About – A Restena service
The eduroam service was launched in 2008 on the European continent, six years after the creation of the first prototype.
The history of eduroam in Luxembourg
- In the mid-2000s, eduroam was perceived as an interesting service for teachers and researchers who visit universities or research centres abroad or who work on several campuses, and teachers in national high schools who are active in several schools.
- In 2006, the Restena Foundation started a pilot project with the Lycée Technique d’Ettelbrück (LTEtt). The evaluation of the results allowed Restena to affirm its plan to extend the service to all institutions connected to its network, the National Research and Education Network (RESTENA network).
- Since 2007, Restena has been offering its connected institutions a wireless roaming service within the national network and abroad.
- Gradually, more and more research and educational institutions, also convinced of the added value of eduroam, joined the movement.
- In the middle of the 2010s, with the rise of the ‘Bring Your Own Device’ phenomenon and the increase in the number of devices connected per person, the service grew very significantly. Other players outside the research and education sector joined the movement. They are :
- the HotCity WiFi network serving the country’s two largest cities, Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette,
- the Luxembourg airport,
- the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL).
- Since 2024, eduroam Identity Providers and Service Providers in Luxembourg can participate in equivalent roles in OpenRoaming federation service as an optional add-on.
Original involvement of the Restena Foundation
Since the emergence of the idea of roaming between the national research and education networks (NRENs), Luxembourg has been involved in the development of the eduroam service. Through the Restena Foundation, acting as a National Research and Education Network (NREN), Luxembourg’s expertise served the development of eduroam from 2004 to its official international launch in 2008. Since its launch, it has participated in the development and integration of new functionalities to the present day.
The Restena Foundation is involved in the development and operations of global eduroam, from Luxembourg.
