Business Model

The primary business case for Griffith University's enterprise-class WLAN was to provide increased IT services, reduce the load on existing computing labs, and supplement existing wired network infrastructure. There was a vocal request from academic staff for wireless services and a strong desire to take advantage of the mobility benefits offered by the technology. Most faculty were already equipped with laptops, and many had personal PDAs, both of which were often used for academic activity and staff productivity services.

Furthermore, extensive research, including large-scale student surveys, showed that more than 50 percent of students owned and used laptop computers. Many of these laptops were already fitted with wireless connectivity, and most students stated a strong desire and support for university-provided wireless service.

Adoption has been very high among the student body, followed marginally by the academic body. All network and IT services are available through the WLAN, which is effectively only an alternative transport medium. It removes the need for users to find a desk and Ethernet port, therefore extending connectivity and access to the users' locations and not limiting their ability to use IT services to specific localities.