Cox Communications has been named exclusive WiFi provider for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in a seven-year sponsorship agreement. The agreement will update and expand UNLV's existing campus WiFi network and provide dedicated technical support. It also extends naming rights for UNLV's Cox Pavilion and allows for additional campus signage with a "UNLV, powered by Cox" tagline.
"As a longtime supporter of education in southern Nevada, we're very pleased about this expanded partnership with UNLV to increase the availability and performance of campus-wide WiFi," said Derrick R. Hill, vice president of Cox Business and Hospitality Network in Las Vegas. "Our expertise with large-scale WiFi networks will help enhance the user experience for students, faculty, staff and visitors that encourages on-campus learning, interaction and productivity."
The sponsorship agreement will augment and expand a campus WiFi network with 3,258 access points (APs). Cox will support UNLV's deployment of switch equipment as well as high-throughput access points based on the IEEE 802.11ac standard. Cox will also provide onsite full-time engineering support for the network during the term of the agreement under the leadership of UNLV network staff.
"As UNLV continues to grow, it's absolutely critical that our students have dependable, high quality WiFi coverage wherever they are on campus," said Gerry Bomotti, UNLV senior vice president for finance and business. "This agreement ensures that our students, staff and visitors will have access to industry-leading technology, and it extends our naming rights partnership with Cox Pavilion and within the sports complex area of campus."
An existing partnership dating to 1999 between Cox and UNLV for naming rights of Cox Pavilion, a multi-purpose indoor arena adjacent to the Thomas & Mack Center, will also be extended with the agreement. Cox also has existing sponsorship rights at Sam Boyd Stadium, the current home of UNLV football.
Cox Business/Hospitality Network will provide engineering support for the WiFi deployment. The company currently provides the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center with wireline telecommunications services including wired Internet and a meshed WiFi network with 2,100 APs.
UNLV has approximately 29,000 students and more than 3,000 faculty and staff.
