Types of telephone sets

• An analog telephone set is a single-line set. With the exception of some secretarial offices and administrative offices, most of the sets the College uses are standard black, touchtone sets with the 12-key dial pad. Access to features is through dial codes the user employs. Analog sets are wired to analog ports in the Definity system.
• A digital telephone set is any one of a number of multi-line sets. These sets provide a user with at least three lines. Access to system features is through use of feature access buttons on the sets themselves or dial codes the user employs. Digital sets are wired to digital ports in the Definity system.
• In order to assure good telephone service, do not use any sets other than those that Telephone Services supplies and/or acquires for your office.

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Some Definitions

• Feature: A special telephone function or service, such as Conference, Hold, Send All Calls. Some features appear on telephone sets and are ready to use by simply touching the appropriate button. Other features are switch feature (e.g. Send All Calls, Speed Dialing) and can be used once the feature is assigned to your line by the Telephone Services Office and entered in the system software.
• Feature code: A dial code of 1, 2 or 3 digits that you use to activate or cancel the operation of a feature.
• Call pickup group: A group of telephone users who can answer calls for each other by employing this feature. Group members are usually located in the same office. Call pickup groups are programmed in the Definity software and may be altered.
• Coverage, cover, cover path: This feature provides automatic redirection of unanswered calls to another line. Redirections can be to any other line in the system. Cover paths are programmed in the Definity software and may be altered.
• Call appearance: These are feature buttons on digital sets for handling incoming and outgoing calls; they are usually labeled with a line (i.e. 4-digit number). The last appearance is held open (i.e. unassigned) for outgoing and incoming priority calls.

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Features

• Automatic Callback: This feature can be used for re-calling any number in the Definity system, which goes unanswered or rings busy on first calling.
  • If you have an analog set, the code to activate automatic callback is 115. To cancel the automatic callback on an analog set, dial 125.
  • If you have a digital set and have had a button assigned to this feature, to activate the feature, press the automatic callback button after the busy signal. To cancel an automatic callback, press the button again. It is necessary to activate the feature before the telephone has rung six times. You may activate the feature after you have received the half-ring indicating that the call has started on its cover path as long as the total number of rings is fewer than six and the call has not yet been picked up.
  • NB. The automatic callback feature can only handle one callback at a time. After the feature has been activated, the number you wish to call back will be held in memory for a half-hour. If you are unable to activate automatic callback and you have an analog set, dial 125. If you have a digital set, press the automatic callback button.
  • NB. If the line you are calling has a voice-mail account, this feature will not work.
• Transferring Calls
  • If you have an analog set, press the switchhook once, wait for three beeps and the dial tone, dial the desired number, announce the call, and hang up. If the line to which you are transferring is busy, press the switchhook twice and you will be back in touch with the person waiting to be transferred.
  • If you have a digital set, press the transfer button, dial the desired number, announce the call, and press the transfer button again. If the line to which you are transferring is busy, press your own call appearance and you will be back in touch with the person waiting to be transferred.
• Last Number Dialed: This feature can be accessed from either an analog or a digital set by pressing * 9 (i.e. the * button and 9). A digital set may have a button assigned to this feature, which is activated by pressing that button. This feature provides access to both on- and off-campus numbers.
• Abbreviated Dialing (speed dialing): This capability is available on all lines in the Definity system and allows each line to program ten numbers for speedy dialing. A set of programmed numbers is referred to as a personal list.
  • If you have an analog set, and wish to program a number for speed-dialing, press the program code of 110, the list number of 1, the item number (1, 2, 3, ... up to and including 0), the access code of 9 (for off campus calls, only), the full telephone number (including 1 and area code, if needed) and, last, the # sign. This will add that particular telephone number to your personal list. To place a call to that number, dial 120 plus the item number.
  • If you have a digital set, you may have a button assigned to the abbreviated dial feature. If so, follow the instructions above to program a number. To place a call to that number, press the abbreviated dial button and the item number. On some telephone sets, you may be able to assign a button to each of the numbers you want to speed dial once you have done your programming. In that case, simply press the designated button to place the call
• Call pickup: This feature enables you to pick up a call for anyone in your call pickup group by dialing 117. If you have a digital set with a button assigned to this feature, you may pick up calls in your group by pressing the call pickup button.
• Priority Calling: If you are placing a call to another number in the Definity system and wish to let the individual whom you are calling know that you want her or his immediate attention, you may signal that by creating a 3-burst ring. Press the priority calling code *7 before dialing the number.
• Call Park: The call park feature can be used when you answer the phone at your own desk and find that information you need is elsewhere.
  • On an analog set, press the switchhook to get a dial tone, dial the code 134 and hang up. Go to the telephone nearest the information you need, dial the code 135 plus your number. The parked call will be transferred to the line you are now on.
  • On a digital set a button may be assigned to call park and in this case pressing the button will put the call in park. To retrieve the call from another telephone, dial the code 135 plus your number, as noted above. If a button is not assigned on a digital telephone, the feature may be activated in the same manner as on an analog set, except that you should press the transfer instead of the switch hook and press it a second time, after dialing the code 134
• Call Forwarding All Calls and Send All Calls: These are two distinct features, which are easily confused. Please take note of the difference.
• Call Forwarding All Calls: If you want all your calls to be forwarded, dial the code of 112 plus the extension to which you want the calls to go. To cancel this feature, use the canceling code of 122.
  • If you have a digital set with a button assigned to this feature, that button may be used instead of 112. To cancel the feature, press that button a second time.
  • NB. The Forwarding All Calls feature overrides the cover path feature. If you simply want your calls to go on your cover path when you are not available, do not use this feature. Only use this feature when you are working at or near another line (i.e. number), and want your calls to follow you there
• Send All Calls: This feature is for those people who are on a cover path to use when they know they will not be at their desks for a period of time or when they do not wish to be disturbed. It sends calls on the cover path after a half ring, thus speeding up the forwarding process. To activate this feature on an analog set or on those digital sets without a send all calls button, dial *3. Cancel it with the cancel code #3. If your digital set has a send all calls button, it may be used instead of *3 and #3.
• Call waiting: This feature can only be used on analog lines/sets. Digital sets have the multiple call appearance feature, not call waiting.
  • On an analog set, if you are on the line and you hear a beep indicating an incoming call, press the switchhook to get a dial tone, and dial the access code 114. This will put the party with whom you had been speaking on hold and connect you to the waiting party. At this point you can toggle back and forth between the two parties using the switchhook.
  • NB. There is a problem in using the call waiting feature if you are on a cover path. If you have asked Telephone Services to program your calls to go on the cover path when your line is busy, the incoming call will go immediately onto that path and you will not get the call waiting alert. If, however, your line has been programmed to go on the cover path only when you do not answer or when you have activated the send all calls feature, you will hear the call waiting alert. If you opt not to answer, the telephone will continue to ring and will not be sent on the cover path. Your caller, who will hear your phone ringing, may think that you are not in your office.
• Making a conference call: This feature allows you to add other callers to your conversation, whether they are on campus or off-campus. It is a less expensive way to have a conference call than by working through an operator.
  • If you have an analog line, you may have a conference call with two other parties. After connecting with the first party, press the switchhook to add the additional party, wait for three beeps and the dial tone. Dial the number of the additional party, press the switchhook after that party answers, and you will be in a three-way conference call. If the third party doesn't answer or if that line is busy, pressing the switch hook twice will return you to the original party. You may also drop the third party from the conference call by pressing the switchhook twice.
  • If you have a digital line, you can have up to a total of six parties on a conference call. Once you have placed your original call you may add another party to a call by pressing the conference button. This will put your first party on hold. When you get the dial tone you may dial the second party. You will be able privately to discuss the call with the new party at this time. If there is no answer or a busy at the new number, you may press the flashing call appearance of the first party to be reconnected. To add more parties to the conference call, repeat the steps listed above. To add a call to the call(s) you have already placed on hold for the conference, press the conference button, wait for dial tone, press the flashing call appearance of the call on hold and press the conference button again. This will connect all parties in the conference call. You may drop the last party added to a conference call by pressing the drop button. All other parties remain on the call and must individually hang up to be released from the conference call.

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Telephone Repairs, Moves and Changes

If your telephone is not working, please check to see that the telephone wire is firmly in the jack and the jack is firmly in the wall. Also, verify that the receiver is firmly in place and actually keeping the switchhook firmly down. If you still do not have a dial tone, contact the College's Operator, Sandy MacWilliams (dial O). Please do not call BellAtlantic, AT&T or any other vendor to try to sort out telephone problems. Call the College Operator, too, if you wish to add a line to your department, move a telephone, or change the programming.

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Suggestions for maximizing your telephone budget

• Use the white and yellow pages of your telephone directories if you need to find a telephone number; don't just call directory assistance. Directory assistance calls cost the College approximately $10,000 last year and range from $.57 each for local directory assistance to $.90 or more for international assistance. If your office frequently calls a certain area and you do not have a directory, let the College Operator know; she will order a directory for you--free of charge. Canaday Library has directories for all major metropolitan areas. The Operator has books for New York City, District of Columbia, and the Boston area, and will be glad to help. You may also use services online such as the campus directory, or Verizon.com at no cost.
• Ask for limited service on phones which are located in public and semi-public areas. Limited service confines the access of a line to the campus, the local area or to specified area codes, thus protecting your lines from unauthorized use. Lines can also be programmed so that they do not receive calls from off-campus. If you want to explore this feature, please call Sandy MacWilliams at ext. 5193. It takes a few minutes to program a line for limited service. If it proves to be inconvenient for your office, the line can be unprogrammed in another few minutes.
• Ask for limitations on long distance calling capabilities to specified area codes. Faculty and administrative departments can have individual phones programmed to reach only designated area codes (for example: 215, 609, 302). Let Sandy MacWilliams know if you wish to have this feature programmed for any of the lines in your department.
• Be vigilant about your telephone bills. Read the calling records promptly to be sure that all calls charged to your account can be identified by a member of the department. If you have charges for calls which no one remembers having made, it may be an indication of unauthorized use of the line(s). If so, please call Sandy Macwilliams (ext. 5193).
• Be discerning about returning long distance calls to unknown parties. Someone may just be trying to sell you something or involve you in a survey.

  Be helpful to colleagues. If you answer the phone and take a message for a member of your office or department, try to get enough information about the caller's purpose so that your colleague will be able to decide whether to return the call. If the caller represents a business, ask if the business can be reached by an 800 number.