2026 UCalgary Wi-Fi Service Upgrade

Scheduled Wireless Network Outages

View Maintenance Schedule

Overview

UCalgary’s current Wi-Fi network infrastructure is undergoing a widespread upgrade to better support the campus community. From 2026 through March 2027, IT will be renewing UCalgary’s Wi-Fi network by replacing all end-of-life wireless access points to improve overall performance, reliability, and scalability.

Please be advised that there will be several maintenance windows scheduled until March 2027 and will be delivered in phases to minimize disruption. Advance notice will be provided before work begins in any building.

Wireless upgrades are completed by building, not by individual rooms or spaces. Each building is fully migrated during a single scheduled maintenance window.

How buildings will be upgraded

Buildings that contain active classrooms or teaching spaces will be fully migrated overnight, where possible, to minimize disruption.

Buildings that are primarily office space may be fully migrated during regular business hours, with localized and temporary service interruptions.

Please take appropriate action to ensure there is little disruption to your day, such as using a wired connection, a mobile network or an off-campus wireless internet network.

Wi-Fi network name changes

As part of the upgrade, UCalgary is simplifying Wi-Fi network names by retiring the “Air” prefix and standardizing services under the “UC” naming structure. This helps reduce connection issues and improve compatibility during the transition.

Devices will need to be configured with the new network ID once it is available. Devices will switch between network IDs as users move between buildings.

Project timeline

The project team is working to complete as much of the wireless upgrades as possible by the end of August 2026, aligning with periods of lower academic activity where possible. Most of the upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of December 2026. Full project completion is anticipated by the end of March 2027. 

If you experience issues after an upgrade

Following the upgrade, if you experience any network issues, please restart your device.

If the issue(s) persists, contact the IT Support Centre at 403.210.9300 or visit ucalgary.ca/it.

Upcoming Scheduled Outages

This schedule includes planned maintenance for the next 30 days only and is subject to last-minute changes due to the complexity of the rollout. Please check back regularly for the most up-to-date information. This update will affect all campuses, including Main, Foothills, Downtown, and Spy Hill, and remote sites.

BldCampusTentative Start DateStatus
EDCMain Campus2026-06-16Scheduled
CCITMain Campus2026-06-16Scheduled
ABMain Campus2026-06-16Scheduled
ICTMain Campus2026-06-17Scheduled
EDTMain Campus2026-06-17Scheduled
CHDMain Campus2026-06-18Scheduled
CHCMain Campus2026-06-18Scheduled
CHEMain Campus2026-06-18Scheduled
CHFMain Campus2026-06-18Scheduled
CHGMain Campus2026-06-18Scheduled
KFSKananaskis Field Station (KFS)2026-06-23Scheduled
BIMain Campus2026-06-23Scheduled
SSMain Campus2026-06-24Scheduled
SBMain Campus2026-06-25Scheduled
WARemote Side2026-06-25Scheduled
WWTPPine Creek (PC)2026-06-25Scheduled
DTCRemote Site2026-06-30Scheduled
STMain Campus2026-06-30Scheduled
ESMain Campus2026-07-02Scheduled
KNBMain Campus2026-07-03Scheduled
UCDTC1Remote Site2026-06-16Completed
WA-CN1Remote Site2026-06-16Completed
OVCRemote Site2026-06-16Completed
WWTPPine Creek (PC)2026-06-16Completed
KAMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
DCMain Campus2026-06-16Completed
GLMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
OLMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
IHMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
AUMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
YAMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
CDMain Campus - Residence2026-06-16Completed
RAORemote Site2026-06-16Completed

FAQs

Why is UCalgary upgrading its WiFi infrastructure?

UCalgary’s existing wired and wireless network equipment has reached the end of its supported lifespan. This increases the risk of outages and reduced performance. The upgrade replaces aging equipment with modern technology to improve reliability, performance and long term scalability across campus.

Replacing more than 4,500 wireless access points in 132 buildings across campus is a large, multiphase effort. Deployment work will continue throughout 2026. The project team is aiming to complete the majority of wireless upgrades by December 2026, aligning with periods of lower academic activity where possible. Some buildings, followup work, and service optimization may continue beyond August, with the final project completion expected by the end of March 2027.

Upgrading wireless equipment in a building can take up to a full business day or overnight window, depending on the building’s use. During this time, you can expect localized, rolling outages until the upgrade is complete.

Most centrally-managed classroom technologies and printing services are designed to remain available when devices are connected via wired network connections.

Some wireless-dependent devices or peripherals may experience temporary interruptions during maintenance windows. Because buildings with classrooms are migrated overnight, impacts to scheduled teaching activities are expected to be minimal.

University websites, databases and systems will remain accessible through wired internet connections, mobile networks, or off-campus internet access. Some internal services may require a wired connection or VPN during wireless maintenance periods.

As part of the upgrade, UCalgary is simplifying Wi‑Fi network names by retiring the “Air” prefix and standardizing services under the “UC” naming structure. This helps reduce connection issues and improve compatibility during the transition.

The following UCalgary Wi-Fi network names are changing to:

- AirUC‑Residence → UC‑Residence (name change and security update)
- AirUC‑Secure → UC‑Secure (name change only)
- AirUC‑Guest (no current change)
- EduRoam (no change)

Please restart your device. If issues persist, contact the IT Support Centre at 403.210.9300 or visit ucalgary.ca/it.