The vision
The Improving Wireless programme aspires to deliver one wireless infrastructure across the collegiate University, ensuring wireless works everywhere, easier access to wireless and underpinning strategic activities such as In-person Typed Exams, the Student Hub, the University intranet and information sharing.
The approach
Delivery of improved wireless across the collegiate University will involve a complex process to ensure the programme has a complete understanding of each building including scaled physical plans, Wi-Fi requirements, cabling details, asbestos status and any listed buildings requirements.
Information and Digital Committee (IDC) has approved funding for a pilot, to be carried out between February and July 2024, which will enable us to:
- recruit the necessary skills into the delivery team (including additional technical capability)
- fully test the process and approach to rolling out the service, by working with a number of departments to improve Wi-Fi in selected buildings
- collect information to better understand Wi-Fi requirements
The pilot will allow us to develop a costed implementation proposal for a scalable and supportable Managed Wireless Service, to be submitted to IDC in June 2024.
Current activity
In addition to engaging with ITSS and building managers involved in the pilot, we have also:
- convened a webinar with ITSS on 6 March 2024 at which we outlined the step-by-step process required to design the best Wi-Fi solution for an individual building
- circulated a questionnaire asking ITSS to help us quantify the University’s Wi-Fi estate and to understand the typical challenges faced by support staff in the delivery of current Wi-Fi solutions.
Please email us with any questions or requests for further information via improvingwirelessprogramme@it.ox.ac.uk.
