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The services and information below are aimed at the Penn IT professionals. For getting IT support, please go to the Get IT Help section on this website.

Overview

Centrex is the legacy telephone service provided by our telecommunication carrier’s central office. The carrier owns and manages the equipment and software inside the central office that provides the dial tone, and transmits calls.  Communications services provided by Centrex uses older technologies and is in the process of being phased out within the telecommunication industry and on campus. Just as campus has migrated away from the Centrex telephone service and is now relying on the PennFlex Phone service, we continue to explore ways to migrate other services still supported by Centrex; such as fax machines and alarm lines for subzero freezers to other technologies which provide those services using our data network. ISC continues to support existing devices that require this type of service as we transition to newer technologies.

Please note: We no longer provide new traditional campus fax lines. We will continue to service existing copper fax lines on a case-by-case basis.

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Henry Charles Lea Library in Van Pelt

Offerings

  • Traditional Voice - Phone lines for fax, security and life safety needs(emergency and elevator phones) as well as support for existing analog phones sets consisting of 9316, 9417 and 5316 MBS sets.
  • Traditional Voice Specialty Circuits - T-1 and ISDN circuits

Benefits

  • Reliability: dial tone works without electricity
  • Supports alarm lines and fax machines
  • Provides 5-digit dialing for campus phone numbers

Target Audience

Faculty, staff, students, and guests

Funding Type

Rates

New Set/Line Set Up Fee

FY2025
$50
Per New Set/Line

Expedited Fee

FY2025
$580
Per Request

This service is funded by Allocated Funds as recommended by the Penn Technology Investment Committee (PTIC).

PTIC covered service components include:

  • Ongoing maintenance and monthly fees

Charge-back service components include: 

  • Set up fee for each new set/line
  • Labor for new phone set and line installations (Standard ISC labor rates)
  • Expedited service is available for all line installations, line moves, and on-site technician support requests with less than standard lead times. Please see our ISC Expediting Fee page for additional information including lead time by request type.

ISC rate increases are generally aligned with University increases.

The ISC rate review process is timed to coincide with the University’s annual budgeting process. Rates are reviewed over the summer, and if any require a change, they are approved for the following fiscal year and are communicated to clients by the end of October to allow for budget updates. Exceptions may occur when a rate is lowered. ISC may choose to begin charging a lower rate as soon as possible to pass along the cost savings.

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