The university has launched a new telephone system.Voice Over Internet Protocol, commonly referred to as VoIP, is a system that allows one to make phone calls using broadband Internet connection. VoIP takes the voice signal from the telephone and converts it into a digital signal that travels through the Internet.
VoIP replaced the former outdated phone and mailing system. With the upgrade to voice over IP, telephone numbers around campus will gradually change as well.
The rapid growth of the campus and the added number of extensions left the city of Prairie View with fewer numbers. Telephone numbers that were prefaced with 857 are changing to 261; old extension numbers will be replaced with new numbers.
Students can access the campus directory, which is updated weekly, through the university’s Web site.
Some features VoIP offers, depending on the provider, include call waiting, call transfer, giving the caller a busy signal, sending the call directly to voicemail, playing a “not in service” message and sending the caller to a funny rejection hotline. VoIP virtually makes an ordinary Internet connection a way to make free calls.
However, a few drawbacks to VoIP are: some services do not work during power outages, may not connect directly to emergency services through 9-1-1, and every conversation is recorded.
Mary Hodge, vice president for business affairs, said, “I like the new system. I particularly like the feature where I can check my voicemail over e-mail.”
According to the Forrester Research Group, nearly five million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006.
Vonage and AT&T are among the companies that provide VoIP services. Certain areas of the campus, including the farm areas and the northwest area, will remain on the old system due to old wiring but most of the main campus will switch to VoIP.
Estimated completion date for the switchover is November of this year.