Did you know there is a free wireless network that extends the whole country and most of Western Europe called Eduroam? Did you know that the Open University is one of the only universities to NOT allow their students use this service?

Eduroam is a free wireless network hosted by participating universities up and down the country. It means that any student can log into the Eduroam network when there are visiting other Universities and get free broadband Internet. Most red brick students can take advantage of their universities Wi-Fi connection and Eduroam.

The OU has student spread across the country and it’s students use online content on regular basis. OU students have no campus, they have no free Wi-Fi. Of all the students groups surely OU students would benefit from Eduroam access the most?

With increased tuition fees comparable to red brick prices, and the OU’s increasing intent to make more courses completely online-taught, does the university not think it should be making Eduroam access for all students a priority?

Full-time staff members and associate lecturers in the OU already have their own credentials to use the system. Also any student from any other university can go to Milton Keynes and use their Eduroam credentials to access the internet. In other words: our fees are paying for them to have privileges that we, the OU's own students cannot enjoy. 

So it is just a matter of extending it the OU's own students.