Success Story
Langston University Enhances Campus Safety with Connected Blue Light Phone Deployment
Reimagining Public Safety Through Innovative Connectivity Solutions
Details
Industry: Education
Use Case: Public Safety
Solution: Connected Blue Light Phones
When Langston University needed a way to improve faculty, staff, and student safety on campus, they turned to RCN’s Connected Blue Light Phone Solution. Working with RCN enabled the University to reduce the number of vendors required for the project and provided post-deployment support to ensure everything worked as intended.
Challenge
Langston University, located just outside of Oklahoma City, faced several challenges after being informed that a number of their emergency blue light phones no longer worked. The outage was caused by a combination of aging infrastructure and reduced support from their original provider. To further add to the problem, the limited availability of blue light phones was causing major safety concerns for students and faculty across Langston’s 40-acre campus.
Solution
In order to modernize their existing infrastructure and improve the overall level of safety across campus, Langston University relied on RCN Technologies to procure, deploy, and support a new Connected Emergency Blue Light Phone solution. Each Blue Light Phone integrates safety and security by enabling IoT solutions like gun shot and threat
awareness systems. Through the strategic placement of each emergency phone, RCN created a sphere of safety that added a layer of protection for everyone on campus.
Benefits
By choosing to partner with RCN, Langston University entered into a Wireless WAN Ecosystem. This partnership not only
equipped their campus with Connected Emergency Blue Light Phones and POTS Replacement, but also ensured professional installation along with robust full-stack Network Operations Center (NOC) Support.
Background & Challenges
Founded in 1897, Langston University is the only historically black college or university (HBCU) in Oklahoma. Now home to over 3,000 students, security and safety is paramount as its campus begins expanding at a rapid pace. Maintaining a reliable connection to their network of five emergency phones had always been a hassle for Langston’s IT team, as they required constant reprogramming and physical testing. Once their team found out that their original emergency phone connectivity provider now had the ability to cut service and support at any time, they knew there had to be a better solution.
Solutions
Cradlepoint Hardware
To provide the standard of security and safety that students and faculty have come to expect on college campuses, RCN worked with Cradlepoint to provide an integrated, cellular-backed Connected Blue Light Phone Solution – complete with POTS replacement, installation, and post-deployment Network Operations Center support. Each Blue Light Phone contained either a Cradlepoint R920 or R1900 endpoint based on the specific need for that phone. Both the R920 and R1900 are designed for mobile and IoT applications, making them the perfect fit for Langston’s needs. Both endpoints are encapsulated by a ruggedized metal housing and support the public safety networks offered by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Cradlepoint R1900 | R920
2100-TS Series Towers
At 9 ft. tall, the 2100-TS Series Towers are a crime deterrent and can be spotted from nearly any location on campus. By using wireless communication and solar power technology, these phones can be installed almost anywhere while providing the purchasing organization with a proven, self-sustaining, and eco-friendly solution. RCN deployed several of these solar powered phones on Langston’s campus, raising the number available from five to 11. This created an enhanced sense of security and serves as an always-on emergency communication system for students, faculty, and staff. Organizations that have expanded needs beyond basic emergency communication can leverage industry-leading Cradlepoint hardware to add additional IoT features such as gunshot detection, facial recognition, and high-definition cameras.
POTS Link
To update the existing on-site infrastructure that connects the blue light phones, RCN worked with their partners at RTech Solutions to procure their POTS replacement solution, POTS Link. By updating the infrastructure before deploying new Connected Blue Light Phones, POTS Link would be able to convert Langston’s aging and costly POTS lines to an ultra-reliable LTE signal.
Nationwide Installation
To ensure a successful and smooth transition to their new solution, RCN leveraged their national network of certified installers to get Langston’s new public safety system up and running.
“We wanted wireless technology because that provided us with the most flexibility. We have a huge master plan for the university and some departments will eventually move into new buildings. To fit our needs, I wanted a system that enabled us to change and move. We needed mobility and cellular provided that.”
Network Operations Center Support
Post deployment, RCN’s Network Operations Center helped Langston IT staff manage, monitor, and maintain their
solution. By providing 24/7 proactive support, on-site IT staff would be notified of an outage the moment it occurred, as well as the steps NOC staff were taking to remedy the situation.
Benefits
Expanded Network
The 2100-TS Series Towers deployed can be spotted from anywhere
POTS Replacement
POTS Link converted Langston’s old copper lines to a digital LTE signal
Proactive 24/7 Support
IT staff can access RCN’s in-house team of RF specialists at any time.
More Case Studies
Multi-Unit Wingstop Franchise Uses Failover to Stay Connected
CASE STUDYMulti-Unit Wingstop Franchise Stays Connected With Failover When one Wingstop franchise experienced frequent internet outages, ownership turned to RCN for a reliable solutionIndustry: Franchise RestaurantsUse Case: FailoverSolution: When a Multi-Unit...
South Carolina School District Uses School Bus Wi-Fi for Remote Learning
Success StorySouth Carolina School District Uses School Bus Wi-Fi for Remote Learning Greenville County Schools uses all-in-one Cradlepoint solution for secure, fleetwide Wi-Fi that IT can manage from anywhere.Industry: EducationUse Case: School Bus Wi-FiSolution:...
Food Distribution Company Incorporates Failover for Warehouses
WhitepaperFood Distribution Company Incorporates Failover Solution for Warehouses How a Purpose-Built Router Led to Streamlined OperationsIndustry: Food DistributionUse Case: 5G & Vendor Consolidation IntegrationSolution: W2005 Series Cradlepoint Router RCN...
Get In Touch
Need to speak with a member of our team?