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, TX, Houston, TX – August 17, 2020 – On the advent of its 60th anniversary year, Houston Baptist University (HBU) has invested in a cutting-edge residential network (ResNet) to ensure student success and a safe and high-quality college experience as students return to campus on August 24th. Through a partnership with Apogee, the only managed services provider focused solely on higher education, over 1,000 HBU residential students will now have an exceptional wireless experience to ensure a safe and connected start to the year.

Located in the heart of Houston, Texas, HBU is committed to providing “A Higher Education” that prepares student not only to excel in their careers, but also to succeed at life. “With the pandemic in mind, we knew we needed to upgrade our residential network to enable the social distancing and online aspects of how HBU will be delivering classes,” said Dee Thompson, HBU Technical Director. “And we wanted to be able to give students options on how and where they can attend class.”

When students return this fall, they’ll find a state-of-the-art, high-speed, reliable Wi-Fi network in all eleven residential halls, many older buildings, and one six-story structure. With an access point in each room, students will have blazing-fast Internet to enjoy online classes, videoconferences with family and friends, streaming movies and TV shows, and their favorites apps. They will also have instant access to Apogee’s 24/7/365 support via phone, chat, text, and email.

High-Speed Wi-Fi Replaces Aging Infrastructure to Set Up Students for Success

HBU’s challenge was two-fold. The residence halls had old equipment and there was aging fiber infrastructure in some buildings. The old equipment was causing speed and connectivity problems, and the older fiber infrastructure in the upper classman apartments, Husky Village, created bottlenecks, outages, and slow Internet access for the entire population.

HBU’s search for a technology partner led them to choose Apogee because of the company’s experience and track record delivering high-speed ResNet to so many universities across Texas and the nation.

“Everyone we talked to had good things to say about Apogee’s service and response,” said Thompson. “What’s more, the company provided great value for their services.”

Justin Bedford, Residence Director, Men’s Residence College is one of the first to use the new network.

“As soon as I connected my devices to the new Wi-Fi network, the change for the better was pretty easy to see. The connection and download speeds are noticeably faster and the range when changing from location to location creates a much more efficient means of working. It has been an eminent change so far.”

The new HBU wireless network will not only help ensure online course success but will also positively impact their residential and overall campus life experience. “The residential life experience will become more like the student’s experience at home. Not only will they be able to access their school-related resources, but the entertainment aspect cannot be downplayed,” said Thompson. “With this level of service, students will be able to work and socialize via technology in the ways they are accustomed to while away from campus. I believe our new ResNet service will be a differentiator for HBU.”

According to Matt Loecke, Executive Vice President of Sales at Apogee: “One of the foundations of our business is helping colleges and universities harness technology to transform the education experience and foster student vitality. We are honored to welcome this prestigious school to our more than 400 partnerships, and believe that like their peers, HBU will come to rely on Apogee’s commitment to enable their students’ academic success and quality of life.”

About Houston Baptist University

Houston Baptist University is an ethnically and religiously diverse private institution in Houston, Texas, emphasizing a Christian liberal arts education. The University offers a wide range of majors and programs, as well as NCAA Division I athletics in the Southland Conference. Located in the heart of one of the nation’s largest metropolitan centers, HBU aims to develop citizens whose character, attitude and intellect are valuable contributions to thriving communities. Find out more at HBU.edu.