Voice Services
Virginia Tech Telephone System
ROLMphone 312
The telephones (ROLMphone model 312) in Virginia Tech's residence hall rooms have a one-way speaker. This means you may leave the handset in the cradle, press the line button (marked with your 5-digit telephone number), and dial a telephone number.
- If you hear a busy signal or an unanswered ring, press the line button to hang up.
- If someone answers, simply pick up the handset to talk.
- Every telephone has two talk paths. This means you can put your first call on a temporary hold by pressing 'FLASH' and make another call on your second talk path. Your second talk path will also be accessed if someone automatically camps-on or parks a call on your busy extension. You may toggle between two calls by pressing 'connect.'
The campus telephone system is a digital network, which does not support the use of analog modems, answering machines, or cordless telephones. Connecting to the wall jacks in residence halls may cause damage to analog devices. The university is not responsible for analog devices damaged as a result of their connection to the digital telephone network.
The telephone in your residence hall room should not be disconnected for any reason. In cases of removed, damaged, altered, or stolen telephones and related attachments, students will be jointly responsible for the cost of repair and/or replacement. The current replacement cost could be as much as $50 (subject to change). If Virginia Tech is unable to identify the responsible individual, the cost will be split between assigned residents of the room at the time the theft or damage occurred.
Virginia Tech Telephone Extensions
Virginia Tech on-campus telephone numbers are dialed from campus telephones by using the last 5 digits. You must dial 9 + 7-digit number to reach local off-campus telephone numbers. 'How To Call' on page 15 provides dialing instructions.
Telephone Features and Instructions
All student telephones have access to the features described in this section as room and board. Many of the features on the telephone use the '#' and '*' buttons located beside the '0' on the dialing pad. These buttons are shown simply as '#' and '*'. If you have a problem or question about your telephone or its features, please contact the Virginia Tech Operations Center (VTOC) at 1-6780.
Automatic Camp-On
Allows you to stay on the line and wait for a busy extension to become free. This feature is available to anyone (internal and external callers) calling a Virginia Tech telephone number.
1. Listen to the busy signal until it stops (seven seconds).
2. Stay on the line until your party answers.
3. To cancel, hang up.
Call Waiting
See Automatic Camp-on, Connect, and Park.
Call Waiting Light (CALL WTG)
See Connect.
Callback Camp-On
Calls you back with a long ring when the busy extension becomes free. This feature is available only to internal callers.
1. Listen for busy signal.
2. Press FLASH # 1. (You have 7 seconds to enter FLASH # 1; otherwise you will perform an Automatic Camp-On.)
3. Hang up.
To cancel Callback Camp-On:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press # # 1.
3. Hang up.
Calling Card Call
Follow Long Distance Calling Card instructions in How to Call. Using a residence hall telephone or any other university phone number to apply for a calling card is prohibited. The cost of all calls made with such a card and administrative fees will be charged.
Camp-On
See Automatic Camp-On and Callback Camp-On.
Collect Calls
Students are prohibited from accepting collect calls at any residence hall telephone. The cost of all calls and administrative fees will be charged. See How to Call for instructions on making outgoing collect calls.
Connect
Allows you to connect to an automatic camped on call, a parked call, a newly available line, alternate between parties, or reconnect with a transferred call. Whenever your call waiting (CALL WTG) light is on, you may press CONNECT to speak with the waiting caller. Press CONNECT again to toggle back. Whenever your connect button is lit, you may press CONNECT to speak with the waiting caller.
Consultation Call
Allows you to talk privately with a second party while the first party is waiting on temporary hold. During a call:
1. Press FLASH.
2. Dial 5-digit extension or 9 + outside number.
3. To reconnect with first party, press CONNECT.
Credit Card Call
See How to Call.
Flash
When you press FLASH, three things happen:
1. You get a dial tone.
2. Your first call is put on hold.
3. Your call waiting light comes on.
After you press FLASH, you may access a feature or dial a second party.
Hold
Allows you to temporarily put a call on hold without disconnecting your caller. When you put a call on hold, the line light will blink.
1. Press HOLD.
2. Hang up.
To reconnect:
1. Press line button of call being held (indicated by blinking line light).
2. Pick up receiver.
How to Call
See How to Call.
Line Key
When you lift your handset to answer your ROLMphone, you do not need to press the line key. If you press the line key during a conversation (while the line light is 'solid'), you will disconnect the call.
You can get dial tone in two ways:
1. Lift handset.
2. Leave handset down.
- Press the line key.
- To hang up, press the line key again.
Message Waiting Light (MSG WTG)
The MSG WTG light will come on when you have a PhoneMail message. If you wish to program the MSG WTG button, you must have both PhoneMail and Station Speed; otherwise your MSG WTG button is 'dead.' See PhoneMail with Station Speed under PhoneMail Features and Instructions on page 17.
Park
Allows you to transfer a call to another extension and hold it there.
1. Press FLASH * 6.
2. Dial new 5-digit extension.
3. Hang up.
Privacy
Prevents automatic 'Camp-On' and 'Park' tones from interrupting your call. Privacy does not prevent someone from camping on your line automatically or parking a call on your line.
1. Prior to making a call, get dial tone.
2. Key in # 2.
3. Dial 5-digit extension or dial 9 + outside number.
During a conversation:
1. Key in FLASH # 2.
2. Continue conversation.
Repertory Dialing
Allows you to set a repdial (programmable) button to dial a number, perform a feature, or create a sequence combining telephone numbers and features. For example, one repdial button could be used to dial a friend's telephone number. The repdial buttons are the unlabeled buttons on your telephone. Do Not Use This Feature To Store Your Long Distance Authorization Code!!
To set up or change a repdial button to perform a command sequence:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press * 5 6 6.
3. Press the desired REPDIAL button.
4. Key in digits and feature buttons (or feature codes) for desired sequence. (To enter a delay to allow time for processing, press HOLD.)
5. Hang up.
To make a repdial call:
1. Press the desired REPDIAL button.
Ring Tone Change
You may change your ROLMphone's ring tone to any one of eight tones:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Key in * 5 7 2, then single digits (1-8).
3. Hang up.
The last digit keyed in is your telephone's ring tone.
Save and Repeat
Allows you to 'save' a number you have dialed so you can 'redial' the number later by simply pressing the SAVE/REPEAT button again. To save an extension or outside number:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Dial 9 + outside number or dial a 5-digit extension.
3. Press SAVE/REPEAT during the conversation or while you hear the busy signal or the ring.
4. Hang up.
To call your saved number:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press SAVE/REPEAT button.
Station Speed
Allows you to program up to 10 single-digit codes for your frequently called numbers. You can then dial one number to make a call. Station Speed may be activated for an additional fee by visiting the CNS Student Network Services Office during normal business hours.
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press # # 3.
3. Key in Station Speed code (0-9).
4. Key in 5-digit extension or 9 + outside number.
5. Hang up.
To make a station speed call:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press # 3.
3. Dial Station Speed code (0-9).
Transfer
Allows you to transfer a call to another extension or to the operator.
1. Press the TRANSFER button.
2. Dial 5-digit extension or 9 + outside number.
3. Announce caller.
4. Hang up.
PhoneMail Features and Instructions
PhoneMail (the University's voice messaging system) allows you to record, send, and receive voice messages from any touch-tone telephone (or equivalent) at any time. Refer to the PhoneMail Decision Tree on page 12 of the University Directory to aid in navigation through the PhoneMail system.
By default, PhoneMail for an oncampus student room is set to NOT receive messages.
Activating PhoneMail to Receive Messages
- Login to the PhoneMail system (instructions below).
- Enter the 'mailbox options' menu (8).
- Select 'answering mode' (2).
- Set the mailbox to 'accept messages' (4).
A flashing message waiting (MSG WTG) light and broken dial tone indicate you have a PhoneMail message. A subscriber can have up to 5 messages at a time. Storage space for additional messages may be obtained for an additional fee by visiting the CNS Student Network Services Office during normal business hours.
PhoneMail Direct Access Number
The PhoneMail Direct Access Number corresponds to the Residence Hall in which you live and must be entered to access your personal PhoneMail.
If you want to contact a person who has PhoneMail, you can use 'guest access' to leave them a message without causing their telephone to ring.
To use this feature, dial the guest access number and follow the instructions. You must be calling from a touch-tone telephone. Refer to the Residence Hall PhoneMail Access and Guest Access Numbers table on page 16.
PhoneMail Password
When you first use PhoneMail, your password is set to 111. Change your PhoneMail password to a new value immediately. Make sure your roommate is aware of the new password. To change your PhoneMail password, do the following:
- Get dial tone.
- Dial your PhoneMail direct access number.
- Enter your 5-digit extension number, then # or enter #, as instructed.
- Enter your initial password (111), then #.
- Select 'mailbox options' (9).
- Select 'password' (3).
- Follow prompts to enter a new password.
Listening to Your Messages
To retrieve a PhoneMail message without station speed:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Dial your PhoneMail direct access number.
3. Enter your 5-digit extension number, then # or enter #, as instructed.
4. Enter your password, then #.
5. Follow prompts to listen to your messages.
Leaving Messages
PhoneMail has a number of features you can use when you are leaving a PhoneMail message for someone. You must be calling from a touch-tone telephone to use these features.
To: Press:
Transfer to another extension: 0
Replay your message: * 7 3
Re-record your message: * 6 1
Cancel delivery of your message: * 6 #
Skip over the greeting and leave your message: 1
PhoneMail Distribution Lists
A distribution list contains user programmed extension numbers of specific PhoneMail subscribers. When you send a message to a distribution list, the message goes to all extensions on the list when you hang up or transfer out of the PhoneMail system. You can create, review, modify, or delete your distribution lists at any time. Each subscriber has 5 distribution lists. Each list can have up to 20 extensions. Additional distribution lists may be activated for an additional fee by visiting the CNS Student Network Services Office during normal business hours.
PhoneMail with Station Speed
If you have Station Speed and PhoneMail, you may set Station Speed '0' for PhoneMail by following these steps:
1. Get dial tone.
2. Key in # # 3.
3. Press 0.
4. Dial the PhoneMail direct access number.
5. Hang up.
To receive a PhoneMail message (after you have set Station Speed '0'):
1. Get dial tone.
2. Press MSG WTG feature button.
