Voice Mail and Call Processing Services

Several optional features and services can be added to your campus telephone service. Voice mailboxes may be created for individuals, groups, and fax machines. Call processing, an automated answering service created from a series of voice mailboxes, helps units direct calls to any number of sub-units or recorded general information messages.

If you would like to more information on these services, please contact Communications Customer Service at 333-1161. To subscribe to these services, please contact your Telecommunications Unit Coordinator.

For information on using your voice mail, see Voice Mail Instructions. It covers setting up individual voice mailboxes, fax messaging, pocket paging, and more.

Voice messaging and phone answering

This service uses a voice mailbox that can send messages to other users (much like email) or answer your phone automatically when calls are set to forward automatically, the line is busy, or "no-answer" is received from the voicemail system.

Standard mailbox ($4.00 monthly)

Standard service includes message forwarding, message reply, individual greetings, message scanning in your mailbox, message delivery, remote access to the voice mail system, message-waiting notification, and operator assistance by dialing "0." Additionally, the standard system allows message-waiting notification to be sent to a pager and the use of nine message distribution lists, which can be used to send one message to a group of voice mail subscribers. The standard mailbox stores up to 24 messages (each up to 3 minutes long) for 15 days.

Standard mailbox with fax ($5.00 monthly)

In addition to all of the features of a standard mailbox, this service allows you to send and receive faxes from your voice mailbox.

Deluxe mailbox ($5.50 monthly)

The deluxe mailbox includes all the features of the standard mailbox plus message forwarding to a campus or community telephone number and the use of nine message distribution lists for sending one message to a defined group of voicemail subscribers. VIP Message Delivery is also included. This service allows subscribers to have the voice mail system call any local number (off-campus, cellular, or toll free) and notify them when a new message arrives in their voice mailbox. Deluxe service allows 35 messages, with a maximum length of 5 minutes each, to be stored for 30 days.

Deluxe mailbox with fax ($6.50 monthly)

In addition to all of the features of a deluxe mailbox, this service allows you to send and receive faxes from your voice mailbox.

Departmental mailbox ($2.00 per subscriber monthly)

Departmental mailboxes are available for groups that only use voice mail services occasionally and do not require messages to be private. These single shared mailboxes store up to 73 messages, each up to 3 minutes in length, for 15 days. Individual message notification, distribution lists, and paging options are not available. Each mailbox will accommodate from 3 to 16 separate phone numbers.

Guaranteed fax mailbox ($5.00 monthly)

A voice mailbox for your fax machine! If your fax machine is busy or doesn't answer, new faxes are forwarded to a special fax mailbox. The voice mail system delivers the fax to the local machine when it is available.

Installation charges

A $10.00 fee per voice mailbox is charged for set up.

Call processing

Call processing helps units manage telephone calls directed to main telephone numbers or provide general information services. Capabilities include routing calls to sub-units within the department, general information recordings, and information gathering. Each of these services are based on voice mailboxes. In most cases a series of voice mailboxes are required.

• Call routing ($5.50 monthly per mailbox required for configuration) - This feature routes callers to the proper work groups or areas in your department. Callers are greeted with a custom announcement for your department and a choice of areas they may wish to reach; calls are automatically routed when the caller makes their choice using their touch-tone phone. Announcements can be customized for the time of day and special events.
• Audio messages ($5.50 monthly per mailbox required for configuration) - This feature allows multiple callers to hear customized recorded announcements for a particular department. Announcements can be informational, instructional, promotional, or targeted to a specific group. Audio messages can be changed by the department as often as they wish by accessing the voice mail system from a touch-tone phone and using an access code specific to the announcement. The standard announcement mailbox can store announcements up to 5 minutes in length with additional announcement time available at a charge.
• Audio forms ($5.50 monthly per mailbox required for configuration) - Audio forms have all of the same applications and features as audio messages but, in addition, they can prompt callers for responses which are recorded and can be accessed by the department. A popular application for this feature is prompting people to leave their name and address for informational brochures or mailings.

Subscriber training

Voice mail training is strongly recommended for each new subscriber. Once your voice mailbox has been created, you will be contacted by the Customer Service Office to set up a date for training. These training sessions are held at the CITES Communications Customer Service office and last approximately one hour.