The University Record, January 9, 1996
Those using MTS e-mail will have to pay their way Feb.1
Beginning Feb. 1, those who are still clinging to MTS mail will no longer be able to pay for that service using general funds from computing allocations.
Though most faculty, staff and students—more than 30,000 of them—have begun using a new mail program provided either by Information Technology Division or by their departments, there are still some users who rely on the MTS Message System for electronic mail or conferencing. Those users have received a message that they may still use the services, but must set up a self-funded account through the ITD Accounts Office to do so. In addition, the cost to use MTS will increase by 90 percent beginning Feb. 1 and time-of-day discounts will be eliminated, resulting in potentially much larger rate increases for those who used MTS services primarily at discounted times.
The ITD Accounts Office, located on the lower level of the Michigan Union, is prepared to answer specific questions about subscribing to a new mail service or setting up a self-funded account. It also can be reached by phone, 764-8000. Hours during January have been extended to accommodate those who may need assistance. The office will be open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri. through Jan. 31.
Other imminent changes in MTS operations:
Plotter service discontinued. MTS plotter service has been discontinued.
Reduction in attended operations. MTS is no longer staffed 24 hours a day, five days a week plus 14 hours a day, two days a week. Instead, operators will be on duty 44 hours per week at these times: 4-8 p.m. Sun. and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
Tape submissions and retrievals, output retrieval from the Computing Center Building, output delivery to the NUBS Computing Resource Site, and tape submissions and retrievals at NUBS only will be available during the hours MTS is in attended mode. MTS jobs requiring operator attention, particularly jobs involving tapes, will be run only during the hours MTS is in attended mode.
This reduction in hours of attended operation will not affect service hours for MIRLYN, the online card catalog of the University Library.
ITD will monitor use and make adjustments to the attended mode schedule if necessary to meet user needs. If you have any special requirements, contact your ITD customer relationship manager. If you do not know who the customer relationship manager assigned to your school or college is, phone Terri Saarinen at 763-4403 or Carol Deneau at 764-6142.
Some NUBS servuces end Feb. 1. Output deliveries to, tape submissions to, and tape retrievals from the NUBS Computing Resource Site will be discontinued Feb. 1.
ITD encourages MTS users to switch now to alternative services because MTS services will no longer be available after June 30. ITD is contacting active MTS e-mail users individually through e-mail to inform them of the changes and to offer assistance in switching to alternative services.
Summary of upcoming MTS changes
January 8
Reduction in attended hours.
Plotter service discontinued.
February 1
Rates increase overall by 90 percent.
Time-of-day discounts eliminated.
Cannot use ITD Computing Allocation to pay for e-mail and Confer on MTS.
Output deliveries to, tape submissions to, and tape retrievals
from NUBS discontinued.
