Wireless Network for our University?

[SlickOrange]

Hi there,

I am on the Students Representative Council of my university, portfolio Media and Communication. We want to install a wireless tower on one of the highest campus residences to provide wireless access to the university's network for the whole campus and students staying in a +-5km radius around campus.

Recently I had a meeting with the manager of the campus's IT department. She said that it is illegal for the university to provide a service like that if the signal crosses the university's boundaries (which it obviously will). They are now busy with negotiations with the local government to get some agreement, not sure what this entails, but obviously it is taking ages...

I read about the Altech / ICASA Court case considering the VANS. Will the network I described above fit the VANS definition? If so, what will the process of obtaining a VANS license be? Help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Hooloovoo]

I don't think any licence is required on open frequencies, as long as no commercial services are provided across the network.

 

[SlickOrange]

What if the plan is to share the university's internet connection as well?

 

[Pilgrim]

I don't think any licence is required on open frequencies, as long as no commercial services are provided across the network.

The problem is that it is a university. They offer education as a commercial service.

If they built a open network with no access fees and it just so happens that the students can make use of it then it should be fine. But how do you explain that non students are not allowed to use the open network?

 

[PsyWulf]

The problem is that it is a university. They offer education as a commercial service.

If they built a open network with no access fees and it just so happens that the students can make use of it then it should be fine. But how do you explain that non students are not allowed to use the open network?

What if the plan is to share the university's internet connection as well?

And this would count as internet provision...

 

[.Froot.]

Hi there,

I am on the Students Representative Council of my university, portfolio Media and Communication. We want to install a wireless tower on one of the highest campus residences to provide wireless access to the university's network for the whole campus and students staying in a +-5km radius around campus.

Recently I had a meeting with the manager of the campus's IT department. She said that it is illegal for the university to provide a service like that if the signal crosses the university's boundaries (which it obviously will). They are now busy with negotiations with the local government to get some agreement, not sure what this entails, but obviously it is taking ages...

I read about the Altech / ICASA Court case considering the VANS. Will the network I described above fit the VANS definition? If so, what will the process of obtaining a VANS license be? Help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Yeah it will take ages. ICASA definitely won't put that on their priority list. Also, a range of 5km will mean that a lot of money will have to go into providing some transmitting tower that has a substantial range. 5km radius is quite far for a transmission tower.
There will be legal issues with doing that. Simply bombarding a certain frequency, even though it will be on a license free 2.4GHz frequency will mean that any wireless devices in the area using the same frequency will not be able to operate properly.

 

[ambo]

I read about the Altech / ICASA Court case considering the VANS. Will the network I described above fit the VANS definition? If so, what will the process of obtaining a VANS license be? Help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

ICASA issued a moratorium on the the granting of new licenses. It is likely that no one will be able to apply for new licenses until the Altech appeal and the license conversion process have both been completed.

 

[xiN]

Stellenbosch university has that exact setup described. Running 2.4/5ghz with their MatiesWifi and also Stellenbosch Community Network, granting network/internet access in about 2-3km radius from the highest residence.

 

[.Froot.]

Stellenbosch university has that exact setup described. Running 2.4/5ghz with their MatiesWifi and also Stellenbosch Community Network, granting network/internet access in about 2-3km radius from the highest residence.

Internet access across a wireless network on a 2-3km radius? I can guarantee you that unless they have a licence to deliver a paid-for service across that network it is not legal.

 

[Kloon]

Doesn't Uni's have some sort of license already? I mean they sell internet to student over fixed line, don't you need vans for that?

 

[SlickOrange]

We may have a sponsor for the tower... I heard that the radius is going to be 5km, but maybe they overestimated it. 3Km's is fine... Will we have any legal problems if we just go ahead with this? And let's say we only enable access to the univerisity's network, not the internet, will it simplify the legal issues?

 

[.Froot.]

As long as the students don't pay for any service run across that network, there shouldn't be any legal issues.