Case Study: University of Cambridge achieves free public Wi‑Fi for the Tour de France with Perle PoE+ Industrial Media Converters

Cambridge University enables 30,000 Wi‑Fi connections with Perle

Cambridge University, in partnership with local authorities, faced the challenge of deploying a public Wi-Fi network across city spaces. They needed to power and connect wireless access points mounted on lamp posts, but these locations lacked dedicated power and required long-distance fiber optic cabling. The university required a single device to provide both a fiber-to-copper conversion and 30W of Power over Ethernet. Perle Systems, through partner Universal Networks, provided a solution using their PoE+ Industrial Media Converters.

The Perle PoE+ Industrial Media Converters met all requirements by connecting the Gigabit Ethernet access points to single-mode fiber while simultaneously delivering the necessary 30W of power via PoE+. This solution eliminated the need for separate power cables and reduced the equipment needed in each lamp post. The implementation was a huge success, supporting a peak of 30,000 connections during the Tour de France event with no issues, and plans are now underway to expand the network.

Cambridge University