Shannon Airport has recorded another first after rolling out eduroam – the secure global wi-fi roaming service for the international research and education community.
Over one billion authentications happen every year on eduroam, which securely connects students, staff, and researchers around the world to the Internet, enabling them to access all their academic activities while on campus or on the move.
Shannon is the first Irish airport to introduce eduroam wi-fi (education roaming), adding to the 12,000 locations across 101 countries worldwide where it operates.
By just opening their laptop or smartphone, those from participating institutions around the world have Internet connectivity – across their own third level campus, when visiting other participating institutions and in public places, now including Shannon Airport.
eduroam is managed in Ireland by HEAnet – the country’s National Education & Research Network, in collaboration with GÉANT and the global eduroam community.
Kerrie Power, Chief Executive, HEAnet, said: “eduroam is highly valued by its millions of users around the world and our hope for the future is to see more and more hotspots appearing in public places as they follow Shannon Airport’s lead.”
Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of LIT, said: “Shannon airport is making a very significant statement by making eduroam available to its users at this point. Researchers, students, and academics globally rely on eduroam for their everyday connectivity. It is a brand they trust and recognise, and this initiative by HEAnet and Shannon underscores this region’s culture of connectivity and our innovative outlook.
“The regional economy of the Mid-West is increasingly sophisticated and attractive to investors, while the student body here is increasingly mobile and international. The availability of eduroam in Shannon speaks to this contemporary reality.”
Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport, said “We are delighted to be able to install eduroam connectivity for its users coming through Shannon. It is currently available across third level institutions working with HEAnet and also in some HSE hospitals. Shannon has now become the first Irish airport to adopt the technology. This is in keeping with a key proposition here, which makes life easy for our passengers and airlines.
“We offer free wi-fi at Shannon but being able to offer this secure, dedicated service with HEAnet will enable students, staff, and researchers to be fully connected with their campus. People spend up to two hours at airports and a lot of that is downtime that they can use to get some work down and eduroam will facilitate this.”
