Work on the next Pitt-Johnstown wireless Internet expansion was to have begun Monday, eventually to extend the service to all townhouses and lodges, university officials said Thursday.

Townhouse residents likely will be able to connect to the wireless network from their campus residence by Thanksgiving, according to Community Relations Associate Vice President Bob Knipple.

Once Information Technology staff members conclude townhouse installation, they are to begin working on the lodges, Information Technology Vice President Jeff Sernell said.

“The goal is to finish by Christmas,” Sernell said. “But the lodges are built differently than the townhouses, so we’ll go in and see what we have to do.”

There are no plans to remove ethernet connection from the townhouses or lodges, so students will be able to utilize the type of connection that best suits their needs, Sernell said.

Students who wish to use a faster service may prefer to use a wired connection, which provides, at minimum, triple the speed of wireless at Pitt-Johnstown, according to Sernell.

“Wired will be faster … but, wireless provides convenience. It just depends on what you’re doing,” he said.

Student Government President Cliff Maloney said students and administrators are to thank for the Pitt-Johnstown wireless project – a positive project that most agreed needed to happen.

“The (Student Government Association) is ecstatic about the announcement and progress to come,” Maloney said on behalf of the governing body.

Maloney, who led the wireless initiative by proposing the idea to Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar last fall, said the final wireless installation phase is to bring connectivity to the Living/Learning Center, freshmen residence halls and Willow Hall.

“The completion date for this is May,” he said.