Project Overview
Providing state-of-the-art WiFi to keep over 2,000 students connected
East Slope is a housing site for the University of Sussex students.
To meet the needs of a growing student population, the University renovated the site between 2018 and 2020, building around 1,500 extra bedrooms in a project that cost £150 million.
In 2017, Optify, a brand later acquired by Wifinity, signed a contract to manage the internet across the East Slope development. We provide a state-of-the-art network to townhouses and flats that are home to 2,117 students, in addition to the administration building.
The Successes
Our solution delivered many benefits to Sussex and its students and staff. They now have access to a resilient, future-proof network, supporting high-speed WiFi as well as wired broadband.
To achieve exceptional coverage and performance, we designed a unique network, including installing a seamless overlay across the site. This means students can stay connected as they move between buildings.
In addition, there are over 1,000 admin ports across the site, making sure managing the network is as easy as we could make it.
The University hosts residential conferences and summer schools at East Slope. Another feature of our solution is being able to give guests 48-hour access to high-speed, reliable WiFi. To maintain the security of the residential network, guests sign up through an alternative configuration.
The University also required us to make sure that East Slope had no single point of failure. In case of a power outage, they wanted the phones and core network to stay online for up to four hours.
To achieve this, we installed an Uninterruptible Power Supply— that provides power when the mains fail.
This will minimise the impact of power cuts on students.
Key Stats
Over 1,000 hardwired ports
WiFi to 2,117 student rooms
Separate guest and student WiFi
Testimonial
“Wifinity are part of Balfour Beatty’s team who successfully delivered the 2117 bed East Slope Residences Project. Wifinity provide wired and wireless internet for residents and have worked closely with our construction and facilities management teams to ensure that their services has been rolled out on time and in accordance with the University’s service level agreement in four phases over a four year period. Throughout the project we have found the technical and service team to be professional, flexible and focused on providing an excellent internet experience for residents.”
Balfour Beatty Investments
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