American Campus Communities Offers Faster Internet Service to Callaway House Residents

By Jeffrey Steele, Contributing Writer

Austin, Texas—The Callaway House Austin, a new off-campus community serving University of Texas at Austin students, will offer unprecedented Internet service of up to one Gigabit per second per resident.

The announcement was made by American Campus Communities, which chose Austin-based Internet provider Campus Connect to deliver the service.

The community, which is 100 percent leased for its opening this month, offers 661 beds in full-service residence hall accommodations and 92 beds in penthouse apartment accommodations.

It will be the nation’s first student housing community to offer Internet connectivity at up to one gigabit per second per resident, a speed equivalent to 1,000 megabits per second.  That connectivity is 100 times faster than the average cable Internet in American households, or in multifamily residential housing, including student housing.

Additional industry firsts include direct gigabit connectivity to the University of Texas campus network, and the ability of The Callaway House residents to connect their tablets, laptops, smart phones, televisions and other devices with no restrictions.

The initiative is in response to increasing demand for accelerated Internet connectivity, and reinforces American Campus Communities’ commitment to innovation, the company says.

American Campus Communities CEO Bill Bayless reports positive living environments quickly facilitate students’ college success.  “We have made it our fervent mission to create communities that are conducive to academic achievements,” he says.  “This technology infrastructure meets the evolving demand for fast Internet service desired by our residents for coursework, social media, online content and other emerging Internet services.”

Following an extensive review of Internet providers, American Campus Communities concluded that the value proposition, expertise, and ability to execute offered by CampusConnect surpassed national and local providers, Bayless adds.  “We are very pleased to have found a local partner to help us achieve this innovative milestone at The Callaway House,” he says.

Added Jorge de Cardenas, American Campus chief technology officer: “Consistent with Google‘s recent announcement of their fiber initiative in Austin, we believe that significant improvement in Internet connectivity will promote the productivity of our residents and encourage the emergence of new applications and services yet unknown.  This infrastructure sets a new standard in student housing connectivity by removing bandwidth as a barrier.”

In addition to its pioneering connectivity, The Callaway House offers expansive units, a sprawling recreational and social center, computer center, rooftop fitness center, academic deck and swimming pool, as well as full-service dining and vibrant residence life program.