Cisco announced that Duke University will deploy the next phase of its mobility transformation by deploying an expansive next-generation 802.11n wireless network across its campus, featuring more than 2,500 Cisco access points - the largest planned 802.11n wireless network in the world by any organization to date.

As a progressive leader in education and one of the first organizations to deploy 802.11n technologies, Duke will blanket more than 6 million square feet of its Durham, N.C. campus with 2,500 Wi-Fi-certified Cisco 802.11n Aironet 1250 Series access points. The deployment will provide ubiquitous wireless coverage in academic halls, libraries, residence halls and other campus buildings.

Duke's chief information officer, Tracy Futhey, said Cisco's 802.11n technology - which dramatically increases the speed and reliability of traditional wireless networks - is a fundamental part of Duke's strategy to implement innovative technologies that can enhance the quality of campus life, enable new learning spaces and provide seamless access to course materials and resources for a campus population of 45,000 students, faculty and staff.

During real-world tests, Duke experienced predictable and reliable wireless coverage and consistent average data throughput performance of nearly 130 Mbps per client with the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series access point. In addition, tests at Duke indicated that existing 802.11g clients such as laptops connected to a Cisco Aironet 1250 Series access point obtained almost twice the data rate achieved while connected to an older wireless network, demonstrating the benefit of 802.11n to existing Wi-Fi devices.