Weinberg senior Steven Eilers thinks there should be someone outside of the Technological Institute to warn students, in a scene straight out of a Verizon commercial, "Don't go in - it's a dead zone."
Though Tech might remain a dead zone, NU Information Technology is working to improve the "hit or miss" cell phone reception on other parts of campus, said Wendy Woodward, director of technology support services. A distributive antenna signal will expand cell phone coverage in residence halls by mid-October, she said.
The signal will improve service from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless in the Communications Residential College, International Studies Residential College, Kemper Hall, Bobb Hall, Slivka Residential College and University Career Services, Woodward said.
The buildings were chosen based on the results of a survey given to students living in residence halls last spring.
Marjorie Gallagher, a Weinberg junior, lived in Bobb last year and had trouble finding a place where she could make calls, she said. Even when the call went through, it was often dropped, she said.
"My phone would cut out every two seconds," she said. "My parents would get mad."
Improved cell phone service will make parents happy they can reach students in their rooms, which was a goal of the project, Woodward said. For areas that still have problems, she said the university is revising landline plans to give students another option.
But campus will still see some dropped calls. Tech and Norris University Center still have little to no reception with many providers.
With enough student demand, the cell phone improvements could spread beyond dorms if funding is available for the project, Woodward said.
She added that the service providers themselves need to make changes as well.
"We have no control over where the carriers choose to improve their services, but we can do things inside buildings and have started doing that," she said.
2008 Woodie Awards
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Michael York
posted 11/11/08 @ 10:42 AM CST
I experienced a similar problem. When I bought my iPhone, I first checked with "Got Reception?" (Gotreception.com) It's a great resource for finding out where reception problems are most likely to occur BEFORE you lock yourself with a specific carrier. (Continued…)
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