Founded in 1842, the University of Notre Dame is a highly regarded, independent, national, Catholic university in Indiana, approximately 90 miles east of Chicago. With a population of 11,479 students and more than 1,500 faculty members, the University of Notre Dame covers an area of 1,250 acres containing two lakes and 137 buildings.
Notre Dame is well known for the quality of its environment and the beauty of its campus. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the 14-story Hesburgh Library, and the school's newly renovated 125-year-old Main Building with its famed Golden Dome are among the most widely known university landmarks in the world.
"Our partnership with NextG Networks provides Notre Dame students, faculty, staff, visitors and sports fans with superior wireless voice and data service from participating operators. NextG's cutting-edge system enables Notre Dame to ensure campus-wide wireless coverage and capacity without the need for landline phones, traditional cell towers, or major construction by using state-of-the-art technology that blends discretely into the Notre Dame campus."
Dewitt Latimer,
Deputy CIO, Chief Technology Officer, Assistant Vice President and Assistant Provost,
University of Notre Dame
Facts
- Campus features 137 buildings on 1,250 acres
- Protected historical buildings throughout campus
- 11,479 students
- Landline service in residence halls will be discontinued
- Need for wireless coverage and capacity enhancements in specific areas
- Campus aesthetic concerns prohibit traditional cell sites
Challenges
Notre Dame had decided to remove fixed-line service from its residence halls due to the lack of use. This strategic decision was designed to allow the campus to significantly reduce telecom operating costs. More than 90 percent of the students, faculty, and staff used wireless phones and other devices, However, specific areas of campus, including some of the residence halls, receive poor or no wireless coverage.
- Poor wireless coverage and capacity in key areas of campus
- Landline service in residence halls to be discontinued
- Preserve and protect the beauty of the buildings and environment
- Heavy student and faculty dependence on wireless phones and devices
- Required reliable in-building coverage throughout campus
NextG Solution
NextG’s scalable architecture uses a cost-effective RF-over-fiber technology to transport voice and data for wireless operators. NextG‘s DAS systems--, which are used across the United States to improve coverage, capacity and performance--, support multiple operators meeting the wireless service needs of Notre Dame. Partnering with NextG also offers the university a single point-of-contact for interfacing with wireless operators. NextG works with wireless service providers to expand their coverage, capacity and performance in specified campus areas without using traditional towers or obtrusive rooftop sites. Because the DAS system uses strategically placed, small, antennas on approved buildings and lampposts, the low-power DAS sites are virtually unnoticeable.
The NextG solution enables the University of Notre Dame to meet its goals for a discrete, cost-effective, multi-operator network that supplies campus-wide coverage with ample capacity.
Network antennas deployed at Notre Dame stadium.
Benefits
- Greater RF planning and capacity allocation can support concentrated, simultaneous users throughout the campus
- Small, low power equipment allows for quick approvals
- Strategic placement and stealthing of antennas on buildings and lampposts make them virtually unnoticeable
- A quick and efficient implementation schedule of about 6 months
- Multi-operator network design based on operator and campus needs
- One point of contact for campus to manage multiple operators
- An outdoor network with sufficient campus-wide in-building coverage
- Sports complex coverage for events
Specifications
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Population covered = 13,000
Number of nodes = over 20
Frequencies supported = 850 MHz, 1900 MHz
Protocols supported = GPRS, EDGE, GSM, UMTS, CDMA, 1xRTT, EV-DO
Typical Network Topology
