UC Business and Finance Bulletin
IS-6, Campus Communications Guidelines
April 1, 1969
******************************************************************
PURPOSE
The following guidelines are provided to assist in analyzing telephone
needs and in providing efficient and economical telephone service.
Telephones are tools. It is important that telephone costs and benefits
always be considered in relation to the activities they serve, and that
the efficient and economical performance of university programs be the
basic criteria.
Naturally, every circumstance cannot be anticipated in these guidelines.
They will be applicable in most cases. However, in exceptional cases
where the basic objective of providing necessary telephone service at
lowest cost can be achieved better in another way, the Chancellor, or
the Vice Chancellor responsible for communications, may authorize
deviation from the guidelines to meet special campus conditions. It is
recommended that such variations be kept to a minimum. Significant
individual exceptions should be reported promptly to Business Services
Division as a matter of information. Similarly, suggestions for
revisions and improvements of guidelines should be initiated by campuses
on the basis of experience.
PERSONAL USE OF UNIVERSITY TELEPHONES
a. University telephones are provided for University business. Their use
by employees for personal calls may be permitted to the extent indicated
below, so long as it does not interfere with the primary purpose.
b. Coin telephones should be provided for the convenience of students,
faculty, and staff, and the public, in order to take care of calls which
should not be placed on University telephones.
c. The following calls may be made from University telephones:
(1) Calls within the local calling area, (area called at basic exchange
rate).
(2) Calls within the extended area (called at message unit rate)
provided this is not used for placing calls normally expected to be
placed from the employee's home telephone during off hours.
(3) Calls to toll points (in extreme emergencies only).
d. Calls to home or other local calling area numbers while assigned away
from headquarters may be charged to a University telephone, provided
that this normally is not more than one call per day except in an
emergency or other special circumstances.
e. All other personal calls shall be charged directly to the employee's
home telephone on a third number basis or to a personal credit card, and
not to University telephones or credit cards.
f. Campuses should provide for adequate dissemination of personal use
policy and for sufficient review to assure consistent application.
Employees who violate such policy shall be required to pay for
unauthorized calls.
CAMPUS TELEPHONE SYSTEM DESIGN
a. The standard design for campus telephone service is integrated,
direct-inward dialing (Centrex) systems to serve all stations or
satellites near the campus.
Exceptions to the standard will be made only when a detailed engineering
and traffic study prove Centrex to be uneconomical or impractical.
b. Auxiliary switchboards and other internal switching arrangements
generally increase costs or delay service, or both. Such equipment
will not be utilized except for carefully selected activities; for
example, message centers, registrar and admission offices, outpatient
clinics, and locations where a paging function is required. Care must be
taken, however, that such functional locations do not become general
secondary switching centers.
HOUSING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Under the Pacific Telephone Company Centrex tariff, the customer at his
option may elect to have the dial equipment installed in the telephone
company's central office at an additional monthly charge, rather than
on his own premises.
The tariff provides only one grade of service, which is not related to
housing the equipment on telephone company premises. The only
determining factor as to whether the equipment is housed by the campus
or the telephone company should be which arrangement is the most
economical and best suited to the needs of the University.
The General Telephone Company does not offer the same option. General's
Centrex dial equipment is housed in their central office.
LEASED-LINE TERMINATIONS IN CAMPUS-HOUSED TELEPHONE SYSTEMS
Terminals for non-University private-line networks are not to be
installed in campus telephone equipment rooms without prior review by
Business Services.
RESIDENCE HALL TELEPHONE SYSTEMS
a. Normally, if campuses elect to give service to students' rooms,
Residence Halls will be served from the main campus Centrex system under
the provisions of the Dormitory Service Centrex tariff.
(1) Campuses may arrange off-campus calling privileges for Residence
Hall stations under either Option A or Option B of the Centrex
Dormitory tariff.
Where this practice is followed, toll and message-unit costs shall be
identified by special billing numbers, or automatic number
identification where available.
Campuses selecting Option A collect from students for their toll and
message-unit charges. Under Option B, the telephone company
performs the billing and collecting function. If campuses subscribe
to the latter service, the master University-wide Option B agreement
must be used.
(2) In lieu of service from the main telephone system, a campus may
elect to have students subscribe for their own room telephone service
direct fran the telephone company.
(3) No Residence Hall student telephone shall have access to the
Intercampus Telephone System.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR TELEPHONE SERVICE
a. All service arrangements must have the approval of the Campus
Communications Supervisor. Planning for service with telephone company
assistance should have the concurrence of the Campus Communications
Supervisor.
b. Campus Communication Supervisors should place all local telephone
change requirements directly with local telephone company
representatives. Traffic studies and other studies designed to improve
service or reduce cost should be initiated by campuses.
CAMPUS TELEPHONE SERVICE CRITERIA
The following criteria are stated in terms of usage. While this is
adequate in many cases, it is expected that Communications Supervisors
when necessary will make more detailed analyses of the units of traffic.
a. Campuses should have programs for periodic, systematic review of all
telephone station requirements and costs. Any request for three or more
lines should be supported by a traffic study. While outside assistance
may be obtained for such studies, the responsibility remains with the
campus for maintaining efficient, low-cost telephone service.
b. The concept of direct-inward dialing should be the normal basis for
individual and departmental telephone arrangements. Every effort should
be made during system planning to provide for individual local number
assignments.
c. To derive the service benefits and economies possible under direct
in-dial systems, telephone users should be educated to answer their own
telephones and dial their own calls, except when such an arrangement
would involve interruptions or inefficiencies which outweigh the
benefits.
d. Back-up answering service may be provided either by push-button
telephone or by a call director. Usually a call director is desirable if
more than 6 key functions are required. Also, it is often desirable to
provide duplicate back-up answering equipment on two separate desks or
other locations to cover all telephones during employee relief
periods. Persons operating the back-up instruments should not answer
immediately, but should give the principal time to answer (usually about
3 rings) unless it is known that he is absent or unable to answer.
e. The ratio of extensions to lines should range between 25 and 40
extensions per 100 lines. The total campus key and accessory cost should
range between one-fourth and one-third of the total campus basic system
cost. Possible exceptions to this general range are medical centers
where there is a particular requirement for such equipment. Their costs
in this category probably will be greater than for a general campus.
f. Measure of line or multiple line need for prime users
(1) Every person who needs to make or receive business calls should have
access to a telephone without leaving his desk. Every person who is
required to answer telephones other than his own should be able to
do so without leaving his desk.
(2) All persons who use a telephone should be able to know whether or
not the line is in use without lifting the receiver. Visual
features are not necessary if all users of a single line are in the
same room where they can see each other. Conversely visual features
usually are required if users cannot see each other, or if two or
more lines are shared by more than one user. Exceptions to this
rule would be where the users can tell which lines are in use or
available without the visual feature. Under PT&T's "COM PAK"
pricing arrangement, key illumination is charged to a line. When
that line is picked up at another station, or stations, no charge is
made for illuminating the pickups. (See page 7. par. k, on
visual features.)
(3) All persons who are required to answer a telephone should be able to
know which line is ringing. Visual features are not necessary if the
bells can be heard clearly at all stations which may have to answer,
and are sufficiently different in sound tone to be able to
differentiate between the bells. In general, the only bells which
should be heard at a station are those which can be answered. (See
page 7, par. k, on visual features.)
(4) Two or more users may share a single line if their combined usage
does not exceed 10 per cent of normal working hours. Two or more
users having a requirement of more than 10 per cent may share two or
more grouped lines equipment with push button telephones. If
incoming calls are received, grouped lines should not all be
simultaneously busy more than 10 per cent of the time.
(5) Any user having a requirement of more than 10 per cent but not more
than 20 per cent usually should have a single line. If he has a
requirement of more than 20 per cent he usually should have an
instrument equipped with two or more lines. However, any instrument
equipped with two or more lines for a single individual should have
back-up answering.
(6) Back-up answering should be provided. only when a person's functions
are such that continuous coverage is required or call-back
information should be provided. Each situation must be individually
determined.
Bear in mind that with Centrex service, incoming station-to-station
calls are chargeable only if the stations answer. With PBX or PABX
service, such calls are chargeable if the PBX attendant answers,
whether or not the station answers.
(7) Prime users frequently required to answer or join in calls directed
to another prime user's line should be furnished key instruments.
(8) Prime users having frequent need to "hold" a call while obtaining
information by telephone from another area should be furnished a key
instrument and access to another line.
g. Measure of line need for secondary users
(1) A secretary who makes and receives less than 10 business calls per
day should only be provided with access to her principal's lines
unless the combined usage is over 10 per cent of the normal working
hours.
(2) A secretary who makes and receives more than 10 business calls per
day may be provided access to a line separate from that of her
principal.
(3) Two or more secretaries occupying the same office, but serving
different principals, may share a line separate from those of the
principals, providing a principal and his secretary have a combined
total usage of over 10 per cent of the normal working hours.
(4) Occasional users, less than five or six calls per day, should share
one line among several such users, or be furnished access to lines
used by more frequent users.
h. Measure of Need for Intercom Systems and Recommended Types
(1) A dial telephone system provides a basic, efficient and convenient
intercommunication facility, and requests for intercam systems to
supplement the basic system should meet one of the following
requirements:
(a) Calls are answered and screened at a central point and then routed
to various persons.
(b) There is a requirement for numerous telephone calls between members
of a local staff and the number of such calls would require
additional main lines if dialed on the central system lines.
(c) The intercan service provides a timesaving or other benefit
sufficient to justify its added cost.
(2) Recommended types of telephone intercom:
(a) A simple buzzer system using code signals when it is only
required to indicate which telephone line is to be answered.
(b) A Selective Signaling System (button and buzzer) with a standard
intercommunicating line when a limited number of stations must
be signaled. (Under current PT&T pricing, the breakeven point
between a manual selective signaling system and a dial system is
six stations.)
(c) A request for a Dial Selective Signaling System with one or more
standard intercommunicating lines requires a careful review to
analyze the need and should be approved only when economical
or service requirements justify. In Pacific Telephone
territory, a dial signaling system will cost less than a manual
selective signaling when there are more than six stations on the
intercom line.
(d) A Selective Communication System Service (6A) with two talk paths
is an expensive, sophisticated system of intercommunication with
very limited application to University service. It should be
installed only under exceptional circumstances when it is proved
such a system is more efficient and economical than additional
lines.
i. Call Directors and Key Separates
(1) Key systems should be designed to reduce the functions required at
one location. Wherever practical, the systems should require less
than 12 key functions at one point.
(2) Since the price of a Call Director is now the same as a "Key
Separate." the decision on which to install rests with the
practicality of operation and space requirements. Normally, the
Call Director will be more practical and attractive.
Note: Load volume (length or number of calls by one user) has no
bearing on the need for a Call Director.
j. Lines in Rotary or "Hunting"
(1) The use of rotary lines should be based strictly on functional
requirements.
(a) Rotary lines are capable of handling a greater number of incoming
calls, but require an answering point. An exception would be a
group performing similar duties where each person is able to
handle any call, such as an Information Center.
(b) There is no difference between the monthly charges for rotary
lines and remote lines.
k. Line Lamps, Line Busy Lamps, Visuals (See also page 4, pars. f, (2),
(3)
Visual features are expensive and requests for them should be carefully
analyzed in accordance with the following criteria:
(1) Visual features usually should be provided for:
(a) Users of a single line if users cannot see each other.
(b) Users who share a key system comprised of two or more lines.
(2) Under new tariffs, visual features can be provided at all stations
for the same price as one.
(3) Visual features are no guarantee of privacy and should not be
provided for that purpose. They are provided to call attention to a
line in use.
l. Telephone Instruments
(1) Regular type telephones, in black, with internal bell is standard.
Colored telephones or special decorative telephone instruments-such as
the "Princess," shall be denied.
(2) Requests for "Speakerphone," "Card Dialer" or other special type
should be accompanied by data substantiating need for the equipment.
m. Restricted Service
Stations should be provided with Intercampus Telephone System (ITS)
connection and off-campus connection only when such calls are reasonably
expected to be made from the station.
MESSAGE CHARGES, IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL
a. Message charges should be charged to the station which made the call
whenever it is technically and economically feasible to do so in order
to maintain a direct relationship between telephone use and telephone
cost. This practice, in combination with procedures for making users
aware of telephone costs, training efforts to educate users in efficient
telephone usage, and continuing central reviews and analytical studies
are essential elements of control over telephone usage costs.
b. Heads of departments and other major components are responsible for
all extended area (multi-message unit) calls, long-distance toll calls,
and intercampus tie-line (ITS) calls from telephones in their
organization.
c. Heads of departments and other major components are responsible for
authorizing, reviewing and verifying message charges against their
telephone numbers.
d. Each campus is to establish and maintain effective procedures
throughout the organization for continuing control and analysis of
message charges. Telephone toll charges should be analyzed regularly in
order to ensure that maximum use is being made of the Intercampus
Telephone System to reach points accessible by the system since ITS use
is substantially more economical than toll charges.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Campus
a. Designation of person to be responsible for campus telephone planning
and management.
b. Administer campus communications in accordance with the guidelines in
this bulletin.
c. Provide required reports.
d. Report principal campus telephone projects in the planning stage to
Business Services. Examples of such projects are:
(1) New Centrex installations
(2) Large dial and multi-manual installations
(3) Intercampus transmission systems
(4) campus access to State, Federal, or other non-University private-
line networks.
e. Be responsible for monitoring telephone company's application of
tariffs to campus telephone systems.
f. Report to Business Services problems with telephone company in
maintenance service, and tariff applications.
g. Cooperate with other campuses on all matters affecting telephone
service.
h. Maintain an efficient and courteous telephone office to insure
optimum service to the University and to the public.
Business Services
a. Prepare policies and guidelines for University telephone
communications.
b. Review and coordinate the developmental planning and installations of
major telephone systems on the campuses.
c. Coordinate all intercampus telephone communications.
d. Act as liaison with the Communications Division, State Department of
General Services, and the Federal Department of General Services.
e. Represent the University before the State Public Utilities Commission
and the Federal Communications Commission.
f. Assist campuses in securing maximum service and economy of costs from
the telephone companies.
g. Act promptly on problems and suggestions. Work cooperatively with all
campuses and the University-wide administration to improve telephone
communications.
******************************************************************