AU completes phase one of commercial Internet upgrade Published July 1, 2015 By Lisa Warr 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The capabilities division of Air University's Education, Operation and Communications directorate completed phase one of a three-phase commercial Internet service install at Maxwell and Gunter Annex, June 26, 2015. The new service, according to Mark Roy, AU Commercial Internet Service Program manager, will allow AU schools to access vast amounts of resources for the academic curriculum that in the past has not been allowed due to constraints of the Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network, or NIPRNet. The project involves running fiber cable throughout the base and into facilities for the purpose of installing commercial Wi-Fi in an effort to align AU with other universities in regards to the transformative tools that typical universities provide to their students and faculty. "Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast (Air University commander) is leading a united effort across AU to transform all of education throughout the university," said Roy. "AU commercial Internet service is just one piece of the entire puzzle that allows us to provide quality access to technologies that we're using today. Commercial Internet service actually opens up an aperture that allows students, researchers and faculty to be able to go anywhere they need to go to get the information they need." Even though the Wi-Fi Internet service will provide quality access for Airmen, controls are in place to ensure proper use. "Airmen will still have to abide by current rules and regulations that restrict the use of government-funded services and equipment," he said. "There will be some controls in place to see where Airmen are going, track utilization and to see what the service is being used for." In all, 33 facilities will receive the new commercial Wi-Fi capability, which will be installed in three phases, with 26 facilities on Maxwell and seven on Gunter Annex receiving Wi-Fi. Organizations who received the commercial Wi-Fi during phase one included a majority of the centers and schools around Maxwell's Academic Circle, as well as the entire Officer Training School campus to include its dormitories. Phase two of the installation began on June 29 and is expected to be completed July 22. Facilities during this install will include Air Force Research Institute, the Air Force Judge Advocate General's School and facilities around buildings 835 and 836 that support the educational mission. Phase three of the installation is scheduled to begin July 24 and completed August 15. Facilities included in this install will include any remaining facilities on Maxwell that support the educational mission and seven facilities on Gunter, to include the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, the Air Force Senior NCO Academy, the library and Enlisted Heritage Hall to name a few. With phase one complete, Roy continues to move forward with the remaining phases. "This is going to be a success story," he said. "Our centers are going to be able to determine how they utilize information that's out there that they can now access. This is something our schools have been wanting for a very long time."