Students will need to provide their own means for making long distance calls and receiving calls on campus. LU hallway and outside phones are able to place outbound calls to on-campus numbers, local area numbers, toll free numbers, and for emergencies only.
In order to assist you in determining an appropriate method for making long distance calls and receiving personal calls from campus, Technology Services has listed several suggested methods below. In some cases using more than one of these options may be the best solution for you. (Please note: the below data is provided for your information only and any companies listed are not endorsed by LU.)
Pre-Paid Calling Cards, National & International
AT&T Pre-Paid Phone Card (Cards are available for purchase at this link or at local stores.)
Cell Phones
A personal cell phone can conveniently be kept with you at all times and also allows for emergency calls - both in bound and out bound. Check out our 2008 student recommended cell phone carrier-reception survey results where you can search by residence and floor to choose the best provider for you.
June 2008- Student recommended cell phone carrier-reception survey
Commonly used campus cell providers:
Cellcom (Note: This is the provider for Lawrence-issued staff cell phones; coverage is very good across campus as Cellcom has a tower on campus. Cellcom is also at the Welcome Week Service Fair if you to wait to choose a provider.)
AT&T (Note: because you are a Lawrence student you are eligible for exclusive savings from AT&T. Approximately a 9% discount on qualified charges. See their website at: http://www.att.com/wireless/lawrencestudent
Internet Calling
How does Skype work?
a) The simplest approach, after just using a personal computer as a phone, is to use a usb Skype phone connected to the computer. While it would be ideal for students to eliminate wasted electricity and turn off their computers when not in use, this is very uncommon in practice. In this case the Skype phone would remain on.
b) Skype "stand alone" phones will work as well for those without computers or who DO want to turn off their computer. A few notes about these:Skype WIFI phones: Since the university does not yet have 100% wireless coverage, and since the coverage in the residence halls is currently limited to lounge areas, this may not be the most effective solution. To be assured that wireless connection is available in their room, the student should plan on bringing a wireless access point as well as the wireless Skype phone. Instructions on how to setup the access point are available on the ITS website.
Skype cordless phones: These phones are similar to standard cordless phones. They require a base station that plugs into the campus network and allows the user to make Skype calls.
Important SKYPE notes:
- Emergency (911) calls CANNOT be made from a Skype phone.
- To make non-Skype network calls, additional Skype accounts are necessary.
- All network devices must be registered to work on the Lawrence network. Updates to the existing registration system at LU will allow for the registration of these types of devices before fall term begins.
Other Options
Vonage or similar phone services. This service will allow the student to use a special phone in their room with all calls coming through the Lawrence internet connection. ITS will have more details on this option available as soon as we complete our testing of such services on the campus network.
Important Notes Regarding Emergency Calls
Each of the large residence halls on campus has a hall phone available on every floor. All residence halls have main floor phones. The campus also has emergency phones outdoors.
For emergency purposes, LU encourages all students to have cellphones that can be used to dial 911 if needed AND to be used by the Lawrence University Emergency Notification System in the case of a campus emergency. We encourage students to provide Lawrence with this number so that it may be used with the emergency notification system.
