Local numbers metered by CampusLink
Campus Times
February 14, 1997
University of La Verne residents no longer have the ability to dial
most numbers outside of campus without a pin-code. This includes most numbers
within the 909 or 818 area codes.
CampusLink, the company contracted to provide phone service to the residence
halls, has submitted a list of all local calls within these two area codes,
that will not require a pin-code, to the Housing and Residential Life office
as of Feb. 3, said Steve Mayo, chief operating officer for CampusLink.
Certain local calls which are metered by Campus Link, as if they were
long distance calls, are considered to be local or long distance calls that
the local area phone company charges for, according to Mayo.
The list should reach students mailboxes today, or can be found in the
office of Housing and Residential Life.
According to Mayo, CampusLink has only implemented the pin code for
these local/long distance calls, to avoid billing problems later with roommates,
or shared phone use, just as the regular long distance billing works.
According to a local GTE customer service phone representative, if living
in a regular residential area off campus, an activation fee of $46 is charged,
and the residents choice of two separate plans.
The first plan is $10 a month for all metered calls, which include all
local and long distance calls.
The second plan, which is $17.25 a month, includes unlimited local calls
and metered long distance calls, which are calls outside of a 12 mile radius.
These are the only two plans that the local GTE phone company has. Additional
charges are incurred for luxury expenses such as call waiting and three
way calling, but not calls considered local/long distance which CampusLink
charges for, according to a GTE customer service representative.
According to Mayo, the previous billing of local/long distance calls
will be credited back to students on the next billing cycle. Students will
have had a chance to see the list, and will then be asked for a pin-code
for those calls not within the free range, but rather considered local long
distance calls.
"We try to always be less than local telephone service, and do
not make money on these calls," said Mayo.
At the Claremont Colleges, campus residents receive phone service through
a PBX 2400 line, directly through the campus, rather than using an outside
company as La Verne does, according to Danny Gmeiner, manager of telephone
services at the Claremont Colleges.
Currently the students pay a $7.50 a month fee, which will be lowered
to around $5 a month this summer. Each student receives a pin-code for normal
long distance calls and the University pays for local charges. Students
receive unlimited local calls, according to Gmeiner.
Mayo said if billing statements are still incorrect after the next cycle,
students are urged to call Campus Link customer service at (800) 962-4772.