2018 ACUHO-I State of ResNet Report

Abstract

This report, published by the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I), is the seventh installment of a study to measure the pulse of ResNet practices and policies in higher education. A total of 435 respondents representing 312 institutions participated in the 2018 survey.

Key insights from the 2018 ACUHO-I State of ResNet Report include:

Demand is Insatiable; Will Wi-Fi Reach Four Corners of Campus? Bandwidth…Bandwidth…BANDWIDTH! Today, more than ever, student bandwidth consumption is increasing at an unparalleled rate on college campuses. As different devices, applications, and “Internet of Things” take over, the common denominator is their requirement for connectivity and bandwidth. To feed this demand, nearly one-third of campuses now provide 7GB or more dedicated to ResNet and 72% offer 1 GB or more – a near three-fold increase since the start of the study in 2012. And to meet the demand for “wireless everywhere,” schools offering comprehensive Wi-Fi throughout 81-100% of the whole campus increased from 56% in 2017 to 64% this year.

What’s Eating All the Data? For the first time, smartphones top the list for the greediest bandwidth-consuming device with an 11% jump over the past year. Desktops and laptops are #2 as they support rich video, audio, and rich media applications. Smart TVs jump 11% to #3. TV and video consumption (Netflix) and web-based rich content are the largest bandwidth-consuming applications. 

Schools Stretching Budget Dollars Budgets are being stretched to expand Wi-Fi coverage to meet student expectations. Last year, most annual budgets were less than $750K, but this year the majority were between $750K to $2.5M.

More are Outsourcing, and Not Just for ResNet. Why? Competitive Advantage Outsourcing of both ResNet and Administrative Internet are on the rise. This year, 28% of schools  are outsourcing or considering outsourcing ResNet, a 9%  increase from 2017. Schools outsourcing or considering outsourcing internet for academic, administrative and non-residential parts of campus jumped from 9% to almost 16% in a three-year period. And this year, schools that cite student satisfaction and retention as their reason for outsourcing ResNet increased by 15%.

Strategic Planning & Collaboration are Missing Where, oh where, has the planning and collaboration gone? In the past five years, the number of institutions with a ResNet strategic plan has fallen from 62% to 52%. And we continue to see lack of communication between decision makers. 40% of business officers and 49% of housing officers do not meet or only meet annually with IT officers.

Support Services are Stalled! Support fails to keep up with the evolution of technologies. Low-tech support prevails with most schools offering traditional on-site/walk-in, phone, and email support but few utilize newer methods, like social media or text. And 24/7 support is only offered by 17% of schools.