The telephone exchange team consists of 4 members of staff, who manage 3,000 academic and office extensions and 6,800 extensions in student residences. On average, the team handles 126,000 inbound calls annually, and process over 3,000 faults reported via the Helpdesk. Inbound and outbound call traffic operates via Your Comms/Thus, with secondaries via BT for academic and office extensions. Student residences have free internal calls and external calls can be made by registering with Uni- Tel our service provider.
Between January 2013 and Summer 2014 Lancaster University will be migrating to a system that will be managed by the ISS department known as VOIP (voice over internet protocol). VOIP phones work via the internet, not phone lines, and offer advanced features like instant messaging. The current system will then be phased out as the VOIP telephones are introduced.
User Guides and Manuals
Other services available via the Telephone Exchange include:
- Diagnosis, reporting and resolution of telecommunications faults on campus, ie line, telephone etc
- Provision of new lines, exchange/replacement telephones and various service facilities
- Interchanging of extensions
- Loan of conference telephone and assistance on the setting up of conference calls
- Maintenance and updating of the telephone directory database
- Procurement of telecommunications goods and services for departmental use
- Billing for specialist projects and production of call usage reports
- Compilation and distribution of various ad-hoc, monthly and quarterly reports to end users
- Production of monthly/quarterly invoices for student flats/shops
- Offer assistance and general advice on all aspects of telecommunications on campus
- Transferring calls
- A Directory Enquiry service via BT web and Phone Disc
- Connection to certain specified freephone numbers for students (there is further information on these in the Residents’ Handbook)
- Small telephone Conference Calls
- Night service