Learn basic information about telephone services—including conference calling—for students, faculty, and staff.
Phone Basics
Local Calling
- Campus calls to BC faculty/staff (552 exchange): Dial 2 + 4-digit number
- Toll free: Dial 9 + 1 + 8xx + 7-digit number
- Toll free directory assistance: Dial 9 + 1 + 800 + 555-1212
- Metro Boston & local off campus: Dial 9 + area code + 7-digit number
Long Distance Calling for Faculty & Staff
Use of the Boston College telephone system, both for local and long distance calling, is restricted to Boston College business only. All personal calls must be made on your personal mobile phone.
Long Distance Calls From an Administrative Office (552) Phone
- Domestic US: Dial 9 + 1 + area code + 7-digit number
- International: Dial 9 + 011 + country code + city code + number + # (pound sign)
Personal Long Distance Calls
You have two options for making personal long distance calls on-campus:
- Call from your own mobile phone.
- Use the long distance calling card of your choice (dial 9 and follow the instructions on your calling card).
Faculty & Staff Phones
All phones on campus are Cisco phones:
- Most offices use the Cisco 7841 phone, which can host 4 phone lines.
- Classrooms and labs use the Cisco 7821 phone, which can host 2 phone lines.
- Administrators needing to support 5+ office phone lines use the Cisco 8841 phone.
How do I access my voicemail?
How do I add a voicemail auto dial key to my phone?
All BC phones are equiped with a button that automatically dials voicemail. Look for the button labeled with a cassette tape.
If for some reason your voicemail button doesn't work, use these instructions to set one up:
- Press the Home key (the button with a picture of a house on it).
- Use the right arrow key until Directories appears & press the Select button.
- With Contact Directory highlighted, press the Select button.
- At the bottom of the display, press the Add button.
- Use the number keypad to type the name you want to assign to the button (e.g., Vmail).
- Use the down arrow key to move to Contact.
- Type the telephone number you want to call (for voicemail it would be 24006). For an off campus number, enter it the same way you would dial it from a BC campus phone (example: 918004444444).
- Press the Save button.
- Press the Home key 3 times.
How can I have my BC phone & mobile phone ring simultaneously?
For instructions to set this up, see the Voicemail FAQs.
Student Phones
New undergraduate students may request their own BC phone number (starting with 617-641) by calling the Help Center at 617-552-HELP (4357). This phone number will be active until the August following their graduation.
To use this number in the residence halls, students need a touch-tone phone with working # and * keys. You can dial 6-3333 to test your phone keys to verify that they are recognized as the "pound" and "star" key respectively. Cordless phones are not recommended because of the large number of lines in such a small area, which can cause interference and static. A simple, inexpensive desk phone is sufficient for use in the residence halls. For undergraduate students living off campus, their BC phone number will serve as a voicemail box where they can receive messages.
Troubleshooting
If you don't hear a dial tone when you plug your phone into your jack, use a nearby phone and call 617-552-4357 from your mobile phone to report a phone jack problem. When you call, be prepared to provide your Eagle ID number, a phone number where you can be reached (your roommate's, for example), and your EagleNet box number (located on the left-hand side of the EagleNet box below the phone and computer icons).
On campus student phones have call waiting, call forwarding, and 3-way conferencing features at no additional charge.
For some of these features, you will need to momentarily depress the switchhook or plunger where the handset normally rests. This is the same as briefly hanging up and will allow you to activate the desired feature. Your telephone may have a special button labeled FLASH, or LINK that may be used instead of the switchhook.
Call Waiting
While talking on the phone, you have the ability to answer a second call when you hear a short tone indicating another person is trying to reach you. Call Waiting allows you to put the first party on hold while you answer your second call.
- When you hear a tone, press the switchook on your phone. You will now be speaking to the incoming caller.
- Press the switchook again to return to the first call.
Disable call waiting:
- Lift the phone handset.
- Dial *70.
- Hang up.
- Call waiting will automatically turn itself back on at the end of a call.
Call Forwarding
Allows you to automatically send all incoming calls to another number on campus (655, 656, 552).
Activate call forwarding:
- Lift your phone handset.
- Dial *72.
- Enter the 5-digit number of the phone you are forwarding to.
- Hang up when finished.
- Call your own number from your own phone to make sure the forwarding is working.
Cancel call forwarding:
- Lift your phone handset.
- Dial *73.
- Hang up when finished.
3-Way Conferencing
Allows you to have a conference call with two other parties. With this service, you can initiate calls to both parties or add another party to an established call. You may conference any combination of on and off campus phone numbers. Calling cards are required for long distance calls.
- Lift the handset. Dial the number of the first person you want to call.
- Press the switchhook on your phone. (This puts the first person on hold).
- Dial the number of the second person you want to call.
- Press the switchhook on your phone again to connect all parties.
Conference Calling
Information Technology Services offers two options for conferencing calling at Boston College:
- Meet Me Conference Bridges (3 units available - reservations should be made a minimum of 3 business days prior to the intended call.)
- Conference Quality speakerphones (several units available - reservations should be made a minimum of 5 business days prior to the intended call.)
Members of the BC community are welcome to utilize either of these services by calling the reservation line at 617-552-1820 (2-1820 from on-campus) or using the Telephone Services Request Form. This line is monitored by our staff and messages will be returned promptly. If insufficient notice is given, scheduling cannot be guaranteed.
Conference bridges reservations should be made a minimum of three business days prior to the intended call.
Of the three conference bridge numbers available for use, two can host up to 10 callers, while one can host up to 30 callers. Toll free options are available with one of the 10 port bridges and the 30 port bridge. If a toll free number is needed for the intended call, be sure to inform the staff member scheduling the call.
Dialing instructions for utilizing a conference bridge can be provided upon scheduling. It is recommended that at least one participant should be calling from a BC campus phone, though this is not required.
Voice Services reserves the right to change the conference bridge numbers at any given time due to abuse. Changes will be made on a routine basis.
Speakerphone reservations should be made a minimum of five business days prior to the intended call.
Speakerphones are available for temporary use in administrative offices throughout the university. If an analog telephone line is not available for use, a temporary line will be installed by a telecommunications technician. If a user is not familiar with this information, a technician or Technology Consultant can confirm the availability. The speakerphone will be installed just prior to the scheduled event and will be retrieved as soon as possible thereafter.
Questions on either service can be directed to 617-552-1820 (2-1820 from on-campus) or by using the Telephone Services Request Form.
WiFi Calling
Wi-Fi Calling is a carrier-provided feature that allows you to make or receive a phone call or SMS text message if you have a Wi-Fi connection in an area with little or no cellular coverage. Once enabled, cellular phones automatically use WiFi Calling when needed.
- Ensure your device is connected to both your cellular network AND eduroam.
- Turn on WiFi Calling
- iOS devices:
- Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling
- Android devices:
- Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi Calling
- Settings > Connections > Voice Networks > Wi-Fi Calling
- Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi Calling
- Or just search Settings for Wi-Fi Calling.
- iOS devices:
- Follow the prompts to confirm your address for emergency services.
When you first enable WiFi Calling, you will be prompted to include an address for 911 emergency call routing. This helps first responders locate you at the address where you are most likely to use WiFi Calling. When you place a 911 call, it uses the cellular network when possible. If no cellular network is available, device location data from nearby WiFi networks can be used to help locate you. If that data is not available, the address you provide during setup will be used (and can be updated any time in your phone settings).