Information Technology Services (ITS) has installed new antenna systems in buildings on campus at several locations in an effort to improve cell phone reception.

The new antenna systems, which were installed by Bell Mobility in a joint project with ITS, will provide increased coverage in Goodes Hall, Stauffer Library, the Queen’s Centre and Victoria Hall. As of September, ITS had also improved antenna systems in residence buildings in Brant House, David C. Smith and Watts Hall.

Reception on West Campus and John Orr Tower will benefit from a new antenna on John Orr Tower, according to a release in The Queen’s Gazette.

In The Gazette release, Hugh Flemington, project lead for ITS, stated that reliable service has been “hit and miss” because the campus system couldn’t keep up with the number of mobile devices on campus. 

With the new antenna system, dropped calls and instances where users find themselves in areas with low signal are expected to be greatly reduced. ITS has set the initial priorities for the project on buildings that host or house large numbers of people and areas reported to have poor cell phone reception.

Customers who are subscribed to Bell Mobility, Koodo, Virgin and Telus can use the new service. The release stated that Queen’s is “actively encouraging” Rogers Wireless and Wind Mobile to provide their customers with the service and that “both continue to investigate the option to connect to the system”.