The Following Notice Was Sent To All Students Via Email On May 19, 2010
Long Distance Authorization Codes and Calling
Dear Grinnell College students,
For about twenty-five years the College has provided long distance calling service to students living on campus. The program offered an affordable and popular way to make long distance calls using the college’s telephone system.
In recent years, the near ubiquity of cellular telephones, the availability of low-cost prepaid calling cards, and the advent of Internet based services like Skype, text messaging, and email have reduced the value of this long distance service. Simply put, with the convenient technology and calling options available to you, the value of the long distance program has diminished. You have voted with your fingers, and you are taking your calls elsewhere. For the College, the long distance program has gone from being a resource used by many to an obsolete service.
Since the program is no longer a value to you the students, we have decided to eliminate long distance service before the beginning of the fall semester. If you presently have an authorization code, it will be deactivated effective July 1, 2010.
In-room telephone service will continue in college-owned housing. You will still be able to make long distance calls from those phones if you wish. However, after July 1, you will need to use a calling card that connects to a long distance service through a local access number or a toll-free service. The Grinnell College Bookstore will have prepaid calling cards available for purchase. Prepaid calling cards are also available at outlets throughout the community.
If you have questions about the end of long distance resale to students, please contact Mark Miller in the Office of Information Technology Services.
Bill Francis Mark Miller
Director Deputy Director
ITS ITS
