HD Wi-Fi Lab 101 prepares students to work smarter in a BYOD world

Garland, TX – AmpThink, a wireless infrastructure company specializing in high density Wi-Fi in large public venues, announced today the release of HD Wi-Fi LAB 101, a college-level educational program designed to teach students about the new technology through hands-on experience in the field. The program gives I.T. students valuable experience in customer service as well.

Consumer demand for mobile data is growing at an ever-increasing rate, outstripping cellular network capacity especially in large public spaces such as sports stadiums and shopping malls. High Density Wi-Fi is emerging as a crucial technology to address the demand for data in these venues, but most I.T. professionals are not trained to understand the nuances of this wireless niche.

“HD Wi-Fi cannot be taught exclusively in traditional school setting because there’s no way to simulate a stadium environment in a classroom setting. “says Bill Anderson, president of AmpThink, “Practical programs like HD Wi-Fi Lab 101 are essential to the future health of the wireless industry.”

AmpThink piloted the curriculum in 2016 with twenty students that completed the program in two different cities. In Minneapolis a group of ten students worked with AmpThink instructors in the context of Minnesota Vikings games US Bank stadium. Before each home game students received classroom instruction focused on wireless technology generally and HD Wi-Fi specifically. During the games the students were deployed throughout the stadium equipped mobile devices carrying custom Wi-Fi testing software. Students gathered test data from every inch of the stadium during each game, interacting with Vikings staff and fans along the way. Following each game, the data was studied and results were shared with students to help them see how each measurement could be used to identify strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately to improve the overall performance of the network.  A similar scenario played out in Charlotte where a separate set of ten students worked with AmpThink instructors during the Carolina Panthers season.

In 2017 the Lab 101 program will expand to include at least two additional sports venues, and it will continue to grow as demand warrants. The future of the HD Wi-Fi industry gets even brighter as more young IT professionals complete the program and gain knowledge and experience of this mission critical technology.