Phones

Telephone & Voicemail Service In The Residence Halls

 The Emmanuel College Information Technology Department would like to remind all students living in the Residence Halls that: as of the 2008-2009 academic year Emmanuel College no longer offers telephone or voicemail service in the Residence Halls.

Students have consistently and in increasing numbers been choosing to use their cellphones as their primary means of voice communication. The College has also been making the transition away from standard analog phone services to a new campus-wide VOIP (Voice Over I.P.) telephone system. As a result of these two facts we have decided to no longer provide standard voice services to students. On special request for voice services (based on approval by the Information Technology Dept.) we will provide students living in the Residence Halls access to Cisco IP Communicator software which is a VOIP application for your PC. You can install this software on your PC and in conjunction with a microphone & headset (that you provide) make local telephone calls from your PC.

Situations that would merit the distribution of the Cisco IP Communicator software to a student would include, but not be limited to: a student not owning a cellphone, an international student who may have restrictions on their cellphone plan, students whose only means of making long distance calls are by pre-paid calling cards and cannot use those cards with their cellphone plan.

If you need to request the Cisco IP Communicator software  for your PC then please send an email to helpdesk@emmanuel.edu and include “IP COMMUNICATOR” in the email subject line. Also include in the body of the email a brief description of why you are requesting the software, your full name, your dorm and room number.
 
As stated above the Cisco IP Communicator Software would run on your Windows computer (software not available for Apple computers at this time) and requires that you have a working microphone and speakers. You may also purchase a headset to use with the software. Some recommendations for headsets are listed below as well as links to more information on the product.

Headset Options:
• Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 USB Digital Stereo Headset                  
   Walmart: $25.88  (online only)
• Dynex DX-840 USB Headset
   Bestbuy: $30.99  (In store or online, check availability)    
• Logitech 981-000099 USB Headset      
   Newegg.com : $19.99 (online only)