Students who receive poor cell phone reception in Baker University Center can expect major improvements by the end of the quarter, a university official said.
The university is planning to purchase and install a system of antennas in Baker that would strengthen cell phone signals inside the building. An official budget for the project has not been established, but the estimated cost is $15,000.
No equipment has been purchased for the repeater system yet, but the project should be completed by the end of Spring Quarter, said Richard Shultz, director of implementation.
The project most likely will be funded by one of the many offices with operations in Baker, said Tim Kern, project manager for University Planning and Implementation.
Baker is about 40 feet below Court Street and the mass of the building combined with its position on a hillside are leading causes of poor cell phone service, Shultz said. Alltel and Verizon Wireless have recently built towers in Athens, but neither of these improves the signal in Baker, he said.
Kern said the university chose the short-term approach to install a series of antennas on Baker's roof to transfer the cell phone signal to low-powered antennas on the lower levels where cell phone reception is poor or nonexistent. The antennas make up what is called a repeater system, which is designed to strengthen signals.
Without installing antennas, the university would have to wait for cell phone companies to add more towers in the area or improve their signals, Kern said.
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Meghan Ventura
