In May 1994, the University administration instructed the Telecommunications Office to install a cable television system for the residence halls. The project involved installing RG-6 cable to each room and construct the fiber optics backbone to provide signal from the headend to the residence halls. The department received authorization to install additional communications facilities with the cable television. Two new category 5 computer connections and an extension of the current voice line was installed. This will provide each student in the room with a computer connection when the halls are connected to the backbone and will provide an extension of the existing voice line when terminated at a later date.
Cable television requires single mode fiber for transporting of signal.
The decision was made to install multimode fiber at the same time to provide a transport for the future communications needs. In August 1995 the department received instructions to begin the process of connecting all residence hall computer connections to the backbone. This will add 4,480 possible connections to the backbone. Technicians have installed patch panels, tested each connection, and certified the wiring. The project was completed in May 1995 and all rooms are on line to the campus network.