Prepare for a Wireless World With Distributed Antenna Systems in Higher Education
Capacity and coverage issues are prevalent on most campuses. Use distributed antenna systems (DAS) to help deliver wireless services to the end users that need them.
- Limited mobile capacity and coverage are a growing concern at higher education organizations. Distributed antenna systems (DAS) are becoming a widely accepted technology for increasing mobile wireless capabilities. However, the steps for implementing a DAS project are complex and unclear.
- Implementing DAS is not a small project. Determining IT’s role and gaining stakeholder buy-in will require a strong argument for DAS.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Mobile wireless capacity and coverage are insufficient. Changing end-user habits and evolving technology are causing wireless issues.
- It is IT’s job to get the ball rolling. IT should take the lead in exploring the potential of DAS at your organization.
- DAS is more about relationships than technology. Don’t expect systems integrators or carriers to do all the heavy lifting; IT needs to collaborate at every stage.
Impact and Result
- Understand the key drivers and components behind a DAS solution.
- Use Info-Tech’s DAS Business Proposal template to provide a convincing argument to stakeholders for implementing DAS at your organization.
- Use Info-Tech’s DAS RFP Template and DAS RFP Sample to solicit and evaluate responses from vendors interested in working with your organization to implement DAS.
- Understand IT’s role before, during, and after the implementation of a DAS solution.
Workshop: Prepare for a Wireless World With Distributed Antenna Systems in Higher Education
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Understand the Role of Distributed Antenna Systems in Higher Education
The Purpose
- Understand how the changing mobile wireless landscape is affecting higher education.
- Understand IT’s role in a DAS implementation for higher education.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Determine how DAS can be used in your organization.
- Determine IT’s role in a DAS implementation.
Activities
Outputs
Understand DAS and decide on implementation.
- Go/No-Go Decision for DAS
Module 2: Gain Stakeholder Approval Through a DAS Business Proposal
The Purpose
- Develop a business proposal with key drivers behind a DAS implementation for your higher education institution.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Gain stakeholder approval for moving forward with developing an RFP and implementing DAS in your organization.
Activities
Outputs
Develop a DAS Business Proposal that highlights key information required for gaining stakeholder approval.
- A completed DAS Business Proposal which can be used to gain stakeholder approval.
Module 3: Develop and Refine a DAS RFP
The Purpose
- Understand the components behind a complete RFP for soliciting potential DAS vendors.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Understand best practices when developing an RFP for DAS.
- Have a better understanding of the components in a DAS RFP.
- Understand best practices for scoring DAS RFP responses.
Activities
Outputs
Develop and refine a DAS RFP.
- A completed DAS RFP.
Module 4: Work With Key Parties Involved to Ensure the DAS Project is Successful
The Purpose
- Understand next steps for implementing DAS after a vendor is selected to implement the solution.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Have a strong understanding for what to expect before beginning a DAS implementation.
Activities
Outputs
Understand IT’s role in DAS.
- A plan for involving the right parties in a DAS implementation and managing relationships.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
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Guided Implementation 1: Understand the role of DAS
- Call 1: Understand the drivers behind mobile wireless technology and usage habits.
Guided Implementation 2: Gain stakeholder approval
- Call 1: Walk through the key components required for gaining stakeholder approval.
Guided Implementation 3: Develop and refine a DAS RFP
- Call 1: Review the structure of a typical DAS RFP.
- Call 2: Develop a DAS RFP tailored to your organization’s needs.
Guided Implementation 4: Build relationships
- Call 1: Finalize the DAS RFP.
Contributors
- The Midwestern Higher Education Compact Technologies Committee DAS Working Group worked closely with Info-Tech in the creation of this blueprint.
- Matt Thompson, VP of Sales – Americas, Axell Wireless
- Patrick Lau, Director of Business Development, Distributed Coverage & Capacity Solutions, Commscope
- Kristine Boike, CIO and Dean of Academic and Technology Services, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
- Harold Barnes, Director IT Services, Illinois Valley Community College
- Jerry Krawczyk, Director of Telecommunications, Penn State University
- Dave Beyerle, Communications Engineer, Penn State University
- John Helms, Director of Telecommunications, Auburn University
- Jeff Carpenter, Manager of Planning and Engineering, Michigan State University
- Michele Norin, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, The University of Arizona
- Matt George, Director, Video & Information Technology, The University of Arizona
- Joseph Collins, Educational Technical Services Manager, North Hennepin Community College
Several organizations contributed information to assist with the development of this solution set. Due to the sensitivity of the information, these contributors requested confidentiality.
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