The Leader

An approved student-led proposal, PantherSURF (Students Using Resources almost Free) is a program which would give UWM students the opportunity to have $10 a month wireless internet access in the city of Milwaukee during the upcoming academic year. However, this proposal seems unlikely according to UWM officials.

“As of August 23, the city of Milwaukee and Midwest Fiber had still not reached final agreement.” said Bruce Maas, interim chief information officer of I&MT administration at UWM. “This is disappointing news and makes it quite unlikely that UWM students will be able to benefit from Milwaukee wireless during this upcoming academic year. On the positive side, I would add that our discussions with city and county leaders have been positive, as have our interactions with Marquette, MATC, and MPS.”

Because Milwaukee’s wireless network is not up and running the PantherSURF plan is still at the starting gates in its initial stages.

 “This is a very large and complex project, with many stakeholders,” Maas said about the delays in the UWM PantherSURF project. “Doing things on this scale is always full of challenges.”

There is hope that once PantherSURF is online, many students will enjoy it.

“When fully deployed, a person who pays a monthly subscription fee would be able to get internet access from most, if not all, locations in Milwaukee,” Maas said. “In essence, a wireless ‘cloud’ would be over Milwaukee, allowing individuals with laptops to connect from any location.”

This may prove to be an easy solution for UWM students with roommates who might not agree on internet services.

“In a current living situation [you’ve] got three people using broadband from $30-$50,” said Jon Groves, UWM student and co-chair of the Educational Technology Fee Committee. “You will not be cost sharing things with other people. You want the internet you can get it. It doesn’t matter what your roommates do.”

The major difference between current internet services and the new PantherSURF is that it is almost immediate and easily accessible.

“Unlike other service where you have to have someone come out and install the services, you can turn your computer on and be ready to go,” Groves said. “So for people that move around a lot it is not a big deal. I had a situation where I just moved and it took me three weeks for someone to come out to my place.”

PantherSURF and city-wide internet access will present more competition to current internet providers for students off campus.

“I think that some of our students, who already have and will continue to receive free wireless internet services while on campus, may want to have the ability to get wireless services on the way to and at their homes, in their yards, etc.,” Maas said. “This provides a choice for UWM students, in addition to choices that already exist from Time Warner Cable, AT&T, and other providers of internet services. Choices bring competition, and competition brings lower costs. The many choices available to students who live off campus would be a real positive.”

Groves thinks that the service will help a diverse student population.

“Students with mobility issues will be able to work from home, but still have the same quality of services as they will get on campus,” said Groves. “With the program the way it is with a $10 per month fee, it is such an affordable amount. Students who have not traditionally considered high speed internet access offered through other venders would be able to get this service at the price of dial up.”

Groves said that the majority of the cost is to support the extra bandwidth.

If the proposal does not get implemented this year, money will be used for other projects in an order of priority determined by the UWM committee.

“It all depends on if this project can be completed this year, or earmarked maybe for next year,” said Groves. “There is only so much money to go around so we want to be able to utilize our dollars in the most effective way possible.”

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