Free Wi-Fi in UP campuses soon

MANILA, Philippines -University of the Philippines campuses across the country will soon become Wi-Fi hotspots following an agreement signed by university officials with Smart Communications Inc.

“This is more than just a simple triumph of technology. The hotspots will be a catalyst in unifying the seven constituent universities and one constituent college of the UP system and will signal the start of greater collaboration between UP and Smart in bringing Philippine education into the 21st century,” UP president Alfredo Pascual said.

Pascual recently led the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Smart executives, who have committed to provide free connectivity and access points in all constituent UP universities and campuses.

Under the agreement, websites “whitelisted” by Smart and UP can be accessed for free over WiFi within UP campuses. Sites that are not whitelisted can still be accessed for free for 30 minutes per day.

“This fosters more collaborative learning within the UP community, and allows every Isko and Iska to access online learning resources for free,” said chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea. 

“For us at Smart, this is part of our vision for digital inclusion, of making the Internet more accessible so that more Filipinos get to enjoy its benefits,” he added.

Smart said it will install an initial 120 hotspots in various UP campuses.  It will also put up eight new base stations to add to the six that are already in UP.

This move is in support of the integrated computerization of the university under the eUP project, a key initiative under UP’s strategic plan which aims to make the country’s one and only national university more competitive in the region and the world.

“The eUP project is envisioned to seamlessly integrate UP’s information and communications infrastructure system-wide, enhance service delivery, and achieve operational excellence,” said Pascual.

“We have to start somewhere, right now — as they say in UP — kung hindi tayo, sino; kung di ngayon, kailan?  This MOA signing is a good way to help make the eUP project a reality. We’re in this together,” said Vea.