As of May 23, 2011, Eastern Connecticut State University will no longer provide telephone service or voice mail service in student residence hall rooms except in those student rooms designated to conform to ADA requirements. House phones are located on each residence hall floor which may be used for incoming calls and to place 911, campus, local and toll free access calls. Students may use their own cellular phone service or Internet phone providers using their PCs.

Residence Hall House Phones

Emergency (911), on campus, local, long distance and "800" toll free calls may be made from house phones as described below. House phones can also receive incoming calls. Each phone is labeled with the telephone number assigned to it.

To place a call for emergency assistance:

1. Pick up handset (hear dial tone)
2. Dial 911

To place a call to another number on campus:

1. Pick up handset (hear dial tone)
2. Dial the 5-digit extension (last 5 digits of the telephone number)

To place a local call:

1. Pick up handset (hear dial tone)
2. Dial 9 + area code + telephone number (do not dial "1" after the "9")

To place a long distance call:

1. Use a telephone calling card with a toll free access number
2. Follow the dialing instructions on the calling card

To place an "800" toll free call:

1. Pick up handset (hear dial tone)
2. Dial 9 + 1 + 800 + telephone number (current toll free area codes are 800, 866, 877 and 888)

Cell Phones

Cell phones may be used in residence hall rooms. ECSU does not provide its own cell phone service and does not guarantee cell phone coverage or quality of service from any particular cell phone carrier.

Internet Phone Providers*

Phone calls may be made from a PC to a phone or another PC. There are several Internet phone plans that allow free calling within the United States and to Canada such as Skype (www.skype.com), Google Talk (www.google.com/talk) and iCall (www.icall.com). Information about the types of calls that can be placed from a PC, software that may be needed (usually downloadable for free) and rates that may apply for various types of calls can be found on the websites for these and other providers.

NOTE: A free Internet phone cannot be used to place an emergency call to 911. Emergency 911 calls should be placed from a land line or cellular phone.

*ECSU is not affiliated with and does not endorse any particular Internet phone service. The providers listed are for example purposes only.

Rev. May 2011
Jody Barr
ITS-Telecommunications
barrj@easternct.edu
860-465-0025