Campuswide implementation of PBX phone system

Information Services and Technology (IST) has officially kicked off the UC Berkeley Private Branch Exchange (PBX) project. With this project, IST will replace the antiquated AT&T Centrex telephone service currently in use across most of the Berkeley campus. The PBX technology acquired from our vendor, Altura Communication Solutions, will give our campus modern telephony features with enhanced security, better control of our own voice system, and, ultimately, will reduce the University's cost for phone service.

Voice rates and phone numbers to remain unchanged

Telephone technology has changed a great deal in the last two decades, and to deploy a project of this magnitude is expensive. However, for now, campus phone rates will remain the same.

The robust and highly survivable core of the Avaya PBX telephone system was successfully installed in 2006 and is currently in use in several campus buildings, including Stanley and Sproul Halls. During this project, IST will deploy PBX to the remainder of the core campus and major off-campus locations. Digital customers will have their old sets replaced with new Avaya digital phones. Analog phone users may keep their current phone sets or purchase new sets if they prefer. The new phone sets will have similar capabilities to those that are currently in use, plus the potential for additional functionality. Campus users will also keep their current phone numbers.

As a campus voice customer, your experience during this project may be as simple as a new phone on your desk with optional training. If you are in a call center, you may experience a dramatic, yet positive, change from the voice system you are accustomed to, with higher productivity and newfound efficiency. Whichever the case, be assured that there is a great deal of work going on behind the scenes to program the system. The new Avaya solution will be more reliable, more functional, and better suited to move our voice services into the future.

Rollout

For the next two years, the campus PBX will be deployed in phases. The vendor and IST will work with campus Access Rights Administrators (ARAs) to determine proper service and handset configurations. Based upon the current timeline, Phase 1 will begin May 16, 2011. There will be multiple conversion dates with each conversion beginning at 8:00 am, and lasting through the next business day for post-conversion support. The conversion schedule will be available on the CalPBX website.

Freeze periods

Additionally, our vendor requires that we minimize any changes made to the phone switch during implementation. This is to reduce last-minute modifications while the new system is being deployed at your location. IST will freeze orders for moves, changes, or new service in any given building for 20 business days before and 10 business days after its scheduled conversion date. Any changes during this freeze period will require approval from the appropriate departments and will be subject to a change order fee.

We would like to thank all of the ARAs in advance for their efforts in assisting IST during this project. We would also like to thank the IST staff for their work during the design phase.

We will keep the campus updated on the progress of the rollout via the CalPBX website, where we will post the latest schedule, a short "what to expect" note, FAQs, project contacts, etc.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project or the new voice service, you are welcome to send email to