Bozzuto Apartment WiFi: Revolutionizing Apartment Connectivity -
Nationwide
Bozzuto is an experience-focused real estate company distinguished by its innovative developments and dedicated customer service, managing more than 125,000 apartment homes across 405 communities coast to coast. Their mission is to create sanctuary while integrating the latest technology to enhance operational efficiency and resident satisfaction. Bozzuto continually enhances its network infrastructure to deliver reliable, seamless connectivity for both management operations and community services.
Alex Cusick, Technology Services Supervisor at Bozzuto, has 11 years of experience specializing in technology services and innovation and has overseen the installation of EnGenius Technologies in more than 60 apartment communities. In this customer success story, Alex provides insights into how EnGenius has transformed Bozzuto’s connectivity solutions, particularly during the challenges of the pandemic. We are going to explore how this partnership has enhanced operational efficiency while reinforcing their commitment to delivering exceptional apartment living experiences.
The Need
Bozzuto places a strong emphasis on robust network connectivity throughout its apartment communities, ensuring residents have the digital infrastructure they need—particularly with the growing demand for remote work and smart home technologies. By implementing high-speed internet infrastructure, reliable Wi-Fi coverage, and advanced networking solutions, Bozzuto ensures seamless connectivity for streaming, video conferencing, IoT-enabled devices, access control, amenity Wi-Fi, EV chargers, building automation, and more. Their commitment to performance and reliability creates a technology-driven living experience that enhances convenience, security, and overall resident satisfaction.
Before transitioning to EnGenius, Bozzuto utilized several different vendors for network management that provided useful capabilities, but certain limitations influenced the decision to explore other solutions. These included restrictive hardware and licensing structures and delays in resolving network issues and troubleshooting. Additionally, like many organizations, Bozzuto experienced some supply chain delays during the pandemic, which occasionally impacted hardware availability and deployment schedules. As the needs of various properties evolved, finding a more scalable and flexible network solution became a growing priority.
Alex and his team at Bozzuto came to EnGenius seeking alternative solutions that could offer immediate availability without sacrificing technical features, performance, and reliability. Keeping Bozzuto’s highest standards in mind, Alex and his team quickly prioritized product availability to meet immediate needs, while focusing on features, performance, and reliability to ensure a stable network for apartment residents during the increased demands of remote work. An important consideration for the team was a solution that offered easy deployment, scalability for future growth, and cost-effectiveness, maximizing value without compromising quality.
Alex Cusick
Technology Services Supervisor, Bozzuto Group
The Solution
Alex and his team conducted in-house testing of EnGenius solutions and found that they provided an optimal balance of performance, scalability, and affordability. EnGenius’s Cloud-Managed solution allowed for greater remote visibility and control, and the hardware-enabled remote configuration changes and troubleshooting ensured that any updates or fixes could be implemented as soon as the network came back online. This capability has greatly improved efficiency and responsiveness in network management.
EnGenius’s cost-effective deployment enabled more properties to upgrade their networks within budget, while simplified configuration accelerated implementation by streamlining VLAN setup, SSID management, and network segmentation. Additionally, EnGenius offered scalable solutions that catered to both small and large multifamily properties, ensuring flexibility for a variety of deployment needs.
Bozzuto implemented EnGenius solutions across multiple properties using a strategic, phased rollout. Networks in apartment communities are often custom designed, ranging from a simple setup with a single gateway, switch, and access point to a more complex configuration with one gateway and multiple switches and access points, all supporting traffic segmentation for different users and devices. The process began with an initial test featuring an EnGenius gateway, switch, and access points. Following successful testing, small-scale pilot deployments were conducted in selected properties to evaluate real-world performance. With highly favorable results and reliable performance, Bozzuto expanded the implementation across 65 apartment communities within a year. The standardized deployment includes EnGenius’s Cloud Gateway ESG620 for secure and centralized management, ECS1552FP switches for high-performance connectivity, and ECW230 access points for robust Wi-Fi coverage.
Alex Cusick
Technology Services Supervisor, Bozzuto Group
The rollout highlighted several key benefits that Bozzuto leveraged during implementation.
Key Features Utilized
Reliability: The deployment of EnGenius ECW230 APs proved to be highly dependable, with minimal issues reported during both testing and full-scale deployment. This reliability was crucial for maintaining a stable and consistent network, especially as residents increasingly worked remotely. The robust performance of these access points ensured uninterrupted connectivity, supporting the increased demand for bandwidth and network stability.
Cost-Effectiveness: EnGenius products offer competitive pricing, making them a cost-effective alternative to legacy vendors. With a focus on reliability and a wealth of advanced and efficient features, the solutions provide Bozzuto with exceptional value, ensuring high-quality connectivity without compromising quality, enabling high-density deployment while staying within budget constraints.
The Results
The deployment of seamless network connectivity across Bozzuto’s apartment communities was a great success. Implementing EnGenius networking solutions led to minimal issues, and any challenges that did arise were quickly resolved with support from the EnGenius team. This smooth rollout has set the stage for broader adoption and installation of EnGenius solutions nationwide, proving the effectiveness of these robust, reliable solutions in addressing Bozzuto’s needs. For Alex and his team, success isn’t measured by the number of tickets resolved—it’s defined by the absence of them. EnGenius ensured seamless connectivity without disruptions, allowing residents and staff to stay effortlessly connected.
Alex Cusick
Technology Services Supervisor, Bozzuto Group
Simplified Management: The centralized management platform has simplified network operations making it easier for the engineering team to oversee and control networks across multiple properties. This efficiency allowed for better coordination and quicker response times to any network issues, contributing to smoother overall management.
Scalability: EnGenius designed its solutions to scale effortlessly, accommodating Bozzuto’s growing needs without introducing significant complexity. This scalability allowed the company to smoothly expand its network infrastructure across multiple properties, adapting to varying demands and ensuring each location could effectively handle its specific connectivity requirements.
Competitive Advantage: EnGenius solutions offer high performance and reliability at a competitive price. This cost-effectiveness ensured Bozzuto could remain competitive while providing top-notch networking, staying within budget, and optimizing financial and operational resources.
The feedback loop established between the two organizations has been instrumental in refining and enhancing the solutions to meet Bozzuto’s needs better. EnGenius’s dedication to customer support and responsiveness has been a critical differentiator. The ability to promptly address concerns and adapt to evolving requirements has strengthened Bozzuto’s confidence in EnGenius as a reliable and supportive partner.
Alex Cusick
Technology Services Supervisor, Bozzuto Group
EnGenius has now become Bozzuto’s standard networking solution for its managed properties. Alex and his team continue to collaborate with EnGenius to explore new features, such as enhanced content filtering and intrusion detection. With a strong partnership and continuous innovation, Bozzuto aims to further optimize its network infrastructure to meet evolving technological demands. By leveraging EnGenius’s cloud-based networking solutions, Bozzuto has successfully enhanced its network reliability, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency. This strategic transition ensures seamless connectivity for employees and residents while reinforcing Bozzuto’s commitment to providing high-quality living environments.
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