The mining industry has long wanted a single communication back bone to cover the majority of their requirements underground._x000D_
The convergence of communication technologies in the office/surface environment has been identified by the mining industry as a means to achieve their long-standing goal. In particular use of Internet Protocol (IP) systems are seen as proving a basis for a mine's communication infrastructure._x000D_
This paper presents the development philosophy and work undertaken by Inco Limited in Canada, as well as the implications of this on suppliers to enable the technology to be mine worthy and readily available._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Cunningham, P, Kent, D and Kirkpatrick, J, 2005. ImPact - extending wireless LAN technology underground, in Proceedings Ninth Underground Operators' Conference 2005, pp 119-126 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).