Although most departments no longer receive monthly phone bills for local and long distance usage, this does not mean that phone calls are free. UB must pay telephone service providers to support external  telephone services, including local, long distance, and international phone usage. Unlike “free” Internet services like Skype, UB’s VoIP telephone system provides business grade call quality, voice mail, call center capabilities and other functionality required by the university.

From time to time our phone carrier brings to our attention long distance and international usage patterns from UB that have been determined to be anomalous, given the time, length and destination of the connections. Verizon knows these calls can be costly, so they’re looking out for UB’s interests.