Wireless voice on campus.

Universities across the country continue to roll out wireless networks for students and staff. The new twist in today's deployments is the addition of voice to what have normally been data-only networks. The University of Texas, Dallas, is the latest example, deploying a campus-wide converged wireless

After assessing the costs for re-cabling older buildings with CAT 5, staff decided that a wireless LAN would better satisfy UTD's needs for anytime-anywhere access and, simultaneously, would be less expensive to deploy and maintain. UTD evaluated numerous WLAN solutions but ultimately determined that Meru Networks WLAN system was the solution that could best meet its requirements for pervasive wireless coverage with simultaneous support for data and toll-quality voice.

"With its single-channel architecture, the system provides the coverage necessary to give our students and employees ubiquitous access to the applications they need," says Michael Griego, wireless LAN project manager for UTD. "The wireless network is mission-critical for us, with professors and students accessing course work and testing materials on a daily basis. Given the importance of the applications running over the network, reliability and performance were absolute requirements."