Using the Telephone System

Complete List of Dialing Instructions

Instructions for using your telephone's various dialing features (from camping on to someone else's line to transfering calls to getting help) are detailed in the chart at

http://www.itc.virginia.edu/commserv/telephone/using-chart.html

"Short" List of Dialing Instructions: Get Started Using Your Phone

How do I get a dial tone?
You can get a dial tone in two ways:

  1. Lift the handset.
  2. Leave the handset down and press the line key. (The line key is the one with your telephone number printed beside it.) To hang up, press the line key again.

Do I have to press a key to get a line?
When you lift the handset of your telephone, you don't need to press the line key. If you press a line key during a conversation, you will disconnect the call.

How do I report a bad connection?
If you have a bad connection on a call that has been placed to, or received from, either a local or long-distance number, please do the following while the call is still in progress:

  1. Press FLASH + *563
  2. Return to your conversation

When the call is complete, dial 4-8600 to report the time you experienced the problem, the extension number you used for the call, and the external number you were connected to.

Is it true that I can be billed for an unanswered long-distance call?
If you are placing a long-distance call using a Personal Identification Number (PIN), remember that you will be billed for any busy or unanswered calls if you stay on the line more than 25 seconds after you finish dialing the number. Credit will not be issued for these calls.

Can I accept a collect call in my room?
Collect calls should not be accepted in a residence hall room. There is a $10 surcharge on each call accepted in addition to the usual rate for a collect call. Collect call rates are higher than the amount of a normal long-distance call. Collect calls accepted to a phone will become the responsibility of the occupant(s) of the room.

Why doesn't my phone always ring the same way?
Your telephone rings differently depending on whether the call originates from inside the UVa phone system or from outside.

  1. Two short rings indicate an outside (non-UVa) call.
  2. One ring signifies the call is coming from another University phone.

How do I get into PhoneMail?
Dial the PhoneMail direct access number. The PhoneMail system will greet you and guide you from this point. For more information, see the PhoneMail section of this website.

Telephone Number Formats (For internal, external, calling card, long-distance and other calls)

Numbers with prefix "243" appear as 3-xxxx.
Numbers with prefix "924" appear as 4-xxxx.
Numbers with prefix "982" appear as 2-xxxx.
Numbers with prefix "297" appear as 7-xxxx.

If you are trying to reach: Dial:
Police, Fire, Rescue 9+911
Internal Calls (inside UVa) Dial the 5-digit extension (2-xxxx, 3-xxxx, 4-xxxx, or 7-xxxx)
Local Calls (outside UVa) Dial 9 + the seven-digit local number of the party you are calling
Direct Dial Long Distance Calls US and Canada Dial 8 + your FAC/PIN + 1+ area code + the seven digit number of the party you are calling
Direct Dial Long Distance Calls International Dial 8 + your FAC/PIN + 011 + country code + city code + local telephone number of the party you are calling
Toll-Free Numbers Dial 9 + 1 + toll-free number
Collect/Third Number Calls (processed by AT&T) Dial 10 + area code + 7 digit number. Ignore the request to input information for a calling card. You will then be prompted for card type and billing information.
Calling Cards Dial 9 and follow the instructions printed on the back of the card.
Long-Distance Directory Assistance Dial 8 + 1 FAC/PIN + area code + 555-1212
Local Directory Assistance - Arvonia, Charlottesville, Crozet, Fork Union, Gordonsville, Greenwood, Lovingston, Palmyra, Ruckersville, Schuyler, Scottsville, Stanardsville Dial 9 + 411.
900 Number Calls Cannot be placed
Student Directory Assistance (Student Locator) Within UVa, dial 4-3363; outside UVa, dial 434-924-3363.
UVa and Health System Directory Assistance Within UVa, dial 0. Outside UVa, dial 434-924-0311 for UVa information and 434-924-0211 for Health System information.

Handling Annoying Calls

Telephones are a useful and pleasurable tool for living. When your phone becomes either an annoyance or an object of fear, however, it is time to take action.

In general there are four types of annoying calls:

Indiscriminate "Sales" or Survey Calls (Both Real and Fraudulent)
When used properly, selling and surveying by phone provides a useful service for companies and their customers. When used in a thoughtless or fraudulent manner, these calls become, at the very least, an annoyance.

  1. Remember, your telephone belongs to you. Do not feel obligated to answer questions just because the questioner sounds "official". Don't ever answer questions over the phone that you wouldn't answer if they were asked by a stranger on the street.
  2. Always find out who is calling: ask for the name of the caller and the company they represent.
  3. If you are interested in the product they are selling, find out the company's phone number and mailing address. Offer to call back or ask them to call you again after after have had time to contact the Better Business Bureau.
  4. If responding to a survey and the caller becomes too personal, becomes abusive, or uses vulgar language, this could indicate a fraudulent call. HANG UP! Most surveys do not ask personal questions.
  5. Don't give the caller a friend's phone number. Offer to take the caller's number and have the friend contact them.
  6. It's your phone and your time. If you aren't interested, say so. If the caller is rude enough not to let you go graciously, HANG UP!

Nuisance Calls
Surprisingly, nuisance calls don't just come from strangers. They also come from acquaintances, neighbors, and past/present boy or girlfriends. Generally such calls are made randomly. If you give the caller no satisfaction, the person will usually give up after one or two attempts.

  1. Always use the telephone on your terms, not those of the caller. Don't talk to anyone unless you want to.
  2. Ask the caller to identify himself. Don't play guessing games. HANG UP!
  3. If the caller asks, "Who is this?", don't give your name. Instead, ask "Whom do you want?"
  4. If the caller says he has dialed your number in error, don't give him your name or number. Instead ask for the number he dialed and let him know if he misdialed.
  5. If it is the kind of caller who remains silent after you answer, HANG UP. Some want to listen just to see what you will do, i.e. if you'll get angry or upset. It isn't much fun for them to listen to a dead line.

Abusive, Harassing, or Obscene Calls
Calls of this nature are often meant to infuriate or terrify you.

  1. As with milder nuisance calls, this caller may remain silent for awhile. Don't give them a chance to get started. HANG UP!
  2. If the caller makes an obscene or improperly suggestive remark, hang up. The caller would like nothing better than for you to show your shock, anger, or fear by your demanding to know who they are, what they want, why they are doing this. HANG UP!
  3. Most calls of this type are made to receive a response. If the only response the caller receives is a dead line, he will usually give up and quit calling. HANG UP!
  4. Another method that is sometimes suggested is to keep a whistle beside the phone. When you're sure it's the caller on the phone, give a short, sharp blast, then HANG UP! It gets the point across. The caller won't want to lose his hearing.

Threatening Calls
Calls in this category include extreme cases - bomb threats, threats on your life or property, threats of bodily harm to you or a member of your family. Often you will know the caller and the reasons for his/her making these calls, i.e. anger over a broken relationship, an argument between friends, etc. Sometimes these calls are made a few times to express the caller's anger and then they stop. Other times they are repeated over an extended period of time to harass and frighten you. If the calls continue, then you should contact the Police by dialing 9 + 911.

Prevention Tips

  1. Never tell a caller who you are. They should know who they are calling.
  2. If the caller has dialed the wrong number, let him tell you the number he was trying to dial. Don't tell him your number.
  3. List your phone number by initials and last name only.
  4. Never list your name when advertising something for sale. List your phone number only.
  5. When making a date with someone you just met, get their phone number and call them.

No matter what preventions you take, there may come a time when you receive an annoying call. If that should happen, then the best response is to HANG UP! If you have tried the suggested techniques and they have failed, don't hesitate to contact the Police.

Procedure for Reporting Annoying Calls

Contact the Police by dialing 9 + 911. Provide as much information as possible, i.e. time(s) of day the calls are received, whether the voice is male or female, the approximate age of the caller, whether you notice any background noise that may be significant.

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