UW-Eau Claire Voice-over-IP Project

This is the second year of the project to extend voice communications over our campus network (Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP).  Deployment of IP phones in Schofield, Davies Centers, Old Library, McIntyre Library and Nursing is nearly completed. This represents 450 IP phones including 63 wireless phones. The latter helps to eliminate the need for outside cell phone contracts.

Voice communications (which has traditionally meant telephones) has been integrated with the campus network and server infrastructure. This is referred to as unified communications. As a result of this convergence, UWEC is able to offer additional communication options and functional, collaborative, and convenient features to the campus community. Voice recognition is an example of enhanced functionality and convenience. It provides voice access to email, scheduling, and communication with contacts. In other words, while commuting, you could use your cell phone to hear a list of your appointments for the day and have your email read to you.

The VoIP project continues this year with deployment in Phillips, HSS, Haas Fine Arts and Schneider. Unified communications will be a part of these new installations. Departments adopting the new IP phones are invited to a one-hour training session hosted by LTS. The session familiarizes users with the additional capabilities, including conferencing and voice-mail.  These classes are on-going and anyone who could not attend with their original group can sit in on another session as time permits.

Phones are just one example of an audio network device that provides voice communication. On the horizon we will see further integration to include video conferencing capabilities both on and off campus.