The only long distance services available from your residence hall room are:
1. Using a toll free number from a prepaid or
postpaid* calling card, (see section below “More Information about
Opening Postpaid Calling Card Accounts”)
2. Using a personal toll free number
brought with you (dials a specific number only, like your home phone
number).
The prepaid cards are the most popular option and readily
available at most stores, and at many prices - - some as low as 3.5
cents a minute. Read the fine print carefully, as some cards have
(hidden) surcharge or access fees for each call that make the card more
expensive overall.
CollegeCall Users from prior years -
Please note: the student CollegeCall prepaid card program has been
cancelled due to lack of participation; and will not be replaced with
any other student calling card program. All minutes must be used by
September 30, 2004. Please contact Computing & Telecommunication
Services @ x7525 if you have any questions.
The postpaid* cards (traditional calling cards, typically much more
expensive to use due to the surcharges and rates) are the classic major
telecommunication vendor cards set up on or through your permanent home
phone number. Another option (and less commonly used) for a
postpaid card is called a “non-subscriber” account and some long
distance vendors created this type of account/card for students or
people who do not have regular residential phone service established in
their own name. After credit arrangements are made with the
vendor, a calling card with this type of service is treated as a
traditional calling card, and billed back to the person directly and is
a good way for students to acquire or establish a credit history.
If a postpaid calling card account is opened after you arrive,
use your permanent home phone number, DO NOT use your residence hall
phone number when you apply. Please remember that the phone lines
and extension numbers in your residence room are not considered private
residential service lines with the phone company but rather business
lines and extension numbers that belong to Pacific Lutheran
University. Most advertised long distance plans are only for
residential phones that can make direct dial 1+ calls without having to
use a toll free number; residence hall rooms cannot access direct 1+
dialing. If a telemarketer or vendor contacts you directly to
open one of these accounts, the account will not actually be connected
or associated to your extension number and you will not obtain those
special rates. PLU automatically closes any and all of these
accounts that use individual room extension numbers, without
exception. Please check with Computing and Telecommunication
Services @ 7525 if you have questions.
Collect calls may be placed if you bill the number you are calling, or
a third party, but you are not allowed to accept collect calls or
otherwise place calls that would bill a PLU extension. You will
be subject to fines for making these types of calls through the PLU
system and possibly subject to prosecution for fraud and your case
submitted to the University conduct system.
Many students on campus are using cell phones for their personal local and long distance calls. If
your phone is lost or stolen on the PLU campus, it is your
responsibility to report it immediately to the Campus Safety Office or
a law enforcement agency. Cell phone companies do not
automatically assume responsibility for fraudulent charges on your cell
phone. If you suspect theft or know it is lost, unless you report
it immediately to a law enforcement office and obtain verification of
your call or visit, you will be held responsible for all charges.
A call should also be placed immediately to the telecommunication
vendor to notify them of the event so they can cancel your service, and
you will be asked to provide the case/incident number given to you by
the law enforcement agency as proof that you reported it. (In
some cases, the telecommunication vendor will request a copy of the
report.) Or if you think you have just misplaced the phone, as a
precaution, most vendors will recommend suspending service temporarily
until you locate the phone, then restore service when you report the
phone has been found.
Cell phones are regulated by the FCC; for more information about
rules pertaining to wireless communications go to their website:
http://www.fcc.gov/