of Efficiency’ award by University Business Magazine in recognition of their successful transition to Apogee’s ResNet services.  The Models of Efficiency program, sponsored by Higher One, recognizes administrative departments at colleges and universities for their efforts to save resources while improving service. The award marks the first issuance of a national award for outsourced ResNet service. 

The College at Brockport, a constituent college of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, first deployed Apogee’s managed service in 2006 after an extensive review of issues facing the residential network.

“We were looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars to upgrade initially and then about every three years to do it over and over,” said Shannon Sauro, Director of Telecommunications & Business Solutions, “whereas Apogee provides the service and the equipment along with the upgrades.”

In their award nomination, the College said that foregoing additional staff and equipment upgrades in favor of a managed solution saves the school at least $500,000 annually.  The decision enabled Brockport to defer significant capital investments and still deploy a robust wireless network in their residential housing, as well as offering students the benefit of Apogee’s 24/7/365 network support.

“Considering the enormous budget crunch facing state institutions today, Brockport has proven that they are ahead of the curve in facing the challenge of meeting rising technology demands while financial resources shrink,” said Chuck Brady, Apogee CEO.  “Managed service in the residence halls has been a huge tool in accomplishing that task.”

The school further reported that nearly 90 percent of students were satisfied with wired residential connectivity, while 80 percent were satisfied with wireless, far surpassing national satisfaction figures for telecommunications providers.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that The College at Brockport has been recognized for this decision,” said Brady.  “This is further evidence that the strategic implementation of managed ResNet service can add value to campuses from both a financial and a service-level perspective. We congratulate Brockport on this award and encourage other schools faced with ResNet challenges to review the Brockport model and consider the benefits of managed service for their campus.”

For their part, The College at Brockport has been very satisfied with the decision.  The solution, said Sauro, is simply “a no-brainer.”

To read the full article on The College at Brockport’s ‘Model of Efficiency’ award, visit www.apogee.us/awards/brockport.

About Apogee
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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

About The College at Brockport
The College at Brockport is a four-year liberal arts college located in Brockport, Monroe County, New York, near Rochester. A constituent college of the State University of New York, it has been ranked by U.S. News in the first tier of Master’s-granting colleges in the Northeast region, and by Kiplinger’s among the top 100 “Best Value” public colleges and universities in the United States.  For more information about The College at Brockport, visit www.brockport.edu.

About University Business Magazine
University Business is the leading provider of smart management solutions for higher education administrators at two- and four-year colleges and universities throughout the United States, and is the most-closely followed and most-regularly read information source in the industry, bringing top-quality journalism to the unique issues, challenges and opportunities faced by higher-education executives.  For more information about University Business Magazine, visit www.universitybusiness.com.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us

Austin, TX – November 29, 2011

Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services for higher education, today announced that it successfully met its 100% renewal target for the 2011 calendar year, capping a fiscal year of record client growth.

“Ten years ago, it wasn’t that big of a deal when all of our partner campuses renewed service,” said Chuck Brady, Apogee CEO. “But now, after a decade of growth, Apogee still has a 100% success rate in university renewals.  This unbroken track record represents an enormous vote of confidence in Apogee and in the decision to outsource ResNet service.”

Apogee’s renewals ranged from large public flagship schools like the University at Albany-SUNY – a result of successful participation in competitive bid processes – to small private schools like Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) in San Antonio.

Of note were several CIOs who were not part of the initial decision to outsource ResNet, but still decided to renew and expand Apogee services in 2011.

When a new CIO came on at Our Lady of the Lake University, the University reviewed Apogee’s network management. After reviewing the partnership, OLLU not only renewed for a second contract term, but even upgraded their existing cable infrastructure by partnering with Apogee to provide an all-new cable and video service throughout the campus.

“Apogee’s implementation on the OLLU campus was a wonderful experience for the University,” said Joe Deck, OLLU CIO. “Weekly project updates were concise and informative and the installation was professional from beginning to end. After witnessing this experience, I now plan to hold all of my vendors to the Apogee standard.”

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) also hired a new CIO prior to Apogee’s renewal and re-evaluated the school’s partnership with Apogee.

“When I first came on as CIO, I thoroughly reviewed the value of Apogee’s service on our campus,” said Marshall Eidson, UIW CIO. “I quickly saw that it was an extremely positive partnership for UIW. As the total cost of ownership for ResNet constitutes one of the largest single IT expenditures for any college campus, the cost and service benefits for renewing with Apogee were a no-brainer for us.”

About Apogee

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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us

Austin & Abilene, TX – October 26, 2011

Apogee partner Hardin-Simmons University was recently recognized in the nation-wide journal eCampus News for meeting the growing challenge of bandwidth management by signing on with Apogee to manage bandwidth and ResNet on campus.

The article, “Schools face bandwidth battles,” published in the October 2011 edition of the magazine, cited the increasing demand for bandwidth faced by higher education institutions and highlighted some of the challenges and solutions found at several schools across the nation.

Quoting HSU’s Associate Vice President for Technology Services, Travis Seekins, the article said that “[partnering to offload] the distribution of bandwidth to administrative and residential areas has ‘lessened the load’ on the university’s network administrators, leaving more time for pressing technology issues on campus.”

In interviews included in the article, HSU students agreed.

“Bryan Schulle, a senior at Hardin-Simmons and a residence assistant in one of the campus dorms, said before [Apogee] upgraded bandwidth from 45 Mbps to scalable gigabit interface, students would roam around dormitories looking for a wireless connection strong enough to accomplish basic tasks like checking websites or email accounts.”

Schulle added that high-speed connections to the network were no longer considered a luxury by students, but an expectation.

“I think it would be a big deterrent for colleges not to have high-speed web access,” said Schulle, “because a lot of students look at that as a sign of excellence.”

Other campuses featured in the article took a different approach to bandwidth management. Cornell University, for example, recently implemented a decision to charge students for exceeding a predetermined bandwidth cap – a policy that drew ire from the student body.

In a petition submitted to the administration, students wrote, “By charging us for our internet usage, the Cornell University administration hinders our ability – and our willingness – to use the internet for recreational purposes.”

Down the road from Cornell, Ithaca College, an Apogee partner since 2004, has been able to provide sufficient bandwidth to their residential community without bandwidth caps or metered usage.

In a 2009 interview, Ed Fuller, Ithaca’s Associate Vice President of Information Services, described the school’s approach to the growing ResNet challenges on campus.

“We really weren’t in the business of being an ISP for our students,” said Ed Fuller. “[We decided] that there may be a role for outsourcing as a solution to get some of the day-to-day concerns of running a residential network off of our plate and into the hands of people who were better at it than we.”

Fuller added that since making the switch to manage ResNet, “We’ve been able to devote our attention to making a better, more secure, more reliable network for the rest of the campus community to use.”

About Apogee

Apogee is the nation’s largest and most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNets) for 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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

About Hardin-Simmons University

Founded in 1891 by a dedicated group of ministers, ranchers, and merchants, Hardin-Simmons University continues its commitment to developing the mind and nurturing the spiritual life of its students. Affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas since 1941, HSU provides an academically challenging undergraduate education based on a liberal arts foundation, and advances scholarly growth by offering specialized graduate and professional degree programs. For more information on Hardin-Simmons University, visit www.hsutx.edu.

About Ithaca College



Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is also known internationally for its communications program; The Park School of Communications. The college has been ranked among the top ten master’s universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report every year since 1996. For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us

Austin, TX & Birmingham, AL – September 7, 2011

Apogee, the nation’s largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, today announced that long-time partner Birmingham-Southern College has been featured in the August edition of Campus Technology Magazine.

The article, written by Jesse McKneely, Director of Infrastructure and Project Management at BSC, details the transformative changes experienced by the college when new CIO Anthoney Hambey fundamentally rethought his department’s approach to managing the ResNet.

“In the midst of this perfect IT storm,” wrote McKneely, “BSC welcomed a new vice president of IT, Anthony Hambey, who said, ‘We will never do this again.’ [The recent] network crisis, along with a commitment from the highest level of leadership on campus, provided our department with a new resolve to banish Band-Aid solutions once and for all and finally bring BSC’s ResNet into the 21st century.”

BSC decided to elicit proposals for managed service after extensive internal discussion and planning.  Instead of trying to adapt a standard network implementation to meet their needs, the college simply outlined what they wanted in a ResNet and asked vendors to present a solution tailored to their criteria.

“We carefully considered the bids that did come in, and ultimately chose Apogee because they focused exclusively on the unique needs of higher education and wouldn’t be adapting a solution from another industry to fit our campus.”

After switching to managed service, the college noted an immediate positive impact across the spectrum of IT support and service delivery.

“[We’ve] seen economic savings in reduced support costs and help desk staff, and on large projects like our recent metro Ethernet connection, which will pay off over the time by avoiding leasing fees associated with our old connection… Outsourcing our ResNet also helped us provide better wireless coverage on a faster timeline than we could have done alone.”

The switch to Apogee ResNet transformed the way BSC responded to day-to-day network issues and enabled the department to focus on larger projects and advance innovative technologies, network security, and technology-based learning initiatives on campus.

“At BSC, the IT department is no longer consumed with the tedious micro-management of ResNet activities like connecting a student’s newest gaming console. Today we can focus on work that meets the mission-critical goals of the college.”

To view the full article in Campus Technology Magazine, visit http://www.apogee.us/features/bsc-resnet

About Apogee 

Apogee is the nation’s largest and most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNets) for 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 to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

About Birmingham-Southern College

Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. With an enrollment of 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries, Birmingham-Southern constantly achieves excellence with its increasingly large enrollment numbers and student prestige.  For more information about Birmingham-Southern College, visit www.bsc.edu.

Media Contact
Nat Nealeigh, Apogee
512-478-8858 Ext. 124
nat@apogee.us