From the Office of the Chief Information Officer

New prices for telephone service were announced last week, continuing a downward trend that began in 1998. The new rates are effective July 1.

“The Office of the Chief Information Officer, the IT Communications unit of the Information Technology Division and the Office of the Provost have worked together to establish new pricing for telephone services to the U-M community,” said José-Marie Griffiths, university chief information officer.

In 1998, IT Communications decreased the monthly telephone line charge from $24.80 to $20 and reduced peak domestic long distance charges from 23 cents to 17 cents per minute. In 1999, international long distance rates were lowered by an average of 24 percent.

“IT Communications continues to focus on reducing operating costs to further lower telephone rates to campus customers,” Giffiths noted. “Renegotiating contracts with suppliers has driven down expenses for some telephone services. Labor expenses, maintenance costs, service charges from private sector providers and mandated Federal Communication Commission fees have increased some expenses.”

New rates, effective July 1, will be:

Peak domestic long distance: 9 cents per minute (down from 17 cents).

Evening long distance: 6 cents per minute (down from 11 cents).

Weekend long distance: 6 cents per minute (down from 9 cents).

International long distance: Reductions averaging 25 percent and up to 40 percent for most frequently called countries.

Local calls: 10 cents per call (down from 11 cents).

IT Communications will now sell telephone sets to departments. Departments that choose to purchase telephone sets will no longer be charged the $1.60 monthly telephone lease fee.

“With these rates,” Griffiths noted, “IT Communications has competitively positioned itself with rates charged by other universities and with rates private providers charge their large business customers.”

For more information, visit the Web at www.itcom.itd.umich.edu/rates/ or call IT Communications Business Services, (734) 763-2000.

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