VOICE
over
IP

VoIP FAQs

Q: What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

In VoIP, voice is digitized and then put into data packets and sent across the Case data network. To use VoIP, users can use either digital IP phones or analog phones behind an analog telephone adapter (voice gateway). SBC and ATT are still used for local and long distance calls.

Q: What's different about VoIP? What's the same?

VoIP provides the same high-quality telephone service that you are used to today. In addition, since the IP phones are digital and have an LCD screen display, there are additional features and functionality. For example, all phones will have Caller ID and Call Waiting. The IP phones also have access to the campus directory, and you can store a personal address book and speed dial list through a Web interface.

Q: What’s the difference between VoIP and voice over the Internet?

Our new Voice over IP system is NOT voice over the Internet. IP stands for Internet Protocol, which means that the voice is digitized into data packets so that it is compatible with being sent over data networks, including the Internet. HOWEVER, our VoIP only carries the call in IP format from your desk phone to the other phones on campus or to the SBC switching office across from the Cedar Avenue Service Center. Our call are not routed over the Internet.  They travel on dedicated long distance trunks that use the IP format.

Many of your long distance calls today go on these dedicated trunks that use the IP format. These dedicated trunks are not susceptible to SPIT (spam over Internet Telephony). If you originate calls at your home to go over your current dial-up or high-speed Internet connection, you may be susceptible to SPIT. That does not apply to the Case VoIP network.

Q: I heard that because of VoIP, I have to dial seven-digits for calls within the campus. Why is that?

The change to seven-digit dialing for campus calls doesn't have anything to do technically with the change to Voice over IP. We would have to make the change, anyway, since there are a limited number of 368 telephone numbers available. Many places around the country already require ten digit dialing on all local calls. It will probably only take a day or two for you to get used to dialing all seven-digits. Local and long distance calls will continue to be dialed with 9 plus the number. The only change is that seven-digit dialing is required for campus calls. We still recommend that you dial 368-3333 for any campus emergencies. But if you dial 9-1-1, or 9-911, your call will still go through to the Cleveland 911 Dispatcher.

Q: Is VoIP the same as calling through the Internet? I heard that Internet calls are jerky with echoes and delays in hearing the other person talk.

Our VoIP calls are traveling through the Case data network before they are "handed off" to SBC, our local telephone company. Many long distance calls already travel through data networks, although they are private data networks owned by the telephone companies and not over the public Internet. The technology that "digitizes" voice has improved tremendously over the last few years such that the quality of a VoIP call is almost identical to the quality of a Centrex or analog call.

Q: How reliable is VoIP? I'm nervous about my phone calls going over the Case data network.

The main components of the VoIP system are the IP telephone sets, the wiring inside the Case buildings, the Cisco routers and switches that direct the voice calls to the correct telephone number, and the Call Manager, which is the "brains" of the network. We know that the reliability of Voice over IP depends on the stability of the underlying data network. Our goal is to have the Case data network up and available 99.999% of the time. We have implemented a number of procedures to insure this reliability.

In addition, we will be powering the IP phones through the Ethernet cord, so that a separate power supply is not necessary. Many analog phones can also be powered through the network. All of the routers, switches, and the Call Manager will be on a UPS, or Uninterruptible Power Supply, which provides backup power in the event of a power outage. In addition, some of the buildings on campus have emergency power generators that can power the buildings and equipment during a long blackout, like the one we had last August. These improvements will keep the voice and wireless network up and working even during a power failure.

Q: If the data and the voice share the same network, won't they interfere with each other?

The Case gigabit network has an unusually large amount of bandwidth, which allows it to be subdivided into VLANs, which stands for Virtual Local Area Networks. The voice and data traffic move on separate VLANs, so that they won't interfere with each other. It's true that they share many components of the network, like the Cisco routers and switches. Think of it like a super highway that has express lanes and local lanes. The two highways share the same entrance and exit ramps, but they each flow at their own speed. This is similar to what we're doing with the data and voice on the Case network.

Q: What about fax machines and modems?

All fax machines and modems will be placed behind the voice gateway, which works with existing analog phones and converts them to IP in the equipment room. These lines will be charged the same monthly rate as the other VoIP phones.

Q: What about my cordless phone?

There are a few cordless VoIP phones but they are very expensive. Your options are to keep your existing cordless phone, and we will place it behind the voice gateway. The other option is to purchase a wireless headset. These headsets are expensive but can work up to 300 feet from the base station. Wireless headsets can be found at many web sites on the Internet, including www.headsetzone.com and www.headsetsdirect.com. 

Q: I have a multi-line phone. When I review my Missed Calls list, how do I know which number was dialed?

All calls to extensions that show on your telephone (whether they ring or not) will be saved in the Call Log, together with the time and date of the call. You will not be able to know which telephone number was dialed.

Q.  I need to record telephone interviews.  Can I use my recording equipment with the VoIP phones?

If your recording equipment uses a standard telephone jack and is plugged in between the telephone jack and the telephone set, then you cannot have an IP phone, but you can continue using your current setup with the VoIP Voice Gateway.  In that scenario, we convert your analog phone to VoIP in our equipment room.  Your telephone and recording equipment stays exactly where it is today - we make the conversion "behind the scenes".

If your recording equipment plugs into the handset cord (a smaller telephone jack for connecting the handset to the telephone that I call a "baby jack")then this will work with the new IP phones. 

If you need to connect a cassette recorder to your IP phone, you might see if this Radio Shack connector ($15.50) that uses a "baby jack" and plugs into the handset, meets your needs. Open the Adobe Acrobat User's Manual for a diagram.  http://www.radioshack.com/searchsku.asp?find=43-1237

Q: How do I delete numbers from the call logs?

This is different for different model phones.

1. For the 7940/60 phones, you cannot delete individual numbers, but you can delete all of the numbers stored on your phone. Press the Directories Key and then the Clear key. Be careful because it clears ALL of the numbers on ALL of your lists. Each list can store up to 32 telephone numbers. The older numbers will automatically be deleted as newer numbers come in.
2. For the 7905, you can clear individual numbers on any list by pressing the Delete key while reviewing your list.

Q: I'm concerned about others seeing my telephone number when I make a call. Can I hide the display of my number?

If you do not want your telephone number displayed on an internal or external call, dial *67 before the call.

Q: When I transfer a call to my boss, it's going to his private number, which I don't want anyone to know. How can I prevent the transfer number from showing up on the caller's display?

For those internal calls from other VoIP users, if you want to hide the private number, you press the Transfer soft key, and then dial *67, 368-xxxx, then press Transfer again. Your boss will see "Private" in his display until you press Transfer the second time. Then the calling number will show. The caller will see "Private" when you press the second Transfer button. In the Call Log, only the first call will be recorded, before the transfer. In the Placed Calls list, the caller will see the original number he called. In the Received Calls list, the boss will see "Private".

For more questions, please email here.