The Stampede

Recently EMBARQ installed new fiber optic cables by the McMahan Student Center as part of the new contract with AT&T. The trucks could be seen along Blowers Blvd. this week, while EMBARQ employees ran the orange cables.

Academic Dean Mark Matson said that the process is going a little slower than expected, but anticipates everything to be up and running before the end of the semester. 

“AT&T had to wire the campus and also go about a mile further down the road,” said Matson.  “Also, they are working with several other schools, so the process has taken a little more time.”

Milligan was locked into a three-year contract with MountainNet, a local Internet provider.  Breaking that contract was proving difficult, so Milligan set out to find an alternative.

“We sent out a proposal for a new contract,” said Matson.  “AT&T responded with an offer that was too good to pass on.”

Matson explained that after all the work is done Milligan’s Internet speed will improve from nine megabytes to 50 megabytes.  He added that with the new contract, upgrading from 50 to 100, or from 100 to 200 megabytes would not be a big change in price.

The new contract is a statewide contract that also serves several other colleges and state buildings in Tennessee including East Tennessee State University and Northeast State.

Because Milligan is still locked into the old contract with MountainNet, Matson said that those nine megabytes would be put to good use as well.

“With the new CIS online program, the nine megabytes will be put directly into third floor Derthick,” said Matson.

Matson said that even after everything is in place, the bandwidth will not be at the full 50, but at 20 megabytes until software updates including Barracuda and other security measures can be implemented to handle the larger bandwidth.

With the larger bandwidth, Internet speed in the dorm rooms and at other locations on campus will improve. 

Matson also hopes that Milligan will soon be able to video stream sporting events live online.  The Communications department has already purchased the new streaming equipment and is ready to begin streaming sporting events as soon as the bandwidth allows.

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