Dive Brief:
- Campuses nationwide struggle with poor reception in buildings made out of certain construction materials or classrooms that are underground, but booster technology can help.
- The University of Houston has turned to signal boosters to create more reliable connections that work across cell phone carriers, Campus Technology reports.
- In Houston, the boosters improved cell signal coverage by 80%, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Nationwide, cell phone coverage estimates don’t drill down to the campus level, meaning that if Verizon says it covers Houston, it is not at all surprising that the University of Houston has dark spots in some of its buildings. As emergency communications on campus are increasingly handled via text message, reliable cell coverage becomes even more important. Besides that, students and faculty alike are using cell phones more often for more activities. Being able to market significantly improved coverage could make a difference for schools vying for prospective students.