3Com® IP Telephony-Advanced, High-Value Communications

Technology advances are not always painless.

Telecom administrators in institutions of higher learning have been challenged by the rapid changes in communications over the past decade. The revenue stream benefits associated with student local and long distance dialing are being impacted as Ethernet connectivity in dormitory rooms is expanding voice and data communications options. As students increasingly use mobile wireless services where long distance is included, the economics of dorm room dial-tone services are substantially changing. And campus computing resources are burdened with a constant barrage of viruses, worms, and other nasty support problems, encouraging colleges to resort to outsourced student computing services.

Yet the benefits of expanded communications opportunities are impressive. The growing availability of wireless LANs as a high performance, controllable network resource extends the power of networked computing throughout the campus to cafeterias, common rooms and areas, coffee shops, study halls, classrooms, and the library.

And now, within the control of a private, secure, and high quality environment, the 3Com® Convergence Applications Suite offers a portfolio of compelling real-time communications capabilities to positively impact student/professor interaction, student/student group interaction, and student/administration interaction.

The 3Com Convergence Center client includes a softphone so that students can use their PCs and laptops (with Mac, Windows, or Linux operating systems) to access IP telephony services, report availability for group meetings, engage in Instant Messaging dialogs with their teaching assistants and professors, and participate in video conferences or document sharing conferences with peers, instructors, or resource professionals.

Convergence of networks, convergence of IT infrastructure, convergence applications, and a converged user interface are together creating the cornerstone of modern educational communications services. 3Com is leading the way to the future with secure, high performance, highly reliable infrastructure solutions and applications.