Telephone Services

At Truman State University, we have two types of phone service to meet the needs of faculty and staff. Many users have a standard analog phone which allows them to make, receive, and transfer calls. A voicemail box is provided with analog and digital phones, along with the option to have voicemail sent to e-mail. There are a number of other features which can be enabled on analog phones using the options listed on the Feature Code page here. Analog phone service is provided through dedicated phone lines and plug into the black phone ports across campus. When a user moves locations, the phone lines must be rewired to relocate the extension to the users new location. Any analog phone should work with our analog phone service and each department is responsible for purchasing their own devices.

Polycom handsets are digital telephones supplied by our service provider for an additional monthly fee. These devices allow for a number of additional features required by certain users. Rather than the traditional dedicated phone wiring used for analog service, these phones use the same type of wired network connection a computer uses. The phone plugs into the blue network port on the wall and the computer can be connected through a second network connection on the back of the phone. A Polycom phone can be moved to a different location on campus without requiring specific wiring changes. The 911 address information just needs to be updated by the phone team.

The primary difference between the two services is the call handling features. Polycom phones have a built-in screen which allows additional lines to be displayed. A single user can have up to twelve lines, including their own so they can pick up incoming calls for other users (Model VVX 300 is six lines and Model VVX 400 is twelve). For instance, a department secretary might need to answer calls coming in to other staff or faculty member’s phones periodically. The secretary can do this directly from their Polycom phone at their desk. The line will continue to ring on each user’s phone so they can pick it up themselves, but a light next to their extension will also flash on the secretary’s phone so they can pick it up when it’s ringing as well.

Please refer to the other pages at phones.truman.edu for additional information about these services or e-mail phones@truman.edu with any questions.

For help with service issues, to make changes to an existing service, or to add an extension, please contact the IT Service Center at 660-785-4544.