Jisc Partners iPass For Secure Wi-Fi For Education Staff

Teachers and other education professionals will now have improved Wi-Fi connectivity outside of campuses and schools, after Jisc partnered with mobile Wi-Fi connectivity provider iPass.

Jisc is a UK provider of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) services for the education sector.

The deal should make it easier for education personnel to remain connected whilst offsite, irrespective of where they are in the world. It also ensures valuable academic research remains secure while accessed on public Wi-Fi networks.

Global Connectivity

It should be remembered that iPass does not own any hotspots itself and instead agrees partnerships with various providers to offer businesses a single log-in and billing service that promises to make it easier and cheaper to use wireless Internet services around the world.

Jisc offers an international roaming service called eduroam geared towards all higher education students and faculty staff, allowing them to access Wi-Fi at any university campus in the world.

This new deal will provide universities and colleges with access to the iPass global Wi-Fi network, “thereby guaranteeing that online learning can take place off campus as easily as it does in the lecture theatre.”

And because of iPass’ secure authentication and identity protection features, it is hoped that valuable academic research will remain secure, should the customers be accessing public Wi-Fi networks.

This is important, as Kaspersky  has previously warned that Wi-Fi hotspots remain a major security risk with one in four lacking password protection or encryption leaving them ripe for hack attacks.

Secure Wi-Fi

“Internet connectivity has had a profound impact on every area of human endeavour, and the education sector is no exception,” said Patricia Hume, chief commercial officer at iPass. “We are therefore delighted to be working with Jisc to help its clients enjoy the benefits of secure, always-on, global Wi-Fi.”

“We are delighted to be working with iPass to extend the reach of this pervasive solution to our customers and particularly our members in education and research,” said Tim Marshall OBE, executive director, Membership and Sales, Jisc & MD Jiscom. “This will enable academics and researchers stay connected wherever in the world they are.”

This time last year iPass users were able to gain access to Wi-Fi on 2,700 aircraft after the firm agreed a deal with in-flight entertainment system manufacturer Panasonic Avionics.

Quiz: How much do you know about Wi-Fi?