Billing, Policies, and Procedures

Last updated: September 24, 2024
Audience: StaffIT Staff / TechnicalDecision Makers

Policy and Procedure Overview

Overview

UW Information Technology (UW IT) supplies most telecommunications equipment for use by UW departments. UW IT is a self-sustaining unit, and operates in a manner designed to recover most costs for equipment and services provided. UW IT analysts assess user needs and provide ongoing support.

Level of Service Provided

The Dean or Vice-President of requesting units, generally determines the level of telecommunications service.  Costs for equipment and services provided are charged to the requesting department funding source.  The Grant and Contract Accounting Office may need to provide additional approval for grant funding sources.

Equipment and Services Offered

Telecommunications equipment and services are provided on an as-requested basis, subject to University and UW IT guidelines.

UW departments are responsible for providing equipment for analog service.  UW IT policies regarding customer responsibilities for purchasing equipment are described under the Customer-Purchased Telephone Equipment Policies.

UW IT will continue to provide fully-managed solutions and be available to assist you with your communications requirements to ensure that you have the best solutions for your needs.

Customer-Purchased Telephone Equipment Policies

Customers who purchase their own equipment are responsible for its reliability and its suitability for their departmental needs. In addition they are responsible for ensuring that it is compatible with existing UW IT equipment that they may use either currently or in the future, and that it conforms to all university-wide UW IT policies. Contact UW IT to discuss these requirements if you are not familiar with them.  Refer to Repair Policy when trouble is caused by customer purchased services and equipment.

Installing New, and Changing Existing Services

UW IT arranges for telephone service changes needed within a location, between locations, and the functional service changes due to the evolving needs of your organization.  Provide UW IT with a detailed description of your needs, including, but not limited to, your current building name and room numbers,  phone numbers involved, description of service and/function changes desired, and an on-site contact name, telephone number, and location when submitting your request.  If moving to a new location, provide the new building name(s) and room number(s).  Worktags for applicable one-time and recurring monthly charges are required to submit orders.

Discontinuing Services

Services remain active and billing continues until UW-IT is notified to terminate them and all associated leased equipment are retrieved OR until a Service Audit deems the number is unused.  The responsible department funding source will be charged the current replacement cost for any leased equipment that is not returned upon service disconnection.  Contact UW IT to schedule disconnection of services that are no longer needed.

Service Audits

UW-IT periodically audits Telecom Services for usage and reserves the right to disconnect and discontinue billing for services determined to be unused.  The audit identifies phones that have been disconnected for more than 12 months and/or the line does not have any other means of usage (e.g. not programmed for Extension Connect, not “bridged” to another phone).  Attempts will be made to contact responsible parties before discontinuing service. Funding source owners or their delegates are encouraged to track their department’s Telecom Services and disconnect unused services.

Repair Policy

UW IT does not charge to repair UW IT leased equipment nor services incurring monthly charges.  Department funding sources are charged for repairs when a monthly fee is not paid.  If a UW IT technician is dispatched to resolve trouble that is not found to be caused by UW IT service or equipment, a repair visit charge will be billed to the appropriate department funding source.  UW IT cannot work on customer purchased services and equipment so the trouble will not be repaired.

Infrastructure

New buildings, remodels, and wiring projects are required to conform to certain telecommunications infrastructure standards as provided in the UW Facilities Design Information (Design Guide) manual. Costs incurred in meeting these requirements are valid capital projects charges, and will be billed accordingly.

Unauthorized Changes to the University Telephone System

a. Installations

Unauthorized installations are frequently found to be in violation of safety and installation code standards, and may be removed upon discovery. A service charge will be assessed for equipment removal and reinstallation, as well as for repair to any damaged property.

b. Relocations

All relocations or extensions of UW IT telephone sets must be coordinated through the UW IT.

c. Auxiliary Devices

The installation of wire, cable, or jacks for user-owned auxiliary devices such as call sequencers, auto-dialers, data sets, and music-on-hold, must be coordinated through UW IT. Any cable or wiring installed by a user department that is found to be out of compliance with UW IT standards will require correction at  the users expense.

Employee Safety on Job Sites

UW IT, in concert with Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) developed a process to ensure the safety of our employees in response to employee safety concerns.   When orders require UW IT employee dispatch, an inquiry will be made about hazards, health, and safety issues UW IT personnel will face at the work location.  If such conditions exist, we will request for the specific hazard and risks, what training is required for our employees, and if any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is needed. This information will be noted on the Service Order (SO).

If hazards, health or safety issues are unknown, your department’s Health and Safety Coordinator will need to contact UW IT with this information before a UW IT employee is dispatched to the work location. UW IT employees will not be dispatched to a potentially hazardous work site until all required training is complete, PPEs are in place, or the hazard no longer exists.

It is the policy of the UW and UW IT, to provide and maintain, safe and healthy working conditions, to follow operating practices that safeguard all employees, the public, and result in safe working conditions and efficient operation. We are committed to ensuring that our staff is safe.

For information on developing a departmental safety plan please visit the EH&S website.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for distributing this important information to affected employees of your department.

Customer-Purchased Telephone Equipment Policies and Guidelines

Customers who purchase their own equipment are responsible for its reliability and its suitability for their departmental needs. In addition they are responsible for ensuring that it is compatible with existing UW IT equipment that they may use either currently or in the future, and that it conforms to all university-wide UW IT policies. Contact UW IT to discuss these requirements if you are not familiar with them.

 

Unauthorized Long Distance Calls

Policy

Personal long distance calls may not be charged to the University long distance system. Any long distance personal calls made from University telephones must be charged to a personal credit card, or other non-UW billing number. Dialing instructions for using a personal credit card or charging a long distance call to a non-University billing number is available here.

Unauthorized Long Distance Calls

The UW IT will assist in identifying unauthorized toll calls.  User departments will be charged for any long distance calls made from telephones within their system unless these calls can be identified and recharged to another number or person.

Collection Procedures

Each UW department is responsible for reviewing its monthly telephone bill, and identifying any amounts incurred by individuals making personal or otherwise unauthorized long distance calls.

If the user department is able to identify the caller, immediate payment for the cost of the call plus any applicable taxes will be requested. The check should reference the departmental funding source which is to receive credit, should be made out to the University of Washington, and should be sent to UW IT Business Operations, Box 354844, for processing. If payment is not made within 30 days, user departments should refer the matter to the Receivables Collection Office.

Unidentified Callers

If departmental records indicate an unauthorized toll call, and the caller cannot be identified, the UW IT may be able to assist in determining the caller’s identity. For more information, contact  UW IT by submitting a request using the Telecom Help Form or by calling 206-685-7711.

Unauthorized UWATS Calls

For UWATS calls in which an authorization number has been fraudulently used, the UW IT will assist the user department in any way possible. It should be noted, however, that credit will not be given in cases where a legitimate authorization code has been fraudulently used. Authorization codes can be changed immediately upon request by the department or individual to whom the code is assigned. Upon the departure of an employee with UWATS privileges, UW IT should be contacted immediately to cancel that employee’s authorization number.

Authorization code security is the responsibility of each assigned user, group, or department. UW IT does not recommend the assignment of an authorization code to more than one person.  Individual authorization code assignments help to support overall system accountability.

Use of State Resources (WAC 292-110-010)

Department Relocations

Normal installation charges apply when telephone and/or other telecommunications service need to be relocated.  Installation charges are generally dependent on the type and extent of the service(s) involved, and on the nature of the future facilities.

Current UW IT policy states that once an Ethernet connection is installed it may be used at the installed location without recurring charge. If you are moving to a building off campus, monthly rates may apply. You can verify these costs by contacting help@uw.edu.  If facilities are required at your new location, and/or remodeling requires moving an existing connection, normal installation charges will apply.

Contact UW IT for telecommunications service relocations, including ethernet, computer cabling relocations and telephone service relocations.

Ethernet

UW IT can determine if ethernet connections already exist at your new location, or conduct a survey to determine if facilities are adequate for service. Typical network installation currently requires two week advance notice.

When you know what rooms you will be relocating to, and what your ethernet requirements will be, relay the following information to UW IT:

  • Equipment and services needed
  • Date of the move
  • Building name(s)
  • Room number(s)
  • Current jack numbers and new jack numbers
  • If no jack, description of location within which specific room
  • Department name
  • Worktags
  • Current IP address(es)
  • On-site contact persons name, telephone number, and location

Telephone and other telecommunications services

Determine the telecommunications services needed at your new location. Contact a UW IT Analyst to help determine what services are available at your new location and the appropriate level of service for your office.

When you are ready to place an order, provide the following information to UW IT:

  • Equipment and services needed
  • Date of the move
  • Department name
  • Funding source (worktags)
  • Current telephone number(s), building name and room number
  • New building name and room number for current telephone number(s)
  • Any additional phone lines and sets needed, their building name(s) and room number(s)
  • On-site contact persons name, telephone number, and location

Off-Campus Locations

All costs associated with the moving and installation of telecommunications equipment will be billed to the appropriate worktags.

Music On Hold

UW-IT Telecom uses the following Music on Hold songs, under the associated licenses:

  • Epic Dramatic – Yuriy Bespalov
  • Holiday – Yuriy Bespalov
  • Optimistic Corporate – Yuriy Bespalov
  • Space Free – Yuriy Bespalov

Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

  • Summer-adventures-115949
  • Waterfall-140894

Licensed under Pixabay licensing (https://pixabay.com/service/terms)