During the COVID-19 pandemic, public schools, including those in the Beebe School District, were compelled to adopt remote learning. Even after schools physically reopened 2 years into the pandemic, students were still required to complete work online. However, a significant percentage of K-12 students in America lacked access to reliable internet for online learning.
Challenge
During the pandemic, all schoolwork in the Beebe School District was shifted online. However, up to 25% of the school district did not have adequate Wi-Fi access at home. 2 students from Beebe High School expressed the challenges of online work, particularly as student-athletes who dedicate after-school hours to training and matches.
Since transit times on Beebe buses take up to an hour long, students utilize this time to complete schoolwork. Considering this, the 2 students, along with support from their peers, drafted a wireless internet project proposal for the school district. This initiative then presented 2 additional challenges: the cost of the project and identifying a suitable provider for supercharged connectivity across the 47 bus routes.
Solution
While conducting research, they discovered that Premier Wireless, a partner of Peplink, had developed ConnectED Bus—an initiative focused on safety and security solutions for school buses. This discovery sparked weeks of discussions between the Beebe High School students and Premier Wireless’ CEO and team. Eventually, with the assistance of Premier Wireless through a grant, the project proposal was presented to officials and put into motion.
Premier Wireless installed Peplink’s BR1 Pro 5G router on the buses of the Beebe School District as part of their onboard solutions. This robust router utilizes 5G cellular connectivity to provide supercharged connectivity and reliable speeds for students during their commute. With Wi-Fi 6 capability, the bus network not only achieves fast speeds but also ensures minimal interference, even when multiple devices are connected simultaneously.
Result
With Peplink routers to supercharge your connectivity in each bus within the Beebe School District, students now have access to reliable Wi-Fi for their schoolwork and everyday needs. This deployment not only provides reliable connectivity but also enhances safety monitoring by enabling real-time access to cameras in each bus, which is crucial during emergency situations. Additionally, the GPS functionality makes fleet tracking more convenient for the district, particularly when buses are in motion.
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Deployment
- Installed on Beebe’s buses to provide onboard Wi-Fi using 5G connectivity
- Enables Wi-Fi 6 speeds to supercharge your connectivity while commuting
- Provides connectivity for real-time access to bus cameras and GPS system
