The University plans to expand wireless Internet use to “hot spots” around campus this semester, including J Street and some classrooms in the Hall of Government, Tompkins Hall and buildings used by business school students. GW is also pursuing a deal with an outside commercial provider, which could expand wireless Internet access to additional campus locations.

The wireless network GW currently uses gives students high-speed connections in parts of the Gelman Library, Kogan Plaza, the Academic Center and two classrooms in the law school.

“We’re working to see how partnerships with wireless providers can aid GW in bringing leading-edge technology to the GW community,” said Bill Mayer, assistant University librarian for information technology.

Johnny Bret Jones, director of technology and engineering, said GW is exploring deals with Sprint and Verizon concerning wireless technology. Jones said he could not elaborate on the details of a Verizon deal because it is a “pre-market trial.” The system in which GW is interested will not go on the market until Oct. 1 and will be available only in the D.C. and San Diego areas.

Mayer said Verizon’s wireless technology provides mobility, meaning more places could turn wireless, but is not as fast as GW’s current wireless system. He said Verizon’s speed is comparable to a dial-up modem, while GW’s is comparable to the speed of Ethernet connections in residence halls.

“This is innovative right now simply because a higher-speed commercial (network) hasn’t been around for that long,” Johnny Bret Jones said.

Chief Technology Officer Guy Jones said the University must continue to test the capabilities of Verizon’s new wireless system.

“Because it’s a commercial partnership, we don’t want to roll something out and have a lot of people having trouble with it,” Guy Jones said. “Plus, we want to evaluate Sprint’s service as well to see what’s the best service for students.”

Officials said they wanted to expand wireless Internet access to more academic buildings last year, but plans were postponed while the University addressed funding and hacking issues.

Guy Jones said messages were not encrypted over wireless Internet, which could have given hackers easy access to passwords. The University is now trying a pilot VPN client, which should encrypt transmissions while in the air and stop hacking. He said the VPN would solve the security concerns for GW’s current wireless system and a commercial network if GW were to partner with a company such as Sprint or Verizon.

Officials, however, are still concerned about funding. It would initially cost the University about $37,000 dollars to convert the Gelman Library to all-wireless access, said Blaine D’Amico, manager of information technology at the library. GW would then need to spend $12,000 every year to maintain the system.

“We have desires and plans; what we don’t have is funding,” D’Amico said.

Officials said they could not estimate what it would cost to make the whole campus wireless.

Officials said wireless expansion was not as much of a priority last year because of a lack of student interest. According to a Student Association poll, students said improving the e-mail system and academic advising should be top priorities at GW, so the University had focused on improving those issues.

“We don’t want to roll it out just for the sake of rolling it out … We want to make sure people use it,” Johnny Bret Jones said.

But officials said the demand for wireless has substantially increased since last year as technology continues to advance. The SA plans to survey the student body again about the demand for wireless access.

Many students said they want to see wireless Internet connections expand throughout campus.

“The whole point of bringing a laptop to school is the convenience of being able to connect to the Internet from a variety of places without the mess of cords and media cables,” sophomore Katheryn Santo said.

“Although I have a desktop, if the wireless connection would enable the server to be more quickly accessed and more reliable, then I would be all for it,” freshman Jeffery Scranton said.