Welcome To ‘Wireless U’

One of the country’s leading mobile phone companies is reaching out to colleges and universities in different parts of the country as part of an effort to help raise the standards of electronics and communications engineering (ECE) education, particularly the wireless side of it.

Late last month, Smart Communications Inc. inaugurated the first of what it calls "wireless communications laboratories" at the Bulacan State University (BSU) in Malolos.

Situated on the second floor of the BSU engineering building, the wireless lab contains various pieces of equipment from an analog cellular network such as radio cabinets, rectifier units, antennas, a battery bank and a control computer.

The facility also houses an operational GSM cellsite that not only provides additional coverage for the campus but can also be used for on-the-job training of students.

"It will be much easier for students to appreciate what they are doing in class if they can see, touch and manipulate the equipment systems they are supposed to be learning about. The wireless laboratory will give students a chance to do just that," Napoleon Nazareno, Smart president and CEO, said.

But that is only one aspect of the program. As a follow-through, Smart engineers will give lectures and presentations to ECE students periodically on topics such as introduction to GSM technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

Initial feedback from some schools indicated that the wireless engineering education component is what they find most interesting.

"After all, through this program, our engineers can share with students their knowledge and experience in building and running the country’s most extensive digital mobile network using the world’s most modern technology," Nazareno said. "You cannot get that kind of knowledge from just anywhere."

To accomplish this, the company is developing training modules more attuned to the needs of students. This requires preparing training materials for the use of students and teachers. Smart is also training a pool of trainors who will handle the presentations.

In effect, Nazareno said, "We are setting up within Smart ‘a wireless university’ capable not only of enhancing the company’s internal training purposes but also serving the needs of wireless laboratories in different colleges and universities."

Ultimately, the project will ensure that schools produce highly competent graduates who can fill the manpower demands of the telecommunications industry.

Smart intends to propose this "industry-academe partnership" to selected colleges and universities offering engineering courses, particularly electronics and communications engineering. According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), there are over 100 such colleges and universities all over the country.

"We are currently talking with over 20 schools. Pending the outcome of these discussions, we think it prudent not to identify which schools these are. There will certainly be more because the response has been generally quite favorable," said Ramon Isberto, Smart’s public affairs head.

Bulacan State University was selected as the first site for a wireless lab because, among other things, the school administration was quick to respond to Smart’s proposal, Nazareno said. This was proof of its willingness to embrace new ideas and innovations.

BSU is the largest university in Central Luzon, in terms of enrollment (17,800), with the engineering department topping the list (4,100 students) and posting a commendable average rate of success in professional licensure exams.

According to the university’s history, engineering courses were first offered only in 1977, or 73 years after the BSU was created as an intermediate school by a legislative act. Today it has a strong engineering program. Proof of this is the performance of its graduates, most notably, Bryan Dayrit, topnotcher in last year’s ECE board exams, and Paolo Marquez, who placed ninth in the electrical engineering exams.

The CHED has also identified the BSU College of Engineering as a Center for Development for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, according to Modesta Lugos, BSU vice president for planning, research and extension.

The Bulacan provincial government has also been supportive of the program. Local officials say this is because Bulacan puts a premium on information technology, adopting e-governance in 1996. The Provincial Management Information Systems Office (PMISO) plays a crucial role in effective, efficient and transparent government operations and accessible services, according to its head, Rex Mangalindan.

"Gov. Josefina de la Cruz has been very aggressive regarding computerization. She wanted it in place in all towns," he said. "Through computerization, the provincial government was able to generate savings in terms of services extended to direct beneficiaries such as LGUs, hospitals and schools," he added.

With the Smart ECE education program, the BSU will be an even greater asset to the province of Bulacan.