2008 Woodie Awards
New dorms to open fall '06 with advanced phone, cable technology
By: Matt Grover
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: News
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Students who move into the new dorms next fall will have the first opportunity to utilize a new telephone technology that will eventually be installed throughout campus in the next few years.
The new system that will be installed will use IP telephony, which is the routing of phone conversations over the Internet. Students will get their phone service delivered over the same system as their Internet. An example of a type of IP telephony would be services such as SBC Yahoo! DSL.
The use of IP telephony means several changes will take place in Webster's phone system. One change is that students will have the option to bring in phones from their own home.
"I'm not saying the $5 Wal-Mart phone is the best way to go, but I know a lot of students would like to have cordless phones," said Larry Haffner, vice president of information technology. "They'll be able to do that."
This change to IP telephony also means Webster will move to direct inward dialing. Instead of having to dial a number and then an extension to reach somebody on campus, each room will have its own personal number. Each resident of the room will
have their own private voicemail on that number.
"If there are multiple people in the room, they will each have their own voice mailbox on that phone," Haffner said. "Right now, to call into a residence hall you have to dial a number then you have to dial the extension. Every room will have its own direct inward dial telephone number."
These changes are being made for several reasons. First, Haffner said it is necessary. Haffner said current phone system is "old," "clunky" and uses two different types of technology - one for the phone and one for the Internet. The move to IP telephony would merge the two technologies.
Another reason for these changes is due to the increase in cell phone use. Many students have cell phones, which decreases the usage of phones provided by the university.
"One thing we want to do is to figure out how we can provide a more cost effective phone system," said John Buck, assistant dean of students. "Most people have cell phones and we were getting less people that make use of the room phones in their apartments in the residence halls. We are looking for ways to consolidate that system, making some local phone service
The new system that will be installed will use IP telephony, which is the routing of phone conversations over the Internet. Students will get their phone service delivered over the same system as their Internet. An example of a type of IP telephony would be services such as SBC Yahoo! DSL.
The use of IP telephony means several changes will take place in Webster's phone system. One change is that students will have the option to bring in phones from their own home.
"I'm not saying the $5 Wal-Mart phone is the best way to go, but I know a lot of students would like to have cordless phones," said Larry Haffner, vice president of information technology. "They'll be able to do that."
This change to IP telephony also means Webster will move to direct inward dialing. Instead of having to dial a number and then an extension to reach somebody on campus, each room will have its own personal number. Each resident of the room will
have their own private voicemail on that number.
"If there are multiple people in the room, they will each have their own voice mailbox on that phone," Haffner said. "Right now, to call into a residence hall you have to dial a number then you have to dial the extension. Every room will have its own direct inward dial telephone number."
These changes are being made for several reasons. First, Haffner said it is necessary. Haffner said current phone system is "old," "clunky" and uses two different types of technology - one for the phone and one for the Internet. The move to IP telephony would merge the two technologies.
Another reason for these changes is due to the increase in cell phone use. Many students have cell phones, which decreases the usage of phones provided by the university.
"One thing we want to do is to figure out how we can provide a more cost effective phone system," said John Buck, assistant dean of students. "Most people have cell phones and we were getting less people that make use of the room phones in their apartments in the residence halls. We are looking for ways to consolidate that system, making some local phone service