Today's students, especially college students, depend largely on technology and the internet in making education easier for them. However, devices that are being used all together or almost simultaneously in school consume a lot of the school's bandwidth.
According to eCampus, the top devices that weigh down bandwidth of campuses are the computers whether it is laptops or desktops. And then, the smart devices like tablets and smart phones take the second spot, a ACUTA/ACUHO-I 2017 State of ResNet Report has shown. That is because laptops and desktops are the ones that support more audio and video applications. Other devices that use up bandwidth are smart televisions which use rich video and audio content.
The IOT or Internet of Things is just growing very quickly that it increases the demand for campuses to reach new levels.
Sharon Moore, chair of the ACUTA Environmental Scanning Task Force and Deputy CIO at Smith College, said that IOT has affected US college campuses which poses network challenges because of higher student demand for bandwidth. But she also said that schools are trying to find solutions to these issues on bandwidth demand.
Campus administrators also acknowledge how technology contributes to the success of their schools. The only thing that's needed is better IT support because only a few schools provide 24/7 support. But according to Securedge Networks, it also boils down to the number of devices connected to the internet.
They said that the number of connected devices is not controlled and because this is not managed, it is even more difficult to manage bandwidth distribution and consumption. A survey even suggests that college students bring an average of seven devices with them which is why it becomes more challenging for campuses to manage their mobility expectations.
