Wireless Internet at OU could expand to the dorms and the rest of campus, indoors and outdoors, by fall 2006 if the service is approved, said Student Congress Chairwoman Micah Carlson.

Information Technology representatives met Thursday to discuss the expansion of wireless Internet on campus. The service, if approved, would provide wireless service from Timberdell Road to Boyd Street and Jenkins Avenue to Chautauqua Avenue, Carlson said.

Getting Connected



o Student Congress and Information Technology representatives met yesterday to discuss the expansion of wireless Internet on campus.



o The service, if approved, would provide wireless service both inside and outside from Timberdell Road to Boyd Street and Jenkins Avenue to Chautauqua Avenue, said Undergraduate Student Congress Chair Micah Carlson.

"This is basically the sweetest thing we've ever done," Carlson said. "What else will take OU into the 21st century like this?"

The service would be paid for by an increase in the technology fee in students' tuition.

Carlson said IT is expected to have charges per credit hour for students calculated within two weeks. If the fee is nominal, resolutions will be sent to Student Congress, the Graduate Student Senate, the Faculty Senate and the Staff Senate.

The resolution could reach the OU Board of Regents by spring 2006.

Oklahoma State University is using a comparable system that cost between $2.5 million and $4 million, Carlson said.

"We thought it would be reasonable to ask students for a couple more dollars," said Neda Nikpoor, vice chairwoman of problems and projects for Student Congress.

The service would result in connections five times faster than the current wireless services, said IT liaison Jason Foss.

"You could walk all over campus and never lose your connection," said Bill Mahon, IT liaison.

Wireless Internet would be made available inside and outside campus buildings, including dorms.

"It's silly not to have wireless in the dorms," Carlson said.

Wireless Internet would also be available in classrooms.

"There have been a lot of times, especially in chemistry, when the professor says she has updated the notes online," said Daniel Wolter, University College freshman. "It would be very helpful if I could check them in class."

Lance Barasch, University College freshman, said a disadvantage of wireless Internet in classrooms would be that students might be unfocused in class.

The security of on-campus wireless access would not be impacted.

"Wireless will actually be easier to secure if it is on one big network," Foss said.

Representatives at Thursday's meeting also discussed resolutions involving wireless Internet in the Clarke-Anderson room of Oklahoma Memorial Union, maps of computer labs and Microsoft software and printing charges on campus computers outside of computer labs.

IT representatives mentioned plans to implement Nortec technology that allow calls to campus phone numbers to be forwarded to mobile phones as well as the upgrading of wireless technology in the union Oklahoma Memorial Union and Bizzell Memorial Library, Carlson said.

"It's time for OU to step into the technological age," she said.
hello there & you too