Letter to the editor: Wireless Internet a campus issue
The Internet has become an important part of student’s life and it has become difficult to communicate and study without. I, along with other students, am concerned with the fact that with or without a cable, the Internet seems difficult to access in the residence halls. Very often the connection is weak or there is a failure to connect at all. This is inconvenient for students who, now a day, have come to rely on the Internet for success in their studies. As a new student at Western Michigan University, I have come to discover a problem concerning a common utility used by virtually every student on campus.
It would be best if Western Michigan University would try to adopt a new wireless Internet system. If each hall had their own wireless port, the Internet would be easier to connect to in the dorm rooms and it would make mobility easier which would be helpful when switching from working on your bed, to working at your desk or in the hallway. If this cannot be done because of the concrete walls in most of the dorm rooms, then I suggest that the University provide, free of charge, the cables needed to connect our computers to the Internet. This would be important not only because a connection to the Internet is hard to come by, but also because the current plan offered by the university requires each student to pay a connection fee of 80 dollars per semester. Although the cost may not seem too unreasonable, when added to the cost of food, school supplies and the expensive tuition of college, parents and students may find it difficult to pay for. Even if only one change is made to improve the university, it will benefit us as students. Every little thing helps.
Maya Bassett‑Kennedy
WMU Freshman
Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=11223
Posted by heraldstaff
on Nov 2 2009. Filed under Letters to the Editor, Opinion.
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Maya –
The university actually counts on the fact that the wireless doesn’t work well in the dorms so they can suck another $80 a semester out of students. That’s just how western does things, western and money first, students second. Its a cold hard truth.
WTF, 80 bucks a semester? I had no idea. That’s robbery. Every school i’ve attended has always provided wireless and connection for free. What a rip off. No wonder no one likes this school.
You’re not supposed to be getting free wireless internet in your dorm room. The people who get it in their dorm rooms are getting lucky and have no reason to complain. If there’s a problem spend the extra money to get the plug-in internet…its much cheaper then if you were buying it at your apartment.
In an ideal world, internet access would be provided free of charge. Most colleges don’t charge their students for such access. $80.00/semester is outrageous when compared to zero dollars at other institutions. I.A. is correct, though, because 80 bucks divided by four months = twenty bucks a month for in-room internet service. That’s less than one dollar per day. It’s a good deal.
But…
You are paying for it. This makes you the customer. This means that you will *not* pay if your internet goes out. Pro-rate how much you will refuse to pay. If internet is out for a day, tell them you want $1.00 off of your bill. Speeds not up to snuff? Read your contract to see what the bandwidth is supposed to be (and then watch them try to use weasel words to squirm out of keeping their promised bandwidth!) and if you can demonstrate you’re not getting near what was promised, demand a rate reduction.
Remember, kiddies, NEVER take “no” as an answer from someone who does not have the power to say “yes.” If you are dealing with the person at the front desk who can only tell you “I can’t do that,” keep getting transferred until you find the right person who has the power to change your bill, refund your money or, most importantly, fix the problem. This person is the one to whom you’ll direct your phone calls, letters and emails and have your friends, family and people you don’t even know do the same. With enough pressure, the person who can make the changes shall do something about it.
But, in the end, if that person refuses to help, pack up your bags, go to another college, give THEM your money and hit WMU in their wallet.
I would be curious if this would work in the dorm. Find a room that is the middle of the hall with cabled internet. Install a wireless router in that room and see how far it will go. I realize there is a lot of steel and cinder block in the dorms, however, I would be curious if this would work. If it is a go then everyone on the floor could kick in to cover the cost. I have a wireless router and when installed it I was concerned about getting hacked. So I took a lap top outside and stood 200 feet away from my house and I was getting a great signal.