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The Davis campus next week takes the first step to a new phone system. It’ll require us to use complete phone numbers — all seven digits — when making calls from one campus phone to another.

The dialing change, effective Monday (Dec. 22), means no more five-digit shortcuts. We must include the 7 and the 5 in the campus’s two prefixes, 752 and 754.

On the plus side, there will be no more dialing 9 to get an outside line, or 9 and 1 for calls outside the 530 area code. Only the seven- and 10-digit numbers will be needed, just like the way we dial numbers on cellphones.

Making an international call? Starting Dec. 22, skip the 9 for an outside line. Start your dialing with 011 and proceed with the country code, city code and local number.

There will be no change in the way we call for emergency help: Dial 911.

Why the switch?

The switch to seven-digit dialing is required for two other campus phone projects stretching into 2015: A voicemail upgrade, early in the year, and after that a switchover to Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.

Communications Resources, part of Information and Educational Technology, points out that the campus voice systems are more than 25 years old. “Some are outdated, and others will no longer be supported in coming years,” reads an online FAQ.

And, so, out with the traditional analog phone network and in with digital VoIP, which will ensure high quality voice communications and offer a number of new features. New phones will be needed, and Communication Resources will provide information later on how and when they will be distributed.

Programmed numbers

But, first things first: the dialing change — and what you need to do and not do.

Zack O’Donnell, Network Service Center manager, said Communications Resources will automatically convert phone users’ programmed numbers for call forwarding (to other numbers and voicemail). The programmed numbers will be extended to seven digits, by adding the 7 and 5 to the prefix.

For those of us with other programmed numbers, on phones, fax machines, modems and other devices, we’ll need to do the conversions ourselves: add 7 and 5 to the beginning of five-digit numbers, and delete the 9 or the 9-1 at the beginning of off-campus numbers.

O’Donnell also underscored the following:

• Call transfer (the most used feature on the voice system) — We'll need to input a seven-digit number.
• “0” for operator — There will be no more dialing 9-1-0 to conect with an outside operator. Starting Dec. 22, when we dial “0,” a menu will present two options: connect with the campus operator or AT&T.

The FAQ covers these additional topics: alarms, credit card readers/terminals, and the off-campus Centrex phone system.

More information is available online: myphone.ucdavis.edu. Questions or comments can be directed to the IT Express Service Desk by phone, (530) 754-HELP (4357), or email.