VAR Khipu Networks has helped a Nottinghamshire-based college boost student IT use by 100 per cent following a WLAN implementation.

Trent College selected Khipu to install Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniAccess WLAN technology across 15 school buildings. The VAR also overhauled the establishment’s fixed network infrastructure using Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniSwitch technology, to give the college’s boarding students physical LAN connections in their rooms.

Since the installation, Trent College has also reported a 90 per cent drop in IT support demands, due to Khipu's installation of network access control technology from Bradford Networks.

Matt Harris, IT manager at Trent College, said: “We have seen growing demand for laptop connectivity from students from age 14 onwards, as well as for those with special needs requirements – however this is the first time that we have been able to provide truly comprehensive internet access.

“Previously students would only use laptops when there was a specific lesson requirement to do so. Following Khipu’s network overhaul, we now have consistent internet usage, with students able to securely use networked devices to access information like school textbooks wherever and whenever they require, making the classroom much more interactive.”

Matt Ashman, commercial consultant at Khipu Networks, said: “With the continued increase in IT literacy and the resultant rise in student expectations, a number of forward-thinking schools such as Trent have taken steps to deploy infrastructures that encourage maximum use of online resources. With its new network, Trent has a foundation on which to further improve its IT facilities and enable its students, helping them to translate the College’s investment into greater academic achievement.”

David Parker, vice president for Alcatel-Lucent’s enterprise activities UK and Ireland, said: “Many aspects of the University learning model are now filtering through to secondary and further education. Whether it’s students accessing the internet on their iPhones, or business workers requiring instant network access via PDAs, the key to becoming a more dynamic enterprise is to help people complete tasks and share information more quickly and securely in real time on the devices of their choice.”

For the 2008/09 school year, Trent will increase the range of supported devices to include games consoles as well as smartphones.