The project began in late 2004 when the College decided to combine the voice, video and data streams into one unified network. This consolidation was an effort to make the network more manageable and cost-effective.
The dorms in the Choates Cluster were converted to VoIP before Fall term and the remaining dorms were converted over the winter break. Under the VoIP, there is a configuration available to activate caller identification. The service is not yet available in all dorms but soon will be, according to Director of Technical Services David Bucciero.
The last phase of the project involves converting some remaining off-campus buildings, call centers, the blue-light phones and the Safety and Security communication system, which are still on the traditional system, to the VoIP system. The transformation should be finished by June 30.
"The project was to be completed by the start of the Fall term, but there were delays and we hope to finish up by June," Bucciero said. "Eighty percent is done and the remaining 20 percent involves some harder pieces."
Some locations on campus, such as the Choates Cluster, which was renovated over the summer, have new phones that work with the VoIP system. New buildings will also have the IP phones and as buildings are renovated, phones will be replaced.
The availability of caller identification in on-campus housing right now is determined by the carriers of the service, Bucciero said. The initial decision to make the change was made when the system reached a junction point with the traditional phones.
"We either needed to update to another traditional system or switch to a Voice over IP system," Bucciero said.
The new DarTV feature, allowing students to access cable TV through the network on their computers, is also a part of this program, and video features were recently added to the VoIP system. As the most recently renovated dorms, the Choates Cluster can only receive cable TV over the DarTV program.
There are some negative effects of the consolidation of the three networks across campus, including the poorer quality cable TV available over DarTV and the style of IP available.
"Students prefer wireless phones and there is not a good option for that with the Voice over IP system," Bucciero said. "There is a high cost for wireless phones."
