No abstract

Like Rome, the University of Michigan's campus‐wide fiber optic network was not built in a day. During an intense three‐week period in May 1988, Pradeep Patel, Transmission Engineer at University Telecommunications, managed to squeeze in 210 hours to complete the detailed engineering plans for the campus‐wide fiber optic network. Prior to this period, Patel and other UMTel and Information Technology Division employees were involved in every stage of network specification and implementation. Designing a practical, workable cable layout for a network covering 25 miles and connecting 72 buildings was no small job.

The University of Michigan's telecommunications system cost $38,000,000 to build, includes 30,000 lines, and processes 14,000,000 calls monthly. It is one of the largest private systems in the world. The process of implementing and managing such a massive system, which affected every office, lab, dorm room, and family‐residence on campus, and impacted literally every member of the campus community—to say nothing of the surrounding town—is discussed. This case study presents the issues and problems that other institutions—regardless of size—may face as they upgrade their telecommunication capabilities in the years ahead.