The University is beginning to dial up its newest plan to switch phone providers.
During the next two to three years, Information Technology Services will completely replace Centrex, provided by AT&T phone service, to a Voice Over Internet Protocol system from Verizon Business.
ITS announced the change in an email to departments at the beginning of the semester.
The switch will save the University money, while also bringing it up to date with the latest technological advancements, said Rich Harden, director of communication technologies, engineering and operations for ITS.
The new system makes phone calls through the campus Internet rather than on land lines.
The current bundled communications fee is $48 per month, per line. When the new utility rate model is implemented, voice and data services will be unbundled, with the new rate for the Verizon service being $14.50 per month per line, said Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Larry Conrad.
There are more than 28,000 phones lines to transition, Harden said.
“(The savings) are significant, but you won’t really see the savings until the campus is done,” Harden said. “I don’t have a figure I can give you right now. There are negligible costs, but those costs will be recovered once we start transition on these phones.”
The change is part of many cost-cutting initiatives implemented by the University.