Many options are available to keep in touch with family and friends. Here are some points to consider about telephones, answering machines, pagers, cell phones, phone cards, E-mail and message centers:

• Telephones
  • Check the wiring arrangements for the dorm room
  • Ask if the phone is provided or you need to bring one
  • Review the arrangements for local, toll, long distance and phone card calls
• Answering Machines
  • A good way to get messages from friends and family
  • Consider one for the dorm room telephone
  • Communicate if possible, with your future roommate about sharing one
• Pagers
  • Quick way for others to get in touch
  • Use vibration mode to avoid disruption
  • Requires access to a telephone to respond to page
• Cell Phones
  • Communicate quickly generally anytime and anywhere
  • Check if plans include paging and/or message center services
  • Compare prices on additional services and air time minutes
  • Identify blocks of anytime, off-peak, and long distance minutes
  • Discuss pros/cons of linking the student’s phone with family’s plan
    • Different area codes
    • Same area codes
  • Price service plans between national and local cell phone companies
  • Check if vendors offer university students discounted rate plans
• Phone Cards
  • Cost effective way to make long distance calls
  • May be required for long distance calls from the dorm room
  • Can also be used at a pay or private phone
  • An alternative if cell phone plan does not include long distance
  • An option if cell phone plan charges roaming fees
  • Check if cell phone company charges for using phone card access number
• E-Mail
  • Most universities have internet services available for their students
  • Communicate easily with family and friends who have internet access
  • Requires checking the mail
  • Can be instantaneous if both parties are on line
• Message Centers
  • Most cell phone companies offer message center services
  • Check if the university offers these services internally