How does phone service in my dorm room work?
First of all, if you have not already done so, you must fill out a phone service request form. This lets us know who you are, where you live, and what services you want (phone line, voice mail, Personal Authorization code, or some combination of the 3). After you fill out the form, you will get an e-mail within 1 week with all the information you need to start using Drew phone service.
Why do I have to fill out a form? Seems like a waste of time.
Every phone line and voice mailbox we provide to students costs the university money, both in hardware and maintenence. Only about 1 in 5 students actually use their phone, so if we provided phone service and voice mail to every room by default , 80% of the resources invested would be going to waste.
Do I have to pay for phone service?
There is no charge for a phone line or voice mailbox. However, if you request a Personal Authorization Code for making off-campus phone calls, you may be charged under certain circumstances. For instance, local calls are free, but long distance calls and international calls are billed per/minute. You do receive 500 free long distance minutes each month (does not include international calls), so most students will not end up paying much if anything. See Calling Areas and Rates for more details.
Do I have to pay for incoming calls/Do incoming calls deduct from my 500 free minutes?
No
Can I check how many minutes I've used so I know if I'm going to go over my 500 free minutes this month?
Yes, you can send an e-mail to telecom@drew.edu to ask how many minutes you have used this month. Please include your name, ID#, and your PAC. It may take a day or two for us to get back to you.
How do I make a phone call from my campus line?
To call another campus line, simply dial the 4-digit extension. To call off campus, dial [9] first, then dial the number as normal (note that if the number is long distance, you will hear a beep prompting you for an auth code). Use the links below for more detailed information:
Why can't I make off campus calls?
There are a number of reasons why you might be having a problem:
- Are you dialing correctly? See the previous question for information on dialing procedures.
- Check to make sure you are entering your auth code correctly. It should have 7 digits.
- If you are a student, are you attempting to make a long distance call from an office telephone? This generally will not work.
- If you are faculty or staff, make sure you are dialing all 7 digits of your auth code. If your code is 5 digits long, add 2 zeros to the end.
- If all else fails, contact the Telecommunications Office at x3333.
Is there a way to skip passed a person's voicemail greeting?
Press # to skip the user's personal greeting and begin recording immediately. The # key works for skipping ahead in most contexts on this system.
How do I create and manage a distribution list of phone numbers I need to message often?
- Log into your voicemail account as usual
- Select [4]: Personal options
- Select [2]: Administrative options
- Select [2]: Group lists
- Select either: [1] to Create a list; [2] to Edit a list; [3] to Delete a list; [4] to List the names of your lists.
- Then simply follow the system prompts.
More information on distribution lists.
How can I get the date and time that someone left me a message?
If someone leaves you a voicemail, and you want to know the date and time that it arrived, as well as what extension the message was left from (for on-campus callers), simply press [5] at any time during or immediately after the message. One thing to be aware of: this will tell you where the person who left the message called from, which may or may not actually be their phone.
Why don't I get any channels above 13 on my TV?
Your TV must be configured for cable signal in order to receive channels higher than 13. See your owners manual for instructions on how to do this.
Which jack in my room is for the phone and which is for Internet service?
First note that in most rooms, phone and Network (internet) jacks are exactly the same size, and will accept both phone and ethernet plugs. This does not mean they are interchangeable. In many rooms, one or both types of jacks will be marked in some way to indicate their function. Network (or internet) jacks are typically orange, or have an orange sticker or computer icon over them. Phone jacks often have a blue sticker or phone icon over them. All phone jacks in the dorms should be labeled with A, B, or C in magic marker. If you have unlabeled jacks in your dorm room, they are probably network jacks.
I lost my voicemail password, or my auth code. Can I call Telecom and get a new one?
Yes, sort of. We cannot give passwords out over the phone. You can send us an e-mail from your Drew e-mail address requesting a new password. The e-mail must come from your Drew address because that confirms your identity. Alternatively, you can bring your Drew ID to the Telecom Office (LC 69, underneath the Library) during our regular hours (M-F 8:30 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:30) so that we can issue you a new password. We also ask that you call ahead (x3333) so that we can have a new password ready for you when you arrive.
