Spring Break
Pandora blocked; bandwidth sparse
College computers don't play popular music site; ITS says faster processing costs too much
Katie Rose McEneely
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
Over the summer, Hillsdale College science majors conducting research for their theses noticed that the popular Web site Pandora.com had been blocked on school terminals.
Senior Jennette Dekoekkoek, a chemistry major, said she and her fellow students were upset by the change.
"We used it a lot and I know it's something a lot of people like to use," she said.
Pandora is a free Internet radio service that automatically recommends music based on users' preferences.
Jessica Bastian, a senior art major, said the site was helpful during long studio classes, where students are allowed to play music while they work. She classified her inability to access the site as "annoying," but said she is used to it now.
Executive Director of Information Technology Services David Zenz said Pandora "at the time, it was a high-bandwidth user. Since it's entirely recreational, we blocked it."
ITS does not block any other sites aside from peer-to-peer downloading networks and Juicycampus.com, Zenz said.
Zenz said bandwidth is like a pipe that the Internet runs through. The college pays Merit.edu, an Internet Service Provider, for a transfer of information at the rate of 45 Mbps, or megabits per second. The college shares a 100 Mbps pipeline with the city of Hillsdale, the intermediate school district and Jackson Community College.
Zenz attributes the sluggish Internet students noticed at the start of the semester to an increase in the use of personal devices. Smart phones, multiple computers and gadgets with wi-fi capability contributed to Internet slowness, as more people were accessing the Internet in numerous locations.
"We have a lot of rich media use," Zenz said. "It impacts a shop like ours when we have a specific budget available and we can't adjust that as Internet use changes."
The college cannot currently increase their bandwidth due to cost, although the brief system shutdown, which occurred Oct. 12, heralded a switch to a fiber optics circuit. This change in data transmission could eventually allow for more freedom.
"We are looking at opportunities to possibly take advantage of a more favorable pricing model that would change the way we look at bandwidth," Zenz said.
Senior Jennette Dekoekkoek, a chemistry major, said she and her fellow students were upset by the change.
"We used it a lot and I know it's something a lot of people like to use," she said.
Pandora is a free Internet radio service that automatically recommends music based on users' preferences.
Jessica Bastian, a senior art major, said the site was helpful during long studio classes, where students are allowed to play music while they work. She classified her inability to access the site as "annoying," but said she is used to it now.
Executive Director of Information Technology Services David Zenz said Pandora "at the time, it was a high-bandwidth user. Since it's entirely recreational, we blocked it."
ITS does not block any other sites aside from peer-to-peer downloading networks and Juicycampus.com, Zenz said.
Zenz said bandwidth is like a pipe that the Internet runs through. The college pays Merit.edu, an Internet Service Provider, for a transfer of information at the rate of 45 Mbps, or megabits per second. The college shares a 100 Mbps pipeline with the city of Hillsdale, the intermediate school district and Jackson Community College.
Zenz attributes the sluggish Internet students noticed at the start of the semester to an increase in the use of personal devices. Smart phones, multiple computers and gadgets with wi-fi capability contributed to Internet slowness, as more people were accessing the Internet in numerous locations.
"We have a lot of rich media use," Zenz said. "It impacts a shop like ours when we have a specific budget available and we can't adjust that as Internet use changes."
The college cannot currently increase their bandwidth due to cost, although the brief system shutdown, which occurred Oct. 12, heralded a switch to a fiber optics circuit. This change in data transmission could eventually allow for more freedom.
"We are looking at opportunities to possibly take advantage of a more favorable pricing model that would change the way we look at bandwidth," Zenz said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 3
Zach
posted 10/31/09 @ 3:07 PM EST
This is pathetic. A residential connection from Verizon for 50Mbps costs only $144.95/mo.
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