U. aims to 'connect' Univ. City

UC Connect planners hope to link off-campus residents and others in the area to the Penn network. As early as this fall, students living off campus in University City may have access to direct high-speed Internet connections via the Penn network. The University initiative --Eknown as UC Connect, is aiming to bring state-of-the-art Internet access to University City, providing the same level of access that all on-campus residences now have. It would not include access to the ResNet cable television system. Organizers are currently reviewing different technology options and their providers to find a fast and affordable means for students living off campus, area residents and businesses to connect to the Internet. The project will make the neighborhood a more attractive place to live, said Esual Sanchez, the University's director of neighborhood initiatives. UC Connect is considering two main types of Internet access: a cable modem -- which connects to the network via a cable line -- and a Digital Subscriber Line, which allows subscribers to be on the phone and the Internet at the same time using one phone line. Both technologies have their benefits and limitations, according to Noam Arzt, a senior fellow in Information Systems and Computing. While cable modem access generally tends to be faster, the operating speed may be affected by the number of people in a particular building or block utilizing the technology. DSL technology, on the other hand, has a more stable performance speed but may operate slower than the cable modem overall, Arzt said. But a major benefit of both services is that they can likely be deployed using existing technologies in area homes and apartments with any further wiring or phone line installation. Another challenge the group faces is negotiating an affordable price for subscribers. While the monthly rates for cable and DSL services run between $40 and $60, Sanchez said that he hopes to bring that price down to about $25 for basic service. Telephone and cable companies have recently been offering similar services to individual households and small regions across the country. "We're concerned that sometimes these technologies are deployed only in very limited spaces," Sanchez said. "What we'd really like to do is have vendors come and deploy the service to everybody." The UC Connect team is also in the process of approaching other University City institutions and community organizations to build partnerships that will give the project more power to negotiate a service for University City as a whole.

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