Soon, all phone calls to and from Miami University will be made using Miami's high-speed data network.

Miami will change its entire telecommunications system to a new technology called Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in the next two weeks.

"This is the convergence of voice and data," said Chris Bernard, director of network engineering and telecommunications. "This is where technology is going."

According to Bernard, the new system will ensure each office desk phone will have a caller ID feature, as well as the ability to receive voicemails via e-mail and listen to them directly from a computer.

Similarly, Bernard said users can also make and receive phone calls using a personal computer from anywhere in the world with the use of Miami's data network, avoiding the high costs of international calls.

Through the system, Miami will also be able to expand its emergency alert system, with new phones placed in every office, common areas of residence halls and, if students choose, in their own dorm room. 

"Each phone will have an LCD screen on them that can display emergency alerts that are sent out, similar to the current text message alert system," said Cathy McVey, director of IT customer relations and communication. "Alerts can be sent to specific buildings, floors, or even individual phones."

Bernard said the initial startup costs of the switch includes replacing all phone hardware, replacing wiring and updating the network infrastructure total, all at an estimated cost of $3.5 million.

However, Bernard said Miami's phone bill, including service and support costs, are expected by be reduced by $1.2 million each year with the new system.

By eliminating the telephone service and merely using high-speed Internet to make phone calls, Miami will no longer pay a traditional phone bill. Miami will pay Cincinnati Bell for the service and oversight of the new system and the current network services group will provide technical support for it, according to Bernard.

Robertson Hall, which houses the university's main switch for the current telecommunications system, is one of the buildings set to be torn down in order to make room for the new Bicentennial Student Union.

According to Bernard, the cost of moving the switch from Robertson Hall to a new building would involve rerouting all the copper lines used for the current system and would be more expensive than switching to VoIP.

Bernard said this would then give Miami the ability to jump on the new VoIP technology, using the current Ethernet cables that are already in almost every room on campus.

"We will slowly start to implement this new system over the next two weeks by adding the new phone hardware to different buildings across campus, one by one, until all the hardware is completely replaced," Bernard said. "The process will be complete and we will shut down the old technology by the end of June 2009."

According to McVey, many other universities use VoIP technology, including the University of Louisville, Texas A&M University, Brandeis University, Penn State University and the University of Oregon.

There will be town hall meetings to discuss this new VoIP technology and its benefits.  The meetings, led by Bernard, will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Shriver Center. The last meeting will be 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 10 in Hamilton.