Network & Security > IP Telephony in the Student Union

A new ring tone greets Cyndi Backstrom as she enters her office at the student union. When she checks caller ID, she sees it’s her mother calling. She presses “forward to voicemail.” Next, she scrolls through her missed-calls list and then listens to voicemail. To return a few calls, she looks through the on-screen UNLV directory to get the numbers she needs.

Backstrom is using a telephone technology new to campus — and thus far only available at the student union — that features Internet Protocol (IP) telephones. That means that the telephones run on the same cabling infrastructure as the Internet.

The Benefits
Benefits of the new technology will include reduced infrastructure cost, according to OIT staff.

“IP telephony will save UNLV the infrastructure costs associated with running two networks — one for data, one for voice,” said David Peers, manager of network development and engineering for the office of information technology (OIT).

“By converging the voice and data onto the same network, UNLV will be able to focus its support and start-up costs on one infrastructure. Phones at the student union have a plug in the back where a computer can be connected so that a computer and phone can share the same wall port for data and voice service, saving on building wiring and equipment costs.”

Future features will include easy and seamless video conferencing, software-based phones installed on computers and laptops, and wireless phones that use the UNLV wireless data network for communication. Integration between voicemail and e-mail will create a single place to store all messages and allow access to those messages from a variety of devices.

Implementing the new technology took more than three years of planning by telecommunications, campus planners, architects, and vendors. The first phase was launched this fall with the opening of the union.

New Buildings
New buildings on campus such as the student recreation center, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, and the Science and Engineering building are being designed for IP telephony. Remaining campus buildings will move to IP phones over the coming years as wiring and electronics infrastructure are upgraded.

As space available for staff offices and parking becomes limited, the IP phone system could allow an opportunity for telecommuting. Staff members could work from home and still have 5-digit dialing, easy voicemail access, and the convenience of an enterprise grade phone, just as if they were in their offices. Staff who often travel, like recruitment officers or coaches, would be able to take advantage of phone software installed on their laptops to take calls while connected to a public wireless network. “These phones behave much more like cell phones,” explains Lauren Dean, director of telecommunications.

Besides offering a wide range of ring tones, there are many more practical benefits. Because the phones run on the data network, the same cable lines as the Internet, the phones can talk to databases, like the UNLV directory, where information is updated in real time.”

More Advantages
Another advantage is that when a phone is moved to a new location, the information programmed into it automatically moves with it. For instance, if Backstrom were to move her phone from the second floor of the union to the first floor, technicians wouldn’t need to reprogram it. Once the phone is plugged in, the network will know it’s Backstrom at the other end of the line.

This differs from unplugging and moving a traditional phone. When that happens, all the information is lost and must be reprogrammed, which costs the department money.
Bringing all services onto one common infrastructure allows the campus to concentrate funding and staff expertise on a single network, improving service and managing costs, Dean said.

Questions about IP Telephony at UNLV can be directed to David Peers.