As nearly everyone is aware, the Hunter College phone system is antiquated
and limited. No new phone lines have been available for some time. After
years of waiting, the new Siemens phone system is currently being installed.
This is very large installation with the replacement of the telephone switch
and 4000 phone units. The construction and installation began at the start
of September and will likely take until well into the spring to be
completed. When it is done, we will have a new electronic phone system with
all new instruments. The new system will have available lines and many new
features. Several of the features will allow us to improve our helpdesk
phone system, giving us more flexibility, better information capability and
a much less cumbersome way of changing announcements. This will allow us to
have a phone helpdesk that operates like the best of helpdesks that many of
us encounter when dealing with outside organizations.