Volume I, Number 18

March 4, 2003

Published by Edison ITS

    During the last week of February new telephone instruments began appearing on desktops around the Edison campus. After months of network preparation, internal planning, and line installations from the local telephone company, SBC, members of Edison’s ITS staff started placing the instruments to prepare the way for a full implementation of the services later this spring. Based on the latest wave of Internet technology, the new Cisco IP (Internet Protocol) telephones bring the promise of vastly improved ease-of-use and deployment over previous generations of telephony.

    Strategically, the new IP telephony service completes another important step in the Edison IT strategic plan – to fully utilize a very robust core network. With the addition of voice telephone service, all of Edison’s electronic information flows now move across the same fast network; specifically – voice, data, image, and video services are converged onto the core network. This network convergence eases the integration of services that were previously separated by physical network barriers. As an example, voice mail on the new system automatically generates e-mail messages to Exchange users, not only to alert the message recipient, but to carry the messages to recipients regardless of their location.

    Users of the new telephones immediately notice several differences from previous sets. In addition to the speakerphone integration in each set, buttons make available direct access to such services as directories of users and information screens. Users can control many elements of the individual telephone setup including ringing options, volume and muting options, and message services. Screen prompts alert users to available actions as they work through call handling, easing the learning curve for the new instruments.

    Less obvious are the many behind-the-scenes benefits. Unlike previous telephone installations, these telephones are literally “plug and play.” Each telephone carries a unique identifying number that identifies it to the network and tells the network what to do with calls to and from that unique telephone instrument. A move from one location on campus to another or to the Darke County Campus just means unplugging from one wall jack and plugging into the new location. As soon as the instrument is identified on the network, calls begin to flow to the new location.

    Another system enhancement is the provision of Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers to many campus offices and locations. Users with DID numbers can advertise the numbers to outside callers. Calls to DID numbers flow directly to the offices without passing through the campus central answering point, thus speeding calls to these offices when callers know the person or office they want to reach. General calls to campus seeking information will continue to be answered by the central answering point and unanswered calls to DID numbers can be covered there as well.

    All Edison telephone users are cautioned to remember that the installation is taking place in phases designed to assure the best possible customer service and end user learning opportunities. The preparation phase involved creating the network infrastructure to handle the telephone services, the installation of call handling equipment, and the addition of new telephone line services such as the DID numbers. The rollout phase is taking place now as the new end user telephone instruments are placed beside the currently active telephones. Users are encouraged to become familiar with the new instruments during this phase and to use the instruments for on-campus and outgoing calls only, remembering that incoming calls must still move through the old system.

    The completion phase will begin once all new services are in place and end users become comfortable with the new system. The well-known Edison numbers for incoming calls will be switched over to the new system and the old telephone instruments will be removed from service. “ By taking this parallel approach, we seek to assure that all users have had their questions answered and that all new calling patterns have been properly tested prior to having incoming public calls handled on the new system,” said Dennis Myers from Edison's ITS, “The new system provides remarkable opportunities for improved customer service, and we are taking a systematic, measured approach to make certain that all calls reaching Edison during the installation are handled with the same excellence and quality as in the past.”

    Users are encouraged to direct calls concerning the new system to Jeff Collett, coordinator for the rollout phase. Jeff can be reached on the current Edison system at extension 266 and on the new system at extension 7877.