As other universities offer custom services for students, Ball State University is taking a careful look at its options. Marshall University will hand out free cell phones for students in the fall, and Ohio State University has its own customized cell phone plan. However, starting any type of customized plan at Ball State requires more than a couple cell phone towers and a student population falling in love with the idea.??
THE TASK AT HAND
"We want to go beyond what Marshall did," Amy Berg, director of telephone and postal services at Ball State, said. Ball State is looking into newly developed technology to address its needs. Berg said she cannot disclose the option the university is considering, but the school is looking at more than a cell phone.
"It's a combination of a PDA, phone, instant messenger, Web browser ... It's an all-in-one device," she said.
Berg added the proposed plan includes a combination of cell phones and university phone.
A major consideration is cost. Offering a low cost option for students is a priority, Berg said.??
"If students show us that they want mobile phones and are willing to pay for the services, we are more likely to implement it," she said in an e-mail.
Funding creates hurdles for the university. Berg said the university expects budget cuts during the next two years.?
Tracing emergency calls creates another burden for cell phone users. Calls to 911 made in the dorms are easily traced by University Police. If students were to dial 911 on their cell phones, the response time by police is delayed. The call goes to the Delaware County Sheriff's Department then the department contacts Ball State police.
"The problem is that the sheriff's personnel are not familiar with the campus," Berg said. She added that not all cell phones or cell phone carriers have a traceable 911 service.??
As for the campus getting more wireless service and eliminating landlines, that is years away, Berg said. The new residence hall being built north of DeHority Complex will have landlines in the residence hall rooms.
SOLUTIONS FOR OTHER SCHOOLS?
Colleges that do have cell phone services are using varied approaches. Marshall University will eliminate the use of landlines as it hands out cell phones, according to resident services Web site.
Starting in Fall 2005, students at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., will receive free Nokia 9350 phones with unlimited local and long distance calls, according to Marshall University's residence service Web site. These phones replace landline phones in dorm rooms, the site said. If the student fails to return the phone or returns it in unacceptable condition, he foots a $130 bill by residence services, according to the site.???
Instead of ridding the campus of landlines, Ohio State University offers prepaid and contracted services. Ohio State contracts Cingular and Sprint PCS to form Ohio State University Wireless, according to its Web site. Though the student may use Cingular or Sprint PCS for his carrier, he orders and signs agreements with OSU Wireless, according to its Web site.
Students receive monthly bills for their cell phone service through OSU Wireless. They can manage their accounts online as well.
STUDENT OUTLOOK
Sophomore Hannah Terry uses her cell phone all the time for the free long distance from Cingular.
"I definitely use it every day. I'm usually calling people in the same building to find out where they are," Terry said.
If Ball State would offer a cell phone service, Terry said the key factors for her decision to switch are whether free long distance is offered and how much the fees are for going over her contracted minutes.?
If a prepaid cell phone service would be offered, Terry said it is not worth the hassle for those who constantly use cell phones.
"Prepaid is a rip off. You pay way too much for minutes," she said.
Freshman Ashley Elfers said she loves using her cell phone because she can call anyone without a problem.
"It's just right there, and it's convenient, and I don't have to worry about using a phone card to call my parents from here," Elfers said.??
Elfers said she likes her 1,000 free minutes for nights and weekends, and if Ball State would offer a plan, she hopes for unlimited minutes during that period.
As for her residence hall phone, Elfers said she only uses it for incoming calls or making a call to campus offices.
Sophomore Jacob Relue does not have a cell phone but would like to have one. Relue said his lack of funds keeps him from having a cell phone. And even without having a cell phone, his campus phone doesn't see much action.
"I use it once every two weeks to call home for about five minutes," Relue said. Relue uses a calling card in lieu of a long distance plan.
Relue said if he would get a cell phone plan, whether with Ball State or another carrier, he prefers to not have time restrictions for his usage of minutes.
THE FATE
Regardless of the the direction Ball State chooses to go, the decision will not come lightly.
Berg said telephone services investigate all options before coming up with solutions for students using cell phones. However, she anticipates a plan that will satisfy the needs of students by Fall 2006.
"Technology studies are never-ending. New technology is always around the corner," Berg said. "The question is, 'When is it ready for Ball State?'"
To learn more about Ball State's current partnership with Verizon Blackberry, visit:
www.bsu.edu/web/ucs/blackberry/
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