UC Mobililty Project Status Report
by Diana Noelcke
The University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Bell have started the required cellular infrastructure buildout to bring three-bar (wireless signal strength), 90% coverage to our campus for the Bearcat cell phone.
The first part of Phase I is the transition of TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) cell phone users to Cincinnati Bell's new cellular technology of GSM (Global System for Mobile communication). In late February, Cincinnati Bell began to install GSM repeaters in various building closet locations in preparation for their early fall decommissioning of the older TDMA technology. Both technologies will be in use beginning early April. We have set a timeline of mid- to late April to replace the current TDMA phones with GSM, and have contacted the departments and individuals affected.
The second part of Phase I involves the design and installation of cellular base stations and additional rooftop antennas. The preliminary survey indicates the buildings, specifically the CAS Administration building, Old Chemistry, and Daniels Hall. The final design and determined locations will be completed by mid-April.
In conjunction with the cellular infrastructure buildout we have been working on the Wireless Data (Wi-Fi, i.e., Wireless Fidelity) buildout. We will be provisioning the University's existing wireless Wi-Fi to allow public access to the Internet from anywhere on campus that has wireless Wi-Fi access today. Public Internet access will utilize Cincinnati Bell's network, whereas UC's private Internet will remain on the campus network. We have targeted roll-out in time for UC Showcase 2006 on 21-22 April.
We have fifty additional wireless Wi-Fi scheduled to be installed in the community, surrounding our Uptown campus borders, later this summer. We will engage various community leaders to help determine locations best suited for this extension of Public Wireless Wi-Fi access.
You can read more about Mobile Application Development in this issue of UCit now.
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