Requesting services from Telecom

There are a few fields that are on nearly every telecom request form:

Billing index: DLB275
Subscriber Information: The subscriber is always the employee you are submitting the request for/about
Subscriber's Department: Library
Primary IT Support Group: Community Network

Often, but not always needed include:

Often the requested completion date
Subscriber's phone number

Be aware that most of these requests will incur charges that Telecom will bill. If you are uncertain of whether the expense is authorized, especially for things like new phones, check with your supervisor or the Building manager, Rachel Burgess .

New Employee Onboarding

Request Long Distance Authorization code

Long distance authorization codes allow employees to make work-related long distance calls from their desk phone. Request a code from Telecom for each new employee. In addition to the information listed above you will need:

Subscriber's OSU ID number

Once the request has been completed, Telecom will email you a printable long distance authorization code card.

Save a copy of this file as "Last Name-First Name" in the S:>Restricted Shared Drive>Admin>Building>Telecom>Long Distance Codes.
Print out a copy of the card and laminate it for the employee. Save the attached instructions.
Deliver card and instructions to the employee

Name Change to activate voice mail

If the employee is using an existing phone number, you will need to request a name change to let Telecom know the name associated with the number has changed. This isn't the same as a directory update. In addition to the information listed above, you will need:

Phone number
Subscriber's OSU ID number
Previous Subscriber's name if known (which most of the time will not be needed if a name change was submitted when the previous employee left)
Previous Voice Mail Configuration (which should be "No voice mail")
New Voice Mail Configuration (Voice Mail only or Email integrated)
Zero Out Number–the number the caller is routed to if they press 0. This will likely vary by department
Number of Rings before call goes to voice mail. The default is 3.

Once the request has been completed, Telecom will send you an email with instructions to do the initial voicemail set up. Forward this email to the new employee.

Add to call groups as needed

Many positions have a need to answer additional phone lines. In Circulation, they may need to answer the Circulation desk number from their phone. In RAS, they may need to answer the loading dock chime. There are two ways to set this up: Call pick-up groups and bridges.

Call pick-up group: This is a group of numbers that are linked to an anchor number. Telecom has the names and phone numbers of each employee who is part of the group. Employees answer the call pickup group number by dialing *7 when they hear the anchor number ring. We are moving away from this method because there are some disadvantages:

Employees can only be a member of one pick-up group.
The number doesn't ring on their phone. They have to see the line light up and/or be within earshot of the anchor phone.
The list can become outdated quickly and require a lot of work to update.

Bridged numbers: A bridged number basically creates a bridge between two phone lines. We try to do a bridge when we can because of the advantages it provides:

The employee doesn't have to dial *7. They can simply pick up their phone to answer the call.
We can request whether or not the employee's phone will ring when the bridged number is called, so the employee doesn't have to be within earshot of the bridged phone.
Employees can have multiple bridges to their phone.

Request a Voice Programming Change to add, remove or update a pick-up group or bridge. In addition to the information listed above, you will need the phone number you want programmed and a detailed description of what you are asking for. If you are asking for a programming change to apply to multiple lines at the same time, it is often easier for Telecom if you create a spreadsheet listing all the pertinent information for each line and add it as an attachment to the request.

Directory update as needed

When an employee is hired, HR automatically submits the directory information for the new employee to Telecom. However, sometimes HR doesn't have all the pertinent directory information such as office phone number. When an employee has been hired, you can look them up in the online directory or the Outlook Address book. If you notice missing or inaccurate information, such as the office phone number, you can submit a Directory Change request. If you are requesting updates for multiple employees at once, create a spreadsheet and attach it to the request. This ensures better accuracy and less confusion for Telecom.

Quick reference guides for phone and voicemail

One way to ease the transition for new staff is to ensure they have all the resources they need including quick reference guides for their phone and voicemail. You will need to determine which model of phone they have before you send this information. The phone model can typically be found by looking at the underside of the phone. All of the phone guides can be found in the Shared Drive as well as on the wiki through a shared box link.

Remove phone number from unused number list

A list of unused phone numbers is kept as a tab on the staff phone numbers spreadsheet. When a new employee is assigned one of those numbers, remove it from the spreadsheet and update the staff phone numbers tab.

Employee Offboarding

When an employee resigns or retires, there are offboarding requirements for the Telecom Coordinator.

Deactivate Long Distance Authorization code

Using the same form as when you request an authorization code, you need to request the code be removed. In addition to the information listed above you will need:

Subscriber's OSU ID number

Name Change to deactivate voice mail

Using the same form as when you activate a voice mail, you need to request to deactivate a voice mail. This isn't the same as a directory update. In addition to the information listed above, you will need:

Phone number
Previous Subscriber's name (the name of the employee leaving)
Previous Voice Mail Configuration (if known)
New Voice Mail Configuration–No Voice Mail
Zero Out Number–the number the caller is routed to if they press 0. This will likely vary by department

Add phone number to unused numbers list, second tab of the staff phone numbers spreadsheet

Repairs/Changes to phone lines

There are a variety of reasons someone may need help from the Telecom coordinator with their phone line. The most common tend to be:

phone or voice mail isn't working properly
employee is moving to a new work space in the building
Auth code troubles
changing the type of phone an employee has

Phone repair

Phone repair is pretty straightforward. Submit a ticket requesting the phone be repaired. A technician is assigned and the repair is usually done pretty quickly. In addition to the information listed above you will need:

Location of the phone. The more specific you can be, the better.
The port number the phone is plugged into.

Sometimes it may be helpful to attach a photo if the problem is really weird and can't be described in words.

Voicemail repair

This one is a little tricky because it usually requires some troubleshooting. Usually when someone can't access their voicemail, it is because it hasn't been set up in the first place. It might also be their calls are going straight to voicemail because they have accidentally hit "Send all" on their phone. Or maybe the line is damaged and needs repair. For this reason, the best approach is to ask a lot of questions first. Then determine what to do. Options typically include:

Requesting voicemail setup
Providing instructions for voicemail
Requesting phone repair
Providing a phone guide

Over time you will get pretty good at troubleshooting. Often voicemail issues don't require a service request at all.

Moving phone lines

Some phones require Telecom programming to work in a new location. Some phones don't. However, if a staff member moves to a different work space, Telecom always needs to know. This is for safety reasons. If someone makes a 911 call but doesn't disclose their location, it can be determined by the number they call from. Telecom keeps a database of phone numbers and their locations for this reason. For a phone move, you can submit a ticket to Telecom. Additional information you will need to submit includes:

Current and new location of the phone
Current and new port numbers for the phone

Requesting a new phone

While we have done our best to update the phones in the building, there are still several old phones that don't have any kind of digital display. There may also be need to switch an employee to a VOIP phone which uses a data port instead of a voice port. We can request a new phone through a Set Type Change. In addition to the information listed above, you will need to include:

Voice, and if applicable, data port numbers
Current phone type
New phone type being requested
Any custom programming needed (such as bridged numbers)

If you are ordering multiple new phones, creating a spreadsheet and attaching it is the best way to go rather than submitting multiple requests.

Other Telecom Services

The list above is not an all-inclusive list of services Telecom provides. It is only the most common requests. You can find more information about the services Telecom offers from the IS Service Catalog. Telecom is also very helpful is you call them and ask questions.

Service and Support Hours: Mon-Fri, 8-5
Voice & Data Repairs Help Line: 541-737-4357
Billing: 541-713-3446
Customer Service: 541-713-3440

Reference Information and Links

Below is information and links that you will find helpful as the Telecom Coordinator. Update existing information and add new information as needed to help future Telecom Coordinators.

Telecom Closets

Data ports

Building Resources

Existing Call groups and bridges