Areas of Responsibility

Because there are many partner units within the building, it can get confusing determining what the Telecom Coordinator is responsible for and what OSULP will pay for. There are two buckets of Telecom services/responsibilities: employee specific and building specific.

Employee-specific

OSULP is only responsible for employee-specific services for OSULP employees (including Guin and Cascades). We do not handle those services for our partners. This includes, but may not be limited to:

• Directory updates
• Long-distance authorization codes
• Voicemail updates, resets, and troubleshooting
• Call groups

Building-specific

As a general rule, anything that would be considered "part of the building" falls under the responsibilities of OSULP. That being said, Ecampus generally handles all of their own Telecom needs. Often, the decision to take care of a building-specific Telecom need for one of our partners will require a judgement call. Thinking of it like the landlord model, would this be something the landlord or tenant pay for? If you are uncertain, check with your supervisor or the Building Manager, Rachel Burgess . Building-specific services may (or may not) include:

• Line repair
• Updating to a new phone
• Requesting a new line
• Moving a new line

General Support

Partner units may also come to you for general troubleshooting and questions. It's good relationship building to assist. The coordinator is more knowledgeable on all things Telecom related than the general employee, so it only makes sense that they would use that knowledge to assist any OSU employee in our building.

Requesting services from Telecom

Available 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:

• 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. Information you will need:

• 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
• 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 Library Admin Box Folder>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. Information you will need:

• 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
• 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 LEAD, they may need to answer the Borrowing and Information Services number from their phone. In RAS, they may need to answer the loading dock chime. Previously call pick-up groups were used. This is quickly becoming an outdated method because with VoIP phones we can bridge numbers instead which is Telecom's preferred choice. Contact Telecom anytime you are not sure what kind of programming to ask for.

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 no longer setting up new groups like this because of the VoIP phones. There are also 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. Generally directory information will include Name, position title, office address, phone number and email. Often, HR doesn't have all the pertinent directory information such as office phone number for new employees at the library. While it is helpful to ensure directory information related to phone numbers is accurate, there is also a fairly high turnover in some library positions. This makes deciding when to update and when NOT to update a little tricky. It's best to follow some general guidelines. Below are some very broad generalizations about the differences between faculty and staff.

Faculty Hires

• Faculty hires generally have a specific job title such as "Collection Assessment Librarian" or "SCARC Director".
• They tend to have an office.
• Turnover among faculty is a bit lower.
• When calling faculty, people are usually looking for a specific person.

Classified Staff Hires

• Classified staff generally are filling a role and have more general job titles such as "Library Technician".
• Classified staff are usually in cubicles and may move location within the building more frequently.
• Turnover among classified, especially in some departments, is high.
• When calling the library about the work classified staff do, there are generally several staff who can answer the question instead of one specific person.

Historically, directory information for phone numbers associated with classified staff tend to list position role instead of staff names such as "Course Reserves Tech". Recently, with a new telecom coordinator who is still learning, we have begun associating individual names with the numbers in the directory as we have updated phones and call groups. However, it's becoming clearer that leaving only the title on the directory information may be much less labor intensive and make sense at times.

To update directory information, 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 Library Admin Box folder 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. This document is stored in the Library Admin Box folder>Building>Telecom>Phone lists.

Employee Offboarding

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

Retrieve the phone if it is a VoIP phone

With these phones, the number travels with the phone. By putting the phone in storage nearby, you can grab it and easily assign it to a new employee when needed without having to travel the building to look at the phone, check the data port, check the phone number, etc. before requesting a name change and other onboarding requests.

• Make note of the phone number before unplugging it.
• Write the phone number on blue tape and place it on the handset of the phone.
• Add the phone number to the available numbers tab on the data ports spreadsheet found in the Library Admin/Telecom Box folder.

Deactivate Long Distance Authorization code

Using the same form as when you request an authorization code, you need to request the code be removed. Information you will need:

• 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
• 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. Often you can change the name to the name of the position. Information you will need:

• 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
• 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

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. Information you will need:

• 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
• 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

Phones using a voice line require Telecom programming to work in a new location. VoIP phones do not. 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. Information you will need to submit includes:

• 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
• 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. We will be charged because we are purchasing a new phone. Information you will need to include:

• 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
• 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

911 Location Information

When someone calls 911, their location is determined by the number they are calling from. Telecom regularly updates their records to ensure they have accurate employee/phone location information. It is important to keep this in mind when:

• Temporarily forwarding a phone number to another phone set-if it is forwarded indefinitely, Telecom needs to know.
• Moving an employee's work place from one location to another, especially if they have a VOIP phone. Because an employee can move their phone and the number will move with them without a need to contact Telecom, the 911 location information will be inaccurate unless you inform Telecom of the move.

In other words, always make sure Telecom is informed when a phone number is moved from one location to another, regardless of how it is moved.

Telecom Closets

There are data closets on every floor of the building. This is where you will find the data and voice ports.

• Data closets on every floor are numbered (floor number)022 or (floor number)084. Example: First floor is 1022 and 1084.
• Only employees with a job-related need should access these closets. This includes:
  • the Telecom Coordinator
  • The Building Manager
  • Members of LIT
  • Specific members of Ecampus for room 4022 only (they are issued a key to that room).
• Every data port in the building has a corresponding port in one of these closets.
• Only active data ports will have an ethernet cable connected to their corresponding port in the closet. Same is true with analog voice ports.

Data and Voice Ports

Every phone is plugged into a data or voice port. That port has a location identifying code that Telecom frequently needs when making a service request. While the system isn't complicated, it's worth documenting the basics.

Voice ports

• All voice ports in the building were initially analog.
• In the past, some ports were converted to digital to accommodate newer, digital phones. Telecom will no longer do this and it is difficult to know if a voice port is digital or analog.
• Voice ports all have the same numbering system.
  • Floor number, East or West, voice port number (Example: 3W-V.022)
  • East ports have corresponding ports in closets *084
  • West ports have corresponding ports in closets *022.

Data ports

• Data ports are used for computers.
• VOIP phones also use data ports. Telecom is gradually moving all phones to data ports as phones are replaced. Emergency phones are an exception. They always use analog voice ports.
• Data ports have two numbering systems-one old, one new.
  • Old system: same as analog voice ports except with a D instead of V. (Example: 3W-D.022)
  • New system: Number for the room the port is in, D.port number. (Example: 4200 D.022)

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.