At Notre Dame (as well as U of Tennessee), WLAN was deployed using one-time funds and then operating funds were/are derived from recurring data port charges (UT) or voice (ND).
Since I'm no longer at UT, I don't want to speak (too) much for them. However, UT already had a robust and accepted history of charging for data. Wireless was positioned as a complementary service to LAN and the operating costs were included as a line expense in the port cost model. It only increased the port rate minimally because the large port base that it was spread over. At ND, we did not have a history of recovering for data or WLAN. On July 1, we merged the Telecom dept and Networking dept into one unit. This was more than just a organizational move on paper. We physically uprooted each group and moved them into common space. They are working on a converged technological model when our Centrex contract expires in 2 years, and (most challenging), we are working with our CFO and Audit group to come up with a converged cost model. The goal is to widen the gap between what our current voice rates are (e.g. what the departments have in their budgets) and what it costs to provision voice. In the early going, that will be done by driving down the expense associated with the Centrex contract. Later, it assumes we can provision voice using VoIP technologies at rates lower than Centrex. In that widening gap between what departments have budgeted for voice and what it costs to provision it, data and WLAN costs will be included to off-set those voice-savings. We expect it to take 2-3 years to achieve, but the goal is to develop a model that covers the expense of running a converged group/infrastructure and compliant with the A-21 OMB regs without busting the departmental budgets. hope this helps. -d --------------------------------- Dewitt Latimer, Ph.D. Deputy CIO and Chief Technology Officer The University of Notre Dame [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Genung" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 3:19 PM Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] wireless funding models > All, > > I'm assuming that many of you are in my shoes when it comes to determining > what type of funding model is needed to support the deployment of wireless > coverage areas throughout your campus. We are looking at a cost recovery > approach based upon the deployment of a coverage area that have been > requested for non-public spaces. We are picking up the costs of deploying > wireless in public spaces ourselves. > > So, how many of you are looking at internal fund sources to pay for the > deployment of your wireless coverage areas? What are they? Who is looking > at external fund sources such as grants? What opportunities are available? > > Thank you in advance for your responses. > > > Scott Genung > Manager of Networking Systems > Telecommunications and Network Support Services > 124 Julian Hall > Illinois State University > > (309)438-8731 http://www.tnss.ilstu.edu > > ********** > Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/cg/. > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/cg/.
