Wireless Internet On Campus Deployed At Wake Forest University

Laptops With Symbol Technologies Wireless LAN Capability Allow Students High Speed Access

As part of an exciting new service offering to universities and their students by Symbol Technologies, Inc, students returning to Wake Forest University today will now have high-speed wireless access to the internet and to the campus network from many locations outside of the classroom on the campus.

In a multi-year deal which includes hardware, , Wake Forest University contracted with Symbol Technologies for the installation of Symbol's wireless network infrastructure as a seamless extension of the university's already-existing wired Ethernet backbone.

At today's incoming orientation,1,000 freshman were issued laptop computers at the North Carolina liberal arts university. More than 600 of those freshmen have subscribed to the University's wireless services. Those students will receive laptop computers with preloaded software, with wireless LAN network interface cards from Symbol, to be distributed on August 29th. Wake Forest officials believe that instant anytime internet access will greatly enhance the learning process and give students a valuable educational advantage.

Students will be able to research assignments online, download coursework, check e-mail and access the campus computing network unencumbered by Ethernet cables and connectors, wherever they want to - in libraries, study lounges, common areas, outdoors in the quad - throughout the campus.

"We've found that students like to be mobile," said Jay Dominick, Wake Forest's assistant vice president for information systems. "Symbol's wireless technology gives the students' laptops enhanced mobility, allowing studying to take place outside of traditional learning areas. Now a bench in the quad, or perhaps a favorite table in the dining hall, is transformed into a learning environment."

Wake Forest began issuing IBM ThinkPad notebook computers to students in 1996. This past Spring semester, the University initiated a pilot program with approximately 700 students to prove the value proposition of wireless mobility, using Symbol's . Based on very favorable results, more than 600 incoming freshman have registered for Symbol's wireless services this Fall, with plans by the University to make wireless services available to upperclassmen as well. Since the wireless network is totally flexible and scaleable, there is no limit to the number of students who can utilize Symbol's wireless service on a university campus.

Students will subscribe to the service receiving a Symbol wireless LAN PC card which gives them unlimited broadband access to Symbol's wireless services throughout the term.

"Laptop computers become a hundred times more valuable to university students if they can access the web and the network from anywhere on campus," said Harry B Lerner, vice president of education, hospitality and healthcare for Symbol Technologies. "Symbol is uniquely positioned to provide all of the complicated pieces of the wireless solution in a very uncomplicated way to universities and their students, bringing important real-time benefits to students, faculty and administrators through a refreshingly simple service subscription model."

Symbol's wireless LAN technology has been successfully deployed in several public space (including outdoor) installations to allow wireless PC and mobile device connectivity. The company's wireless LANs and mobile internet-ready information appliances are also being used by K-12 schools for performing valuable teaching and administrative functions such as attendance tracking,

hallway monitoring, student security, grade book management, and many others. In both Higher Education and K-12 markets, Symbol is currently experiencing a tremendous surge in customer activity and solutions deployment.