Burlington, Mass.
– August 4, 2009 –
Bluesocket, Inc., (www.bluesocket.com),
the leader in trusted wireless access and enterprise mobility, today announced
that Citi Performing Arts CenterSM, which manages the Wang Theatre
and Shubert Theatre in Boston,
has deployed a Bluesocket wireless network solution throughout its two theatres. The implementation is a joint effort with NSK
Inc, an information technology consulting company focused on IT management for
small business, and brings reliable, secure wireless access to theatre staff,
visiting performance companies and event patrons.
Set in the
heart of Boston’s
Theater District, the Wang and Shubert Theatres boast a full event schedule annually
hosting more than 400 days of theatre productions, concerts, special events,
and community programming. The more than
340,000 individuals who pass through the facilities each year require
high-performance, readily available wireless capabilities, including production
companies who operate backstage for an extended period of time. Citi Performing Arts Center turned to NSK for
assistance in selecting an enterprise-quality wireless solution able to
integrate with existing third-party access points, as well as Bluesocket’s
BlueSecureTM Access Points, and extend coverage beyond the theatres
to backstage areas, lobbies and administrative offices. Bluesocket’s ability to support these third
party Access Points contributes to a greater ROI by protecting Citi Performing
Arts Center’s initial investment. Top
priorities were ease of management and secure guest access that could be set to
automatically expire at the end of an event or production run.
Bluesocket
worked with NSK to deliver a robust solution customized to serve the unique
architectural requirements of the 200 year old theatre buildings. The
Bluesocket implementation is built on a BlueSecureTM 2200 Controller
with more than 40 BlueSecureTM Access Points, including a 1600
series Blue SecureTM Access Point that provides coverage in the
outdoor courtyard adjacent to the Wang Theatre.
This busy urban environment experiences significant RF interference
which is mitigated by the Bluesocket Dynamic RF technology.
“Working
with Bluesocket was a true partnership experience. The Bluesocket engineering team took the time
to design an easy to deploy and manage WLAN solution capable of handling the
theatres’ high volume guest access needs,” says Ryan Hickey, IT Services
Manager at NSK, Inc. The implementation
enables wireless access throughout the buildings with separate networks for
guests and employees.
For Michael Szczepkowski,
VP and General Manager at Citi Performing Arts Center, a top priority was to
provide secure and reliable Internet access to visiting production companies
and event attendees. “Prior to the
Bluesocket implementation we couldn’t provide quality Internet access, putting us
at a competitive disadvantage with other venues. Our guests are thrilled with the new wireless
solution and can stay on top of work while they are away from their
offices. The Bluesocket solution has
proven to be dependable and fast which eliminates time spent troubleshooting
connectivity issues.”
Another
consideration in the implementation was Access Point placement. Modifications to the theatres, including
technical improvements, need to conform to requirements of the National
Register of Historic Buildings. “As both
theatres are part of the Historic Theatre District, it is important to maintain the
original façade and interior beauty of the buildings. The flexibility of the Bluesocket devices
enables discrete positioning within the theatres and public areas,” says Szczepkowski.
“Bluesocket’s
feature-rich product line gives Citi
Performing Arts
Center a best in class
guest access wireless service with strong dynamic RF management capabilities,
excellent for dense urban environments, says Mads
Lillelund, chief executive officer at Bluesocket. “NSK has done a great job integrating the Bluesocket
solution to provide state-of-the art wireless access throughout two of Boston’s most
distinguished buildings.”
About Citi Performing Arts Center
Citi
Performing Arts CenterSM, which includes both the Wang Theatre and
Shubert Theatre, is dedicated to providing
broad-based, popular entertainment and arts education programming. As
a 501(c)3 non-profit institution located in Boston's
historical Theater District, it is committed to KEEPING
LIFE COLORFUL for New England residents and visitors by inspiring a greater
appreciation for the performing arts through educational outreach, public
programming and community partnerships. The Center is also proud
to partner with both Citibank and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. For more information, please go to www.citicenter.org.
About NSK
NSK
Inc is headquartered in Boston, MA with an
additional office in Palo Alto,
CA.
We provide support and expertise for your most important IT-related decisions
and projects. Providing technical services to small and medium-sized businesses
and groups working within large organizations, we provide a broad array of
technology solutions to business-driven information challenges. We also create
custom software products for investment banks, equity management organizations,
and other specialized industry areas.
For more information, please visit www.nskinc.com.
About Bluesocket
Founded in 1999, Bluesocket is a leader in open, standards
based enterprise mobility solutions. Its industry-leading wireless LAN products deliver secure mobility to thousands
of customers across the education, enterprise, government, healthcare and
hospitality markets. Bluesocket’s complete wireless network solution portfolio
brings trust and simplicity to increasingly complex wireless networks
maximizing customer ROI and increasing their competitive edge. For more
information, please visit http://www.bluesocket.com.
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© 2009 Citi and Citi Arc Design are
registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.
Citi Performing Arts Center is a
service mark of Citigroup Inc.
Bluesocket, the Bluesocket logo, BlueProtect and BlueSecure are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Bluesocket, Inc. All other trademarks,
trade names and company names referenced herein are used for identification
only and are the property of their respective companies.