Telephone Services

IT Services provide telephone services to the University, including the student/staff email/telephone directory.

Switchboard services are provided by the Facilities Department. Switchboard can be contacted internally by dialling "0".

All requests for service should be referred to the Service Desk on (01902) 322000 (x2000 on an internal phone) in the first instance.

Directory Enquiries : Moving to a New Location : Telephone Charges : Reverse Charge Calls : Premium Rates : Mobiles

Directory Enquiries
Please assist us in keeping the costs of bills down by avoiding using Directory Enquiries. Please make use of the Internet and telephone directory books where possible.

If there is no other way of finding a telephone number via these means, please use one of the following:

  • National Enquiries - 118707
  • International Enquiries - 118505

Please bear in mind that all calls will be charged, and higher costs are applied if you choose to have your call connected by Directory Enquiries. Using Directory Enquiries is expensive and significantly increases the University's phone bills.

Moving to a new location
Please note that the notice required by IT Services for moves or cabling installations is two weeks. You will retain your original extension number if this is possible.

The Service Desk require the following information:

  • Authorisation from your Head of Department or Line Manager
  • Current room number, extension number and socket reference (noted on the socket)
  • The room number of the new location
  • Is a socket already available, and, if so, the socket reference?
  • Is the socket live (ie is there a dial tone when a phone is plugged into the socket)?
Telephony Charges
Schools and services are recharged for telephony costs as follows:

For University telephones that are permitted to make external calls the charge is £20 a quarter or part thereof per telephone. This charge covers repair and replacement of faulty handsets, normal day to day moves and changes, call charges for calls made from that telephone to national, international and mobile numbers and also voicemail for those with Cisco IP telephones, (available on request).

For those University phones which can only make internal calls (such as classroom and corridor phones) the charge is £7 a quarter.

For University mobile phones, schools and services are recharged the full cost as billed by our suppliers.

Please note that all telephone traffic into and out of the University is logged. IT Services reserve the right to make a charge for excessive use.

We also provide advice on Ordering Telephone Equipment, and on Using Your Telephone.

Reverse Charge Phone Calls - Please Beware
Please do not accept reverse charge calls to University phones.

A number of incoming reverse charge calls have been received by University direct dial numbers. If you receive such a call you will be told the caller's name and asked whether or not you wish to accept by saying "yes". Please put the phone down unless you really are expecting the call and need to receive it. Do not say "yes" unless you know who is calling.

You should be aware that such calls cost the University money. Each call costs a minimum of £2.51, more if the call takes more than one minute. Reverse charge calls from mobiles cost a minimum of £2.63. A reverse charge call from abroad can cost several pounds.

Premium Rate Phone Numbers
Premium rate phone numbers, i.e. numbers starting with 090 or 091, are blocked from being called from University phones. Calling these numbers is expensive and there is no legitimate use for most such services in the University context.

If you consider you need to access a Premium rate service, you should contact the Schools Account Manager. You will need to provide:-
  • the phone number you wish to call, the nature of the service and a brief statement of why you need to use the service.
  • detail of the tariffs charged by the service provider.
  • confirmation from your school or service budget holder that the costs are acceptable.
Faulty, Lost or Stolen Mobile Phones
Please see the advice on the page about mobile phones.

Travelling Abroad with your Mobile or Smartphone
Please see the advice on the page about mobile phones.


Date: 4th August 2011
Last Reviewed: 18th June 2012