Students at Valdosta State University will experience faster Internet speeds and better Wi-Fi connections this fall thanks to a 5 gigabit per second Internet circuit supported by Hargray Fiber. Last year, VSU partnered with Hargray to install a 2 Gig circuit, which vastly improved speeds for the 2017-2018 academic year. That improved experience led to greater demands for access from both faculty and students, particularly during the evening hours.  In response to this increased demand, VSU again selected Hargray to expand capacity by 150 percent, moving from 2 gigabits per second to 5 taking further advantage of Hargray's proven reliability and the scalability of its fiber solutions. In addition to this increased capacity, VSU is taking the extra step to ensure connectivity by securing a second 5 Gig circuit for redundancy, also provided by Hargray Fiber.

"The Division of Information Technology is proud to announce that, while supporting over 3.2 million square feet of coverage, we have increased the bandwidth for the campus residential network by 150 percent, from 2 gigabits per second to 5," shared Benjamin Li, assistant director of IT Services at VSU. "This increase will provide faster and more reliable connectivity for academic and residential needs while also adding support for high-definition media streaming and increased simultaneous connections."

"We were pleased with the performance of Hargray's service last year and know students will be thrilled with the increased capacity this year," said Brian Haugabrook, VSU chief information officer.

"Access to high-speed Internet is a critical component to the learning experience, and we believe that connecting the Blazer community helps students acclimate quickly and sets the VSU experience apart from other universities," said Dr. Vince Miller, vice president for Student Affairs.

Chris McCorkendale, senior vice president for Hargray Fiber added, "Across the country, there is a growing demand for bandwidth and reliable connections to support the education of our future leaders. As a regional communications provider focused on delivering customer delight through fiber infrastructure, advanced products and world-class solutions, we cannot think of a more worthy endeavor than supporting Valdosta State University and the impact these students make on our community."