University of Maryland building its own WiMax network for testing
By Justin Montgomery
The folks at the University of Maryland have built their own WiMax network for the purpose of testing different applications and uses before the technology makes itself known nationwide. Interestingly enough, Sprint’s launching commercial WiMax in Baltimore, 30 miles north, next month.
The James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is deploying WiMAX nodes, routers, base stations and other equipment on its campus to create a large testing ground for next-generation mobile broadband capabilities, according to PC World. In collaboration with the industry group- the WiMAX Forum- students will have the opportunity to test applications on a mobile broadband service that’s not expected to be available in most of the United States until well into 2009. The overall goal is to use the network as a testing ground to prove WiMax’s potential dominance as a mobile broadband standard, as well as to showcase various innovations that are now available because of it.
Most of the applications that are planned to be developed have to do with helping students and faculty interact with the University and its surroundings. Beyond crucial information such as class schedules, campus maps and schedules of events, other applications are in the works as well, such as real-time updates on the campus bus system, updates on the nearby Washington, D.C., Metro system, dining hall menus, and even a public safety application that will send emergency signals directly to police once activated.
The Laboratory for Telecommunications Sciences is providing most of the equipment to the lab, and Motorola has supplied most of the hardware needed, such as WiMAX base stations and antennae. The lab is hoping to gain WiMAX-enabled cell phones, PDAs and laptops with the help of vendors, and is eventually hoping the lab’s network will support at least 30 to 50 different devices during experiments.
With a fully functioning WiMax network, several WiMax-enabled devices, and the brain-power of several computer science professionals, you would think they could come up with more innovative applications than simple University-driven apps and safety features. These kind of mobile apps have been around forever, and while the strength of a WiMax network will definitely help the cause, it’s really nothing ground-breaking. Hopefully, as the technology evolves we’ll see some powerful broadband intensive applications coming out of the University of Maryland.
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