panOULU News

2006-10-12 - panOULU usage increased vastly

Category: panOULU News

PanOULU, an open wireless citizen's network, reached a new usage record in September.

During September altogether 4372 individual devices used panOULU network. It is a whopping 60% increase to the previous usage record from last August (2747). The devices used the network in September in 124 366 sessions altogether 5,1 million minutes. They are both new usage records.

Network expanded through collaboration

One of the reasons why panOULU usage increased is the expansions of the network. City of Oulu's TAITO Oulu 400 programme reached a milestone on 2006-09-22, when the programme's hundreth access point was installed in the library of Tuira. In addition the University of Oulu and Oulu Polytechnic have expanded their own campus networks. Also the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) has opened it's visitor network and telcos have sold several panOULU subscriptions.

At this moment there are altogether 440 access points in the network. Because the network works in a larger area than ever before - for example Raksila sports centre has been covered both inside and outside - there are also a lot more potential users.

Other reasons for the usage growth are the increase in numbers of WLAN compatible phones and students that have bought new laptops with their hard-earned summer job paychecks, returning to their study places. There were almost 700 WLAN capable cell phones in September, which is a seven time figure compared to January 2006. University's campus network was used in September six times more than a year before in September 2005.

A hundred new access points to city's service points

The 5,1 million usage minutes are divided as such: city centre outdoor network 44%, University of Oulu campus network 31%, City of Oulu service points 21%, panOULU subscriptions 2,7% and VTT 0,3%. It is noticeable that the proportion of city's network usage has increased from a couple of percent in January to over 20% in September. This comes naturally from the fact that Oulu has installed a hundred new access points in the city's service points.

PanOULU, network provides in its coverage area wireless broadband Internet access to everybody. PanOULU network is provided in cooperation by City of Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu Polytechnic and Oulun Puhelin Plc. City of Oulu's 400-year celebration project TAITO Oulu 400 is expanding the network by 400 access points by the end of year 2007 and offers free guidance to using the Internet and panOULU (http://www.ouka.fi/taito/).

panOULU help (Mon-Fri 8-16)
Tel. 044 703 1626, (08) 5584 1626
E-mail: neuvonta@panoulu.net

More information:
Project manager Heikki Riikonen
Tel. 044 703 1640