Telecommunication Services
May 6, 2002

 

 

GENERAL POLICY

University telecommunication services are administered by the department of Computer Services and Telecommunications (CS&T). CS&T is the authorized provider of telephony services for the University proper and all locations in the Research Park that use the UCF communications network. The Director of Computer Services and Telecommunications, or designee, will approve and process all Communication Purchase and Lease Authorization (CPLA) and Communication Service Authorization (CSA) forms to the State Department of Management Services(DMS)as required by state statute. (Exhibits 1 and 2).

PROCEDURE

I. Telephone Service

Departments shall initiate requests for telecommunications service by request form (Exhibit 3) or by memorandum or via the online web request form. The following is a list of available services offered (this list is not all-inclusive):

· Analog and digital extension lines with or without Direct Inward Dialing (DID)
· Line features e.g., call waiting, call forwarding, call transfer, etc.
· Voice Mail (Phonemail)
· ISDN service (high speed data service)
· Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), Automated Attendant, and other call processing services
· SUNCOM
· International service,
· Data and other special circuits from long distance and local service providers,
· Calling cards, and
· Cable TV (CATV) service

II. Telecommunications Services and Telephone Equipment
Requests for telecommunications services and moves, adds, or changes in telephone equipment shall be initiated by departments by request form (Exhibit 3), or by memorandum.

A. Request forms or memoranda must be signed by an individual authorized to sign on the department's account.

B. Response to fully completed forms will typically be completed within five business days.

C. Departmental moves require 20 to 30 business days advance notice because of the complexity of such moves and the need to place advance orders for equipment.

D. Request forms and memoranda should be forwarded to the Office Manager, Telecommunications, Library, room 143.

E. Departments are responsible for verifying telecommunications services and equipment and notifying CS&T via a Telephone Service Request (Exhibit 3) for requesting disconnections when services are no longer required. CS&T will credit departments for disconnections on a pro-rated basis for the remaining portion of the current fiscal year. Departments discovering charges for services/equipment that have been previously requested to be disconnected will be given credit for the charges. However, credit for disconnected services or equipment will only be applied retroactively to the month of requested disconnection and only within the current fiscal year. The proof is provided for disconnections by copies of Telephone Services Requests.

III. Charges For Telephone Services
Billing questions regarding equipment or long distance services should be directed to the Telecommunications billing office, Library room 143 (x3-2101).

Charges for equipment moves, adds, or changes are billed to the account number indicated by the authorized requester, along with total monthly charges for the remainder of the current fiscal year.

A. Long distance services (SUNCOM, overseas, local tolls and directory assistance) are billed monthly by telephone number to each department account.

B. Calling Card calls are billed monthly by user identifier codes to each department account.

C. Cellular telephone bills are sent directly to the department by the contracting cellular carrier.

IV. Long Distance
A. SUNCOM

1. The Florida SUNCOM system should be used for all long distance calls to the Continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.

2. "On-Net" SUNCOM calls are placed by dialing "8" plus the special SUNCOM exchange number listed in the State of Florida directory at the URL: http://www.state.fl.us/411direct. No area codes are necessary when using these special SUNCOM numbers.

3. "Off-Net" SUNCOM calls are placed by dialing "8-1" plus the area code and telephone number.

B. Non-SUNCOM Long Distance

The following calls should be made using the access codes 7 and 6:

1. Calls to a toll-free (800) number (7-1-800-xxx-xxxx).

2. Operator assisted calls (6-0-xxx-xxx-xxxx):

(a) Collect calls,
(b) person-to-person,
(c) third party number, and
(d) credit card calls.

3. Use access code 7 for calls to points other than Canada, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the 48 contiguous states.

4. Long distance directory assistance requests
(8-1-area code-555-1212).

V. Calling Cards

University-issued calling cards are distributed by CS&T.

A. Issuance

1. Calling card requests for individual faculty and staff should be initiated by written request from an appropriate administrative officer with budgetary authority for the requesting organization.

2. Calling cards can not be sent through the mail; they must be picked up at the Telecommunications Office.

B. Use

1. Telephone calling cards are issued to select UCF faculty and staff to facilitate the conduct of state or UCF business and to allow the user an alternative to using a personal credit card for business calls. Because many alternatives to the state card exist for most emergencies, and because the state cards are exempt from taxes, the cards may not be used for personal business.

2. However, in the very rare event that the card must be used for non-UCF or state business, the reason for that particular call must be documented on the billing statement and signed by the user. If more than very rare non-business use of the card is made, the dean, director, or department head will revoke the use of the card.

C. Service Termination

1. Each department is responsible for advising CS&T when a cardholder has terminated employment at the university and must destroy that individual's calling card.

2. Report lost or stolen cards immediately to CS&T x3-2944.

VI. Cable TV Services

CS&T coordinates cable TV or CATV services for the University by selecting a CATV provider using the competitive Bid process and being the University's liaison for such services.

A. Obtaining cable services

Departments shall initiate requests for Cable TV service by request form (Exhibit 3) or by memorandum.

VII. Cellular Phones

A. Purchase or Lease

Acquisition of cellular phones must be approved by an appropriate administrative officer with budgetary authority for the requesting department. Information packets describing cellular phone services are available from CS&T by calling x3-2802. All telecommunication-related purchase requests, including those not on state contract, are to be sent to CS&T for review and approval.

B. Use

Cellular telephones are not intended for personal use if they are purchased with university or other state funds (such as from a sponsored program account) and are assigned a telephone number that is billed to the university or receives the benefit of state toll rates. The employee assumes responsibilities as described on page 8 of this policy when he or she accepts a cellular telephone to facilitate the conduct of university business.

C. Itemized monthly bills for cellular telephones are sent to the applicable departments for payment. On the bill, the cellular telephone user must annotate any call that was made for other than State of Florida or University of Central Florida business. In addition, this statement must be printed or typed on the bill: "I certify that all calls itemized hereon were for state or UCF business unless otherwise noted. I will personally pay UCF for these annotated calls." This certification must be followed by the user's signature and home telephone number. This policy also applies to personally-owned cellular telephones that have a number billed to the university.

D. While the purpose of the cellular telephone is for business, the employee may make or receive an occasional personal call. This policy accommodates such eventualities by allowing up to 25% of the dollar amount of the total bill to be personal. All personal calls and associated taxes must be paid for by the employee. If personal use exceeds 25%, the employee will be required to pay the monthly base charges for the telephone in addition to the charges for the itemized personal calls. If the non-business calls or non-business amounts billed exceed 25% for four months in a calendar year, the department chair or appropriate supervisor will be expected to revoke the use of the cellular telephone and terminate the cellular service agreement.

VIII. 911

Dialing 9-1-1 provides direct access to fire, police, and medical services. Dial 9-1-1 to report the following: Crime, Fire, Medical Emergency, Serious Injury, or any situation requiring the immediate response of a fire truck, ambulance, or police car.

Blue light emergency telephones are installed in several locations on the campus. These units are typically identified by their blue lights; however, several units are solar powered and do not have the blue lights. These emergency communications devices provide direct voice communications to the campus police once activated by pressing the red button on the face of each unit. Faculty, staff, students, and visitors should use these units to report Suspicious Activity, Crime, Fire, Medical Emergency, Serious Injury, or any situation requiring the immediate response of the fire department, an ambulance, or the police.

Multiple appearances of analog lines are not permitted since such practices compromise the effectiveness of E911 and the safety of the users. Each telephone set must be assigned its own unique telephone number.

IX. SERVICE PROBLEMS

Telephone service problems should be reported to the Telecommunications Help Desk (x3-5100).

A. Critical problems will be serviced immediately (wide spread problems severely impacting departmental operations)

B. Major problems will be serviced within 4 hours (problems impacting key departmental telephones)

C. Minor problems will be serviced within 24 hours (problems with low impact on department operations)

X. Directory Updates

It is the responsibility of each department to submit telephone directory information (TDI) forms (Exhibit 4) to the CS&T department as changes occur throughout the year, so that the directory files and telephone operators' listings can be kept up to date.

XI. Americans with Disability Act (ADA)

The ADA requires that public entities provide auxiliary communication support to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, segregated or otherwise treated differently than non-disabled persons. It is the responsibility of each department to provide equally effective communications to those employees with disabilities, including hearing and speech impairments. CS&T will assist departments with the purchase or lease of adaptive equipment or service. Each department is responsible for the cost of any equipment or service required to meet its adaptive service requirements.

XII. Training

Training on telephone equipment, support procedures, and courtesy is available each semester through the Human Resources Training Opportunities program. Additional assistance is available from departmental telecounselors. A list of telecounselors is available from the telecommunications department. Departments may contact CS&T for individual telephone equipment training.


RESPONSIBILITY

All monthly telecommunications billing reports of SUNCOM and toll, calling card, and cellular call charges must be reviewed in a timely manner by the department head to assure that each call is for legitimate university business. The review should include scrutinizing calls for large dollar amounts, repetitive calls to local area exchanges that now have a toll charge and calls made outside normal work hours and weekends. The bills must be signed by the department head and retained for auditing purposes. Each cellular and credit card bill received by the department must have an attached statement certifying the calls were exclusively for University or state business by the employee placing the calls. Department heads should review the billing reports on a monthly basis to ensure accuracy.

The department head should request individual employees to certify call invoices for telephones, calling cards or cellular phones assigned to them that have questionable toll charges. Any calls identified on the above bills made for other than state or UCF business must be identified and the cost reimbursed to the University by the party responsible for the non-business calls. Individual employees should review the billing reports on a monthly basis to ensure accurate reviews and timely reimbursements to departments for personal usage.