Washington and Lee University
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR FRATERNITY & INTERNATIONAL HOUSE RESIDENTS
Basic telephone service on the University system has been provided in your room fee. The phone jack in your room is active and will accept a standard home phone or similar device.
The phone service in the fraternity and International house is slightly different from the phone service in the dorms. Dorm phones are on a digital service but our off-campus buildings are on an analog system. Because analog systems do not require a special phone, residents of our off-campus housing provide their own phones and may use any basic home type phone device. The other differences mainly involve the keystrokes necessary to execute various phone system and PhoneMail functions. Please see other items in this section for details.
The FLASH function places any call on soft hold so that you can access a feature or dial another party. The soft hold lasts until you hang up or reconnect the call.
If you are not sure whether to FLASH before using a system feature, remember that you must have dial tone before using a feature. So, if you don't have dial tone, FLASH.
As a resident of off-campus housing, you provide your own phone and it is suggested that you use a phone that has a FLASH button since this feature is used to access so many system features. If you do not have a phone with a FLASH button, do the following: Press the switch hook on your phone for one second Listen for a tone followed by the high pitched holding tone
Note: Holding the switch hook down for longer than one second can disconnect your call.
CALL PICK-UP allows you to use your phone to answer another ringing extension.
For example: Lift receiver, * 3 5xxx
The Transfer feature allows you to transfer a call to another extension.
To transfer a call, do the following:
Your telephone service includes PhoneMail, a voice mail service that enables you to record a personal greeting of up to three minutes in length and accept up to ten, 3-minute messages. Your phone line will be programmed to forward automatically to PhoneMail if you do not answer after four rings or if your line is busy. The message waiting light on your phone will flash whenever you have received a message. You should retrieve and delete messages as often as possible.
By using the access phone number to PhoneMail and your personalized password, you will be able to retrieve messages from any touch-tone phone.
Your greeting will be your own personalized message that may be changed at any time from any phone.
Voice mailboxes are confidential and are accessible only to the individual via a password.
The PhoneMail box owner should erase all messages at the end of the school year. The PhoneMail system will be purged of all messages 24 hours after the final day of spring term exams.
How PhoneMail Helps You
The PhoneMail system:
- Answers your telephone automatically and plays your personal greeting to callers
- Accepts and stores voice messages in your PhoneMail mailbox
- Plays back your messages at your convenience
- Allows you to send and receive messages anytime, from anywhere
PhoneMail has two access numbers. The number you dial is determined by the last digit of your phone number.
* * *Even numbers dial 8080
* * *Odd numbers dial 8090
- Dial your PhoneMail direct access number
- Dial your extension number followed by #. Special Note for Residents Sharing a Room and Phone: Double room residents must add a 1 or a 2 after your extension number while accessing PhoneMail. Names are loaded alphabetically. For example, if Sarah Bailey and Ann Jones share extension 4005, Sarah's PhoneMail box will be 40051 and Ann's will be 40052.
- Dial your password and press "#".
- Follow the PhoneMail prompts for options available to you.
TIP: If you are in a single room and accessing PhoneMail from your own extension, you can simply press # in step 2 above.
To change your password:
- Access your PhoneMail box
- Press 9 for Mailbox Options
- Press 3 to Change Your Password
- Enter your new password then press #
- Wait for PhoneMail to verify your new password
- Hang up or press * 7 6 to log off of the system
- Access your PhoneMail box
- Press 8 for Answering Options
- Press 4 to Record Name (RECORD FIRST AND LAST NAME ONLY)
- Press 1 to begin recording
- Press * # when done
- Access your PhoneMail box
- Press 8 for Answering Options
- Press 1 for Change Greeting
- Press 1 for Regular Greeting
- Choose 1 (Ring, No Answer Greeting) OR 2 (Busy Greeting)
- Record Greeting
- Press * # when you complete the recording
- Access your PhoneMail box
- Press 3
To Move Ahead or Back in Your Message:
To skip forward to the next message introduction press * 2
To skip back to the previous message introduction press * 7 2
To replay the entire message press * 7 3
To replay the previous eight seconds of the message press * 7 8
To move ahead eight seconds into the message press * 9 8
WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU LISTEN TO YOUR MESSAGE
After you listen to a message you can:
Press 6 to delete the message OR
Press 4 to save the message OR
Press 7 3 to replay the message
After you delete or save a message you can:
Press 1 to record and send an answer to the message sender OR
Press 7 0 to call the person who sent you the message OR
Press 9 to forward the message to another extension OR
Press # to continue to the next message
PhoneMail allow you to send a single message to a list of extensions through the Pesonal Distribution List feature. You are limited to 10 extensions per Distribution List and you may have up to 5 different lists. Use the following instructions to create a Distribution List and to send a message.
Access your PhoneMail box Press 9 (mailbox options) Press 1 (distribution lists) Press 1 (create) (PhoneMail will assign a D-List number) When prompted, enter the extension of the first person you want on the list and press # Repeat previous step for other entries (up to 10) Press # when you complete your entries Hang up
Be sure to write down the number of your distrubtion list along with the extensions included in that list.
To send a Message to a Distribution List(s): Access your PhoneMail box Press 1 (record) When prompted, record your message then press * #. Dial the D-List number and press # Repeat previous step for additional D-Lists Press # when done
FUTURE DELIVERY (USING PHONEMAIL AS AN APPOINTMENT REMINDER)
You can use the Future Delivery function of VoiceMail to leave someone (yourself included) a message about important future appointments. At the time you decide, the message will be placed in the proper PhoneMail box.
- Access your PhoneMail box.
- Press 1 for Record
- Record message and press * #
- Enter an extension number (your own if this message is for you) and press # #
- Press 3 for Special Delivery
- Press 4 for Future Delivery and press # #
- Press 1 for One-Time Delivery
- Press the appropriate numbers for the Month and press # #
- Press the appropriate numbers for the Date and press # #
- Press the appropriate numbers for the Time and press #
- Choose 1 for AM or 2 for PM and press #
- Press # to say that the schedule is correct
- Press # to complete the operation
After saving or deleting a PhoneMail message, you can attach comments to it and forward the message and comments to one or more extensions. The original message follows your comments. To forward a message:
- Save (Option 4) or Delete (Option 6) the message
- Press 9 to Forward
- After you hear the tone, record your comments, which go if front of the message you want to forward
- Dial the extension you want to forward the message to
- Press # each time you complete dialing an extension
- Press # again to send the message through regular delivery
When you become more familiar with the PhoneMail system, you may want to select abbreviated prompts. To change to abbreviated prompts:
- Access your PhoneMail box
- Press 9 for Mailbox Options
- Press 2 for Prompt Level
- Press 2 for Abbreviated Prompts
Since you are providing your own telephone while living in our off campus University housing, you will not have a built in message waiting light. A stutter dial tone is provided to notify you that you have a message in your PhoneMail box. If you find that you need a message light, add-on devices are available from third party vendors. One vendor with products such as this is Hello Direct at 1-800-846-0777.
Placement of outgoing long distance calls requires the use of your personal 7 digit authorization code. You receive this number when you arrive on campus. If you do not know your authorization code, you must come to the Telecommunications Office in person to be issued your authorization code. No deposit is required for long distance service. No subscription fee or monthly service fee will be charged for an authorization code.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your authorization code and you will be responsible for all calls placed with your authorization code. If your authorization code is lost or stolen, or if for any reason you feel the security of this number has been compromised, immediately contact W&L's Telecommunications Office in person. Because of the serious nature of the loss of an authorization code, if the Telecommunications Office is closed, you should contact University Security immediately. Do not post your personal authorization code beside your phone or in an otherwise visible location. Remember, you are responsible for all calls made with your code, so take steps to protect it.
The carrier for direct dial long distance calls is MCI. MCI also provides operator services. Rates for operator assisted calls are available by dialing 800-388-6712. Complaints related to operator services from any carrier may be addressed to: FCC, Common Carrier Bureau Enforcement Division, 2025 M Street NW, Washington DC, 20554.
Since your telephone service is provided by the University, you may not subscribe to any "residential" long distance plan offered by another long distance carrier. However, you may obtain access to the interstate common carrier of your choice by establishing a calling card account with them and dialing the carrier's "800" access number.
W&L STUDENT LONG DISTANCE RATES
Choose from our "bulk buy" plans and pay as low as 7 cents per minute for calls at anytime to anywhere in the U.S.
It's Simple - Our rates are exactly what they say the are! You'll find:
Here is a summary of our rate plans:
You may choose to participate in one of our optional "bulk buy" rate plans or simply use our standard rate plan for your long distance calls. If you do not choose to participate in an optional rate plan, any calls made with your W&L long distance authorization code will be billed according to the standard rate plan.
W&L Long Distance Standard Plan:
9 cents per minute - Monday through Friday, 7 pm to 7 am & all day Saturday and Sunday, for calls within the U.S.
25 cents per minute - Monday through Friday, 7am to 7 pm, for calls within the U.S.
W&L Long Distance Optional Plans:
Buy your minutes in bulk each month and have the freedom to use long distance at any time of the day or night for the same rate.
Plan #1 was built with the average caller in mind. We will bill you a basic charge of $22.50 each month for 250 minutes of long distance calls within the U.S. That's 9 cents per minute. Continue to use our system beyond the 250 minutes in each billing period at the same low price of 9 cents per minute. Use these minutes to call anytime of the day or night to anywhere in the U.S. Minutes not used during a billing period will not be carried over. International calls are not eligible for this plan.
Plan # 2 is for the heavy user and has our lowest per minute rate. We will bill you a basic charge of $35 each month for 500 minutes of long distance calls within the U.S. That's 7 cents per minute. Continue to use our system beyond the 500 minutes each billing period at the same low price of 7 cents per minute. Use these minutes to call anytime of the day or night to anywhere in the U.S. Minutes not used during a billing period will not be carried over. International calls are not eligible for this plan.
When comparing these rates to advertised calling cards or cell phone plans, be aware that many of these plans have per call surcharges or roaming fees, extra monthly fees, minimum connections times, expiration dates, plus many other fees and taxes that drive the actual per minute cost much higher than the advertised rate. Quality and access can also be an issue. Look at these plans carefully because they are seldom as good as they seem.
Rate samples for international calling are available from the Telecommunications Office at ext. 4000 during regular business hours. Other countries have variable pricing.
* PRICE PER MINUTE AS OF 7/05/03 *
Brazil $0.36
Bulgaria $0.41
Canada $0.25
China $0.26
Costa Rica $0.32
Cyprus $0.33
France $0.25
Germany $0.25
India $1.05
Ireland $0.25
Jamaica $0.59
Japan $0.25
Korea (South)$0.25
Pakistan $0.99
Poland $0.27
Russia $0.32
Singapore $0.25
South Africa $0.38
Spain $0.25
Switzerland $0.25
Taiwan $0.25
Trinadad/Tobago$0.41
Turkey $0.46
Uganda $0.48
UK $0.25
Venezuela $0.29
Zambia $0.52
USING OTHER LONG DISTANCE CARRIERS
The University's long distance carrier is BTI. If you elect not to use the University's system, you will need to acquire a calling card from the carrier of your choice for the placement of long distance calls. Access to alternate carriers is available through the W&L system by dialing the carriers "800" access numbers. You may also reach an alternate carrier by dialing 9 + 1010xxx + 0 + phone number (for example, to access AT&T using this method you would dial 9 + 1010288 + 0 + phone number). Contact your carrier for their three digit code and rates.
Washington and Lee University does not charge residents for the alternate carrier access described above. You must have an existing calling/credit card arrangement with the alternate carrier and must not associate that account with your local number nor allow charges to be billed to your local number. A substantial service fee will be assessed for all calls billed back to W&L numbers.
If you find that you cannot dial the alternate carrier of your choice from within the W&L system, please contact the Telecommunications Office.
DIALING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ON-CAMPUS RESIDENTS
To call on campus:
Dial the last four digits of the phone number
Local off campus calls:
Dial 9, wait for dial tone and dial the number
Local Exchanges:
Long Distance Direct Dial:
Authorization Codes are required for long distance service.
Dial 9 + 1 + (area code) + (phone number) wait for double beep + (authorization code)
Long Distance By Calling Card:
Callers may access the long distance carrier of their choice by dialing that long distance company access number.
International Calling:
Dial 9 + 011 + (country code) + (city routing) + (local phone number) wait for double beep + (authorization code).
Local and Long Distance Directory Assistance:
Dial 9 + 1 + (area code) + 555-1212 wait for double beep + (authorization code).
The charge for this call is the prevailing rate at the time.
Local 411 directory assistance calls are blocked.
ADDITIONAL PHONE SERVICE FEES FOR ON-CAMPUS RESIDENTS
Students may incur additional fees related to their phone service, however many of those fees can be avoided with attention to the following rules and regulations:
RULES AND REGULATIONS
BILLING FOR ON-CAMPUS RESIDENTS
The charges from your long distance use will be placed on your regular University account as part of the normal billing process. The bill will be sent to the address of record in the Business Office. The detailed call records for each month will be emailed to your W&L email address. A signed telephone contract must be on file with the Telecommunications Office.
Questions regarding your phone bill or any outstanding balances must be directed to the Telecommunications Office within 10 business days. Disputed charges must be stated in writing to the Telecommunications Office.
Automated Account Balance (available 24 hours a day)
Students who have phone service on the W&L system may obtain their current long distance balance any time through our Telecom Online web page. Log on to Telecom Online and choose the link for Long Distance Account Information. You will need your long distance authorization code to access your personal information.
Please Remember:
When calling long distance, do not let a phone ring for more than 30 seconds (approximately 4 rings). You will be billed for a one minute call if you listen to a ring or busy signal for 30 seconds or more after completion of dialing. Credit will not be issued for these calls.
W&L's system is linked directly to the area Emergency 911 notification system. 911 should only be used in life threatening situations. Minor emergency calls should be placed to University Security at 8999 from any W&L extension. You may place a call to E-911 by dialing 9+911. In most cases, the E-911 dispatcher will see the phone number you are dialing from and your location on their dispatch screen.
If you accidentally dial 911, please don't hang up. Simply identify yourself and tell them there is no emergency at your location. There are cases when 911 is accidentally dialed, especially on international calls which require a 9-0-11 prefix or when using a fax machine. If you hang up, the 911 dispatcher is obligated to pursue the call to try to determine if there is an actual emergency.
Be sure to dial carefully. If you unintentionally contact a 911 dispatcher, please explain your mistake to them and you will have played an important role in making the system work properly (and you won't be responsible for emergency crews rolling up to your dorm on a false alarm).
