TCCS to offer free local phone service

The nature of Tufts communications will change drastically as a result of the expiration of the University's contract with PaeTec Communications at the end of this semster.

Tufts Computing and Communications Services (TCCS) has decided to operate the previously installed phone systems and offer free on-campus and local telephone service beginning in the fall semester.

The new arrangement highlights a growing trend of campus communications moving away from the traditional business models embraced through most of the 1990's.

When the contract expired, Tufts did not have strong feelings towards re-signing with PaeTec, saying that PaeTec was no longer offering the type of arrangements that had been made in the past. "PaeTec is in a very different business than the original CampusLink," said Marj Minnigh, the Networks and Special Projects Manager.

The school's original contract was with CampusLink, which was later bought out by PaeTec Communications. In exchange for $3.5 million in new telephone and cable hardware, CampusLink, and then later Paetec, received all of the student fees during the eight-year partnership.

Since the initial contract however, "it was clear from the students' perspective as well as from TCCS that it was not an optimal partnership," Director of Networks and Telecommunications Lesley Tolman said.

Under the new arrangement, the school will take over the phone lines and provide the service for free. Students will receive unlimited on-campus calls in addition to several local area codes. A calling or credit card will still be required for students to make long distance calls.

There was no chance that TCCS would assume the task of operating the cable service as well. Associate Director of Data Network Operations Doug Herrick said, "[Cable television is] clearly a service we'd never be in a position to provide." TCCS underwent negotiations with several local cable providers -- a task previously performed by PaeTec.

After a competitive bid process, the University decided on Comcast, who also was the University provider under PaeTec. Tolman said that Comcast provided the University with a wider range of options than other providers.

Though the specifics of the cable television deal are still being negotiated, the arrangement most likely will allow students to select individual packages from the provider -- rather than having a standard package.

The end of Tufts' relationship with PaeTec and TCCS's decision to operate its own telephone network follows several other universities' decisions to stay away from former methods of campus communications.

According to last week's Chronicle of Higher Education, a number of schools have opted to provide students with cell phones rather than dorm room services. The service will begin this fall at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology is negotiating with several cell phone providers to begin its service.

Administrators at these schools believe the use of cell phones will be just as reliable as current wired communications. "We have tested all of the area and we have real strong signals, so we don't anticipate a problem," Marshall University Senior Vice President for University Operations Ed Grose told The Chronicle.

TCCS said they did explore the cell phone market, but found it to be prohibitively expensive. "We couldn't find any cell phone vendor who was interested in giving us a bulk deal," Minnigh said. TCCS discovered that the burgeoning cell phone market gives cell phone carriers few incentives to offer a bulk discount.