2008 Woodie Awards
Call Answered for New Technology on Campus
Hollie Lockhart
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After 14 years, the University of Baltimore is replacing the phone system, primarily in response to a demand for more modern technology in the workplace. Equipment has arrived, but the phone-system project may not be complete until October 2009.
The new system was purchased from Nortel Networks, a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities. Presidio Inc., technology consultants, will assist in the transition to and support of the new equipment.
According to the FY '09 budget request submitted by the Office of Technology Services (OTS) to UB's Office of Administration and Finance on April 3, the Request for Proposals process finished during FY '08. "The resulting costs for the procurement, implementation services, increased circuit costs and maintenance are represented as supplemental and extraordinary increases to the OTS baseline and debt service."
The budget request states that the new phone system will be financed over 4-, 5- and 7-year periods, with an FY '09 repayment of $245,012, circuit costs of $15,749 and maintenance costs of $129,000.
In the February issue of The Current, the UB faculty and staff newsletter, Claire Petrides, OTS business analyst, said that the new digital changes will be more dependable-increasing productivity and saving time spent on phone maintenance. It is necessary to replace all of the old phones on campus with phones supported by Presidio Inc. in order to prevent confusion, system overload or eventual system failure.
The services provided by the new system are expressly designed to accommodate the university's high-call volume. The system has the capability of forwarding voice messages from a call inbox to a UB e-mail account as an audio file.
Also, the new systems will include internal and external caller ID, dial intercoms, multiline displays, one button voice mail access (password still required) and personal or business directory listings.
While most campus offices have received the new equipment, it will not be functional until testing has been done in numerous campus offices designated as pilot sites, such as the Office of Administration and Finance, Student Affairs and the Office of the President.
Once testing is complete, OTS anticipates that the project will be complete by October 2009.
The UB Post was unable to reach OTS or Presidio Inc. for comment.
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Phone System Upgrade
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