Virginia State University (VSU) has announced it is the first university in the commonwealth to offer Wi-Fi 6E to its campus. According to a press release, VSU will upgrade both campus buildings and outdoor areas to offer Wi-Fi 6E. The school said that by deploying this latest generation technology it can “now offer instant access to a stable internet connection that wasn’t available in the past.”
The school is rolling out the internet in phases across the campus, with three residential halls already having gone live. VSU said all residential halls on campus will have Wi-Fi 6E by the end of September.
“Once complete, the first thing students will notice is the ability and availability to connect to the Wi-Fi network,” said Maurice Ficklin, director of technology infrastructure and operations. “Right now, in every resident hall, some areas have no connectivity. When the new network goes online, students can connect to superior Wi-Fi inside and outside every building around campus for the first time in Virginia State University history.”
The school said in addition to the Wi-Fi 6E upgrades, it will embark on an additional project to increase cellular power through 5G technology around campus and in select surrounding communities. VSU said it will use a $2.8 million grant from the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) to fund the project.
