Case Study: Thomas College achieves low‑bandwidth, customizable campus communications with Black Box Network Services' iCOMPEL

Thomas College - Customer Case Study

Thomas College, a private liberal arts and business institution in Waterville, Maine with 1,100+ students, needed to replace its ThomasTV video-over-IP signage because bandwidth constraints and a lack of localized content control limited campus communications. After evaluating options, the college selected Black Box Network Services and its iCOMPEL digital signage platform to modernize messaging across new and renovated campus spaces.

Black Box Network Services deployed an iCOMPEL publisher appliance in the server room and 14 iCOMPEL subscriber units (one Wi‑Fi enabled) mounted behind HD displays in residence halls, athletics, student commons and dining areas. The store‑and‑forward design significantly reduced network load versus continuous streaming, eliminated the prior bandwidth issues, enabled department-level content management and ad‑hoc updates, and delivered timely, audience-targeted messaging while supporting the college’s ongoing expansion.

Thomas College

Chris Rhoda

Vice President of Information Services and Strategic Initiatives and CIO