Heavy Wireless 013: A University Perspective On Operating Wi-Fi And Testing Vendors

The University of Massachusetts, Amherst was one of the first universities in the United States to go all-wireless in its residence halls. On today’s Heavy Wireless episode, Keith Parsons speaks with UMass Amherst CTO Jim Mileski on the history of Wi-Fi at the school. They discuss initial challenges of rolling out wireless, strategic placements of access points, ensuring a good student experience across myriad devices, and the challenges of supporting Eduroam. They also discuss how Jim and his team tested his incumbent vendor against a possible replacement, how the replacement won out, measurable benefits including speedier deployments and a dramatic drop in trouble tickets, and how the transition is going. Show Links: Jim Mileski on LinkedIn UMass Amherst Eduroam