ITS retains direct relationships with the major cellular vendors which allow us to enhance interior and exterior cellular coverage across campus so students, faculty, staff, patients, and guests can connect anytime, anywhere for personal, professional, or emergency communications.
Exterior Cell Coverage
The university has strong exterior coverage provided by the three primary facilities-based cellular carriers in southeast Michigan:
- AT&T (including Cricket and others)
- Verizon (including Visible, Xfinity Mobile, Spectrum Mobile and others)
- T-Mobile (including Metro and others)
Working with ITS, these carriers have deployed outdoor 4G (LTE) and 5G facilities to enhance coverage on campus, and continually update these facilities as technology advances.
Interior Cell Coverage
U-M continually expands targeted areas of enhanced coverage in select buildings using Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and Small Cells, but users may still experience coverage issues in lower level areas and in newer buildings or renovations that employ energy saving construction materials which prevent radio signals from permeating the structures. ITS works with campus stakeholders to address coverage issues as requested.
WiFi Calling Coverage
WiFi Calling is a carrier-provided feature which delivers phone calls and text messages where WiFi is available but cellular coverage is inadequate. U-M’s robust WiFi infrastructure provides an excellent WiFi Calling experience. ITS recommends this method for improving your cellular experience in U-M buildings. Note: E911 location capability may be limited while using WiFi Calling.