University of Michigan accelerates efforts to deliver 5G cellular service on Ann Arbor campus

University of Michigan campus aerial shot on Homecoming weekend in Oct. 2016 during the Illinois game: Burton Tower, Alumni Center, Michigan League, Chemistry Building, SNRE, Randall Lab, Hatcher Graduate Library, Kraus Natural Science. (Scott C.Soderberg, Michigan Photography)

ANN ARBOR – University of Michigan’s Information and Technology Services has announced it is speeding up efforts to set up improved 5G cellular service to its main campus.

ITS project teams have been working with several campus departments over the last few months to accelerate advancements for its ITS Cellular Service Improvements Project.

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According to a U-M release, these include:

  • Adding AT&T to the U-M neutral host Distributed Antenna System at the Alexander G. Ruthven Building and Central Campus Classroom Building to deliver additional 5G cellular capabilities. This provides AT&T 5G and LTE service alongside Verizon, which launched 5G and LTE on this system in mid-2022.
  • Partnering with Verizon to ensure the continued operation of its outdoor 5G service with the demolition of the Central Campus Recreation Building to ensure outdoor cellular service continuity, and delivering critical fiber upgrades that increase the reliability and capacity of existing and future cellular systems.
  • Upgrades by AT&T to outdoor 5G cellular in partnership with ITS, Health Information Technology & Services, and Facilities and Operations teams to deliver higher speeds and capacity in areas around Michigan Medicine and North Campus.

In Nov. 2022, the Crisler Center underwent a 5G upgrade.

“The primary goal of the cellular service improvement project is to provide a consistent experience in many of our Ann Arbor campus buildings for all carriers — Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile — that’s really what we are aiming for,” executive director of infrastructure for ITS Andy Palms said in a release.