[Air-L] Impact of AT&T divestiture on American college and university campus computer networks?

elw at stderr.org elw at stderr.org
Tue Oct 16 11:27:28 PDT 2007



>   While I certainly welcome input on the broader topic, I turn to you to 
> recommend sources to help me understand what effect, if any, the 1984 
> divestiture of AT&T may have had on the development of American college 
> and university campus computer networks and telecommunications, 
> particularly computer networks installed in residence halls.  From 
> primary and secondary sources, I already know that some institutions 
> (the pioneers, as far as I can tell) began installing and experimenting 
> with in-room network connections in the mid 80s.  So the timing is right

Great topic!

There were ghetto/private/totally-unauthorized networks running in the 
dorms at my undergrad institution a full decade (plus some...) before the 
dorms were formally wired by the university.  RG-58 coax running down 
exterior drainpipes, through windows, et cetera.  This stuff has been 
going on for ages.  :-)

There was some history of private CATV wiring on the same campus, also 
done somewhat independently...

--elijah



More information about the Air-L mailing list