East Tennessee State University Partners with Apogee to Improve Residence Hall Wi-Fi and Enhance Student Experiences
This news item was published prior to Apogee’s acquisition and subsequent rebrand to Boldyn Networks in November 2024. Learn more about the acquisition here.
AUSTIN, Texas (April 5, 2022)—East Tennessee State University (ETSU) recently partnered with Apogee, a leading provider of managed technology services for higher education, to upgrade its residential Wi-Fi network and ensure high-speed, reliable internet connectivity in 10 residential halls and 12 apartment complexes on campus.
As a result, the more than 3,000 students who call the ETSU campus home can now seamlessly connect and use up to 10 devices for study, research, entertainment, and socialization. Now, websites load fast, videos play without buffering, and online classes stream without issues. With Apogee Residential Networks (ResNet), ETSU campus administrators also have a predictable funding model and 24/7/365 U.S.-based student support with the highest service level standards in the industry—an exceptional value for the investment.
“In today’s blended learning environment, fast and reliable connectivity is essential to student success,” said Scott Drossos, Apogee chief executive officer. “As the premier provider of managed technology services for higher education, Apogee aims to delight and optimize the campus experience for students, faculty, and staff. Apogee ResNet enables our clients to stay ahead of Gen Z technology requirements to deliver the bandwidth, personal area networking, mobile app, and support that students demand. We are proud to play an instrumental role in enhancing the residential life and online learning experience for thousands of students at ETSU.”
ETSU, a public university headquartered in Johnson City, Tenn., and long-time customer of Apogee Video Services, has a student enrollment that exceeds 13,000. Apogee completed the in-session implementation of ResNet in Fall 2021 in just 30 days.
“I had great apprehension going into this project—especially during the last couple of weeks in the semester; however, Apogee did an outstanding job in sticking with the schedule and delivering excellent customer service. Every student complaint that I received, which was far less than I had anticipated, was handled promptly and professionally. My staff was very complimentary of the work that Apogee performed,” said Bonnie L. Burchett, Ed. D., ETSU director of housing and residence life.
Dr. Karen King, ETSU chief information officer, added: “I have full confidence in my team at ETSU, and to successfully manage priorities, it made sense to find a partner for the residential network to ensure our students have the resources they need to thrive. The service levels that are in place now would have been impossible to match. With Apogee as our partner, we get monthly transparency though a comprehensive report that provides specifics on data usage, network reliability, support tickets, and other criteria. We can now rely on Apogee’s 24/7/365 support team, including a local field technician, for assistance with the students in residence halls, while we focus our time and energy on the academic buildings.”