3 Get Connected

Internet

IU offers a secure Wi-Fi network as well as Ethernet connections for on-campus housing. Your IU login and password are required to connect. University Information Technology Services (UITS) provides assistance with establishing an internet connection on campus. Bloomington also has several options for off-campus internet services. Search online for “internet service providers near Bloomington, Indiana.”

Mobile Phones

Mobile service providers in Bloomington include AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. In the United States, mobile phone plans can be contract-based or pay-as-you-go.

U.S. Phone Numbers

Phone numbers in the U.S. consist of 10 digits in three blocks: xxx-xxx-xxxx. The first three digits represent the area code. Bloomington’s area codes are 812 and 930.

Email

As a student, you are expected to check your email on a frequent and consistent basis. The university will send official communications to you by email with the full expectation that you will receive and read these emails in a timely fashion.

If you forward your official IU email to another account, you do so at your own risk. Problems with forwarding your email do not absolve you of your responsibility to respond to university email.

Music

You have many options to stream music in the United States. Pandora, Spotify, and iHeartRadio are all popular programs that offer free service. Bloomington also has several local radio stations. Most play music with short hourly news and sports updates. IU is affiliated with these stations:

99.1 WIUX: Pure Student Radio wiux.org

103.7 WFIU: Public Radio indianapublicmedia.org/radio

U.S. Mail

Mail and packages are delivered to your home once a day. RPS provides a mail box for students living on campus. If you live off campus, make sure that your name is printed clearly on your mailbox. If you move, be sure to inform the university, OIS, and the post office.

First class stamps for domestic letters currently cost 73 cents and can be purchased at the post office, USPS.com, and in some grocery stores. International postage is also available, but pricing varies based on destination, weight, and other factors.

Bloomington has two USPS locations:

The post office won’t take packages weighing more than 70 pounds, but shipping companies like DHL, UPS, and FedEx can help with larger packages.

Television:

Students in campus housing have access to over 120 channels of high definition content via Internet streaming or mobile applications provided by XFINITY On Campus™. They also have access to recently released movies via ResLife Cinema.

If you live off-campus, television options vary based on your service provider. Reception without satellite or cable service is limited. Popular service providers in the area are AT&T, Comcast, Dish, and DirecTV.

Providers often “bundle” cable, internet, and landline phone services. Some plans require a contract for a certain length of time. Review all your options and ask questions to get the option that is best for you.

Newspapers

The Indiana Daily Student (IDS) is an award-winning student newspaper provided to students for free throughout campus and online.

The IU Student Association provides free copies of The New York Times and USA Today at 18 locations on campus, including the Indiana Memorial Union, Ballantine Hall, Wells Library, and some residence halls.

Bloomington’s local paper is The Herald Times. You can find it in vending machines, have it delivered to your home, or read it online. You can also find a number of national and interna-tional newspapers online and at the IU libraries.