Source: http://ww2.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11901:unn-flags-off-largest-internet-community-in-africa&catid=54:campus&Itemid=568Work has commenced on the largest wireless network in Africa across the four campuses of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with Google Inc, the lead sponsor of the project providing an Internet bandwidth of 25 megabytes per second (25mbps) from an initial 8mbps.
At the ground breaking ceremony at the Nsukka campus last week, Google’s Office head for West Africa, Mr. Nyimbi Odero, disclosed that the UNN wireless network infrastructure project is the first the company would execute as part of its Google University Access Programme in Africa. Officials say the project would be delivered in three months, at the end of August 2010.
The University of Nigeria wireless network project aims to enable students and staff participate actively in the Digital economy of the 21st century and use Internet as well as Information and Communication Technology to drive teaching and research, according to Vice Chancellor Prof. Bartho Okolo.
It is estimated to cost N3 billion. The university is funding the ambitious project through “a network of friends of the university”, being corporate organisations, governments as well as institutions and individuals.
Google Inc, lead sponsor, will provide international Internet bandwidth of a minimum 25mbps over an initial three-year period.
MTN Nigeriais also committed to installation of the fibre capacity for the Nigerian end of the programme to link the UNN campuses at Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku Ozalla, with a microwave uplink to the Aba campus. Enugu State government has already granted Right of Way to MTN for laying of the fibre optic cables to the three campuses in Enugu.
On their part, Hewlett Packard Inc is providing switches, servers and storage equipment at highly discounted education rates while also providing manpower support for training.
Cisco Systems Inc would also assist the University of Nigeria with training in Cisco certification as well as developing the capacity of students and staff for entrepreneurship through the establishment of a model incubator company.
Cutting the sod for the commencement of the project, UNN Vice Chancellor Prof Bartho Okolo said it is “one of the major milestones in the quest to make UNN a global centre of learning.”
Okolo called on corporate bodies and other stakeholders to further support the university. The scope of the huge infrastructure project covers a ubiquitous, always-on wireless network, campus-wide optical fibre cabling with redundancy for reliability, structured cabling of all academic and administrative buildings, data centre and network operating centre and an Operations Support Centre.
