News

As of December 2004, the VoIP Pilot has become a production service offering available to a small set of campus buildings, including 60 Oxford Street, 8 Story Street, 1230 Soldier's Field Road, and others. The effort in expanding VoIP service is now focused on developing university technology recommendations and researching SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and other integrated communications technologies. For more information on adding new buildings to the production service, please consult one of the VoIP contact persons.

Installing, Moving, and Changing VoIP Service:

Requests for new installations, moving a VoIP phone, and updating records or VoIP service parameters can be handled by your departmental telecom contact. If your department's IT personnel normally calls UIS DLS Help Desk for PC requests, the telecom department contact may also call DLS Help Desk for VoIP requests. Otherwise, your telecom department contact should call UIS Telecom Customer Service at 495-8590 for more information. For more information on how to contact your telecom department contact, consult Departmental Telecom.

Dialing and Calling Plans:

The VoIP system contains directory numbers in the 617-384 exchange, utilizing a 5 digit-dialing plan, similar to your traditional office phone. VoIP participants can call any phone number, anytime as long as your existing class of service permits this. For example, a VoIP phone can call another Harvard extension that is not part of the VoIP system (Centrex system), a long distance number, or even place an international call. Participants will have the same access to dial plans as exist today with their traditional office phone. For example, to dial another user within the Harvard environment, dial their 5-digit number, such as 4-6540, or 5-7310. To dial a toll call, dial 9 1 area code, and number, such as 9-1-781-762-8888. Please note that E911 services are not supported on the VoIP phones. In an emergency situation, please utilize a traditional phone for 911.

VoIP Reference Numbers:

• Voice Mail Access Number: 617-384-6501 or messages button
• Default Voice Mail Password: Your 7 digit directory number.
• UIS Help Desk for New Installs and Trouble Reporting: 617-495-8411
• Telecom Repair Desk for Voice Mail and Trouble Reporting: 617-495-4900
• Departmental Telecom Contact for Moves and Changes:
  http://www.uis.harvard.edu/departmental_telecom/faculty_staff_phones/dept_contacts.php
• MeetMe Conference Bridge Numbers: 384-6701 through 384-6710
• Harvard Directory: press Services button and select Harvard Directory

Activating Voice Mail

VoIP voice mail currently operates as Centrex voice mail does, except that you may access it by pressing the messages button on your phone or by dialing 46501 from any campus phone or 617-384-6501 from off campus phones. The default voice mail password is your assigned 7digit VoIP directory number.

Meet-Me Conference Service

Campus Centrex phones allow self-activated conferences for up to three persons, and larger group conferencing can be specially requested through your Telecommunications contact person. Campus VoIP phones allow self-activated conferences for up to 16 persons, with ten separate telephone lines assigned for VoIP conferencing purposes. MeetMe conference bridge numbers are 46701 through 46710. The VoIP conference must be set up on a VoIP phone, but the conference may be joined by persons using conventional, cell, or VoIP phones.

A MeetMe conference must be created on an IP phone. The person who creates the conference is automatically registered as an attendee. When a new person joins the conference, the creator hears a beep. The conference is ended when the leader terminates the conference call.

To create a MeetMe conference session:

1. Pick up handset or press the softkey "NewCall"
2. Press "more", then press "MeetMe" (you will hear a double beep)
3. Enter the 5 digit conference number, for example, 46701
4. The prompt displays "To Conference"

To become a conference attendee (join a MeetMe conference session):

1. Call the number chosen for the session, 46701 in this example

User Options Web Interface

You can customize some options on the VoIP set yourself, via the IP Phone User Options Web Interface.

Options that you can customize from this page include:

• Speed dialing - register frequently called numbers on the phone display buttons
• Call forwarding - forward incoming calls to another number
• IP Phone services - XML applications accessible from the phone (see next section)
• Password/PIN change - password applies only to this User Options program, PINs are for future use
• Personal Address Book for SoftPhones

For more information, contact candace_holman@harvard.edu

XML Services Subscription

The VoIP phone allows small-scale XML programs to run via the IP phone display and various LDAP directories, databases, or public websites. You can subscribe to these free services via the IP Phone User Options Web Interface.

You can review your subscription by pressing the services button. Currently, the following services are available:

• Harvard Directory
• Stock Quotes
• Traffic Updates
• Weather