The University of Paisley merged with Bell College on 1 August 2007, creating Scotland's biggest modern university with over 18,000 students and four campuses in Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton and Paisley. THUS' solution will deliver an MPLS IP VPN over its next-generation network (NGN) and will offer reliable, high-bandwidth network connectivity across the University's campuses.
The communication solution THUS will deliver improves reliability as well as standardising provision of IT services across all four campuses. Initially this will include access to on-line student record systems, library services, virtual learning environments, e-mail services, intranets, time tabling systems, shared file stores and central print facilities. This will later expand to include delivery of voice and video services between campus networks.
Brian Mullins, the University of Paisley's ICT Services Director, commented: "THUS clearly understood our requirements and our need to provide equality of access to all of the campuses across the network. They offered us a solution that meets our needs now and is scalable, preparing us for further developments in the future. We are confident that we have a network in place that will significantly enhance our communications and benefit everyone associated with the University."
Phil Male, Chief Operating Officer at THUS plc commented: "Bringing together two different institutions under one umbrella is a difficult task but key to smoothing the transition is a reliable, secure and cost effective communications infrastructure, from a supplier they could trust. THUS has extensive experience of delivering advanced communications services to the education sector and has established itself as the supplier of choice for numerous academic institutions."
THUS will also provide ongoing support for a full range of telecoms services across the new multi-campus institution through its dedicated Education Account Team, and enable and advise on the development and implementation of a converged voice and data network in the future.