Dive Brief:
- According to the 2017 State of ResNet Report, desktops and laptops remain the primary devices through which students use the most bandwidth, with student entertainment having the biggest impact.
- Ed Tech: Focus on Higher Education reports that TV and video consumption via apps like Netflix, web-based rich content, music and audio, video gaming, and cloud content account for the top five bandwidth consumers.
- Institutions are also working to meet students' bandwidth demands, with 71% offering 1GB or more per student and around 25% offering 7GB or more.
Dive Insight:
The number of internet-connected devices on campus has exploded in recent years with the advent of the internet of things. Every student is likely bringing at least two devices — a laptop and smartphone — onto campus, but higher ed CIOs must also now consider tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and wearables like smart watches and Fitbits. Many institutions use MAC authentication and require residential students to register devices they connect to the school's network, in addition to making infrastructure investments.
And while the bandwidth demands of streaming services like Netflix or Hulu can be quite massive, there are potential educational uses for many student activities that consume the most of it. As Stonybrook University CIO Dr. Melissa Woo told us last year, "I get that there’s a finite amount of bandwidth, but at the same time, if there are educational uses for some of what the students are doing, then why should we be trying to limit them, within reason?"