Basics
SLAC Cellular Users' Guide
CHAPTER 1 Cellular Phones at SLAC
CHAPTER 2 Cellular Phones and Accessories
What cellular phones are available?
CHAPTER 3 The SLAC Cellular Service Plan
Basic cellular service
CHAPTER 4 How to Order Your Cellular Phone
Completing the Purchase Requisition
CHAPTER 5 How to Order Accessories
CHAPTER 6 How to Borrow a Phone
CHAPTER 7 How to Get a Telephone Repaired
Warranty and Non-Warranty Repairs
CHAPTER 8 What to Do with Your Cellular Bill
How to reimburse SLAC for personal calls
CHAPTER 9 What to Do If Your Phone is Lost or Stolen
CHAPTER 10 How to Make Emergency Calls from Your Cellular Phone
CHAPTER 11 Other Useful Information
Static and disconnected calls
Some of the benefits provided by cellular phones are:
You may have identified other ways that a cellular phone could benefit you or your department.
Using a cellular phone requires more than just purchasing the equipment. You will also need to make arrangements for monthly service and have a plan in place to get the phone repaired when necessary.
SLAC Telecommunications has worked with other departments, including Purchasing and Accounting, to develop procedures to make it easy for you to order a phone, order service, order parts, and obtain repairs when you need them. Following these procedures will help reduce the administrative overhead for your department and SLAC as a whole. It will also help ensure that you conform to requirements regarding the tracking and use of government property.
The SLAC Cellular User's Guide explains how to select and order the cellular equipment and services that you need. It also describes the various services available and their costs, so that you can optimize the usefulness of the phone, in a cost-effective manner. The phones and services described in this guide meet SLAC standards and are covered by our existing contracts. If you require equipment or services not described in this guide, you must contact the SLAC Telecommunications group for approval and information on how to place your order.
For detailed information on how to operate and care for your phone, see the user's guide which came with your phone.
This section answers some of the most commonly asked questions about cellular
phones and accessories.
SLAC has standardized on a single cellular phone model that meets the needs of nearly all current SLAC cellular users. The currently approved model is the Motorola V195, available from T-Mobile.
If you believe you need another model of cellular phone or service from another provider, please contact SLAC Telecommunications prior to proceeding. You will need to provide a business justification for the alternative phone or services as part of the standard approval process.
MOTOROLA V195 SLAC STANDARD PHONE
Basics
|
Size: |
3.6 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches |
|
Weight: |
3.6 ounces |
|
Included battery: |
Li-Ion |
|
Talk time: |
Up to 8 hours |
|
Standby time: |
Up to 17.5 days |
|
Band (frequency): |
850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz |
Included Accessories
To determine what additional accessories you may need, you should evaluate how you will use the phone. Many users find a case useful to protect the phone or clip it to a belt. If you use the phone extensively, you may find a vehicle power adapter useful to recharge the phone when you are away from your desk. If the phone is passed from one person to another, it may be helpful to have a second charger available in the office in case someone forgets the charger when handing off the phone.
Note: The SLAC standard phone includes everything that is necessary to operate your phone. This package meets the needs of about half of the SLAC users. Very few people require all of the optional accessories listed. Order only what you need.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
If you are ordering or have a Motorola V195, you may order the following accessories:
Black Case $19.99
Motorola
·Genuine leather
·Quick-release swivel clip
·Clips to belt, waistband, or purse
Vehicle Power Charger w/Custom T-Mobile Logo $19.99
Superior
·Plugs into your vehicle power port
·Charge your phone and talk at the same time
Travel Charger $19.99
Motorola
·Plugs into most wall outlets
·Charge your phone and talk at the same time
Motorola
·Great replacement or spare
·Rechargeable
If you already have a Motorola V188 phone, you may order the following accessories:
Motorola
·Genuine leather
·Quick-release swivel clip
·Clips to belt, waistband, or purse
Holster w/ Clip $14.99
Superior
·Made of industrial-grade plastic
·Grip interior holds phone securely
·Clips to belt, waistband, or purse
Superior
·Plugs into your vehicle power port
·Charge your phone and talk at the same time
Motorola
·Plugs into most wall outlets
·Charge your phone and talk at the same time
Lithium Ion Battery 880mAh $39.99
Motorola
·Great replacement or spare
·Rechargeable
We do not recommend camera phones for SLAC users. Security restrictions do not permit carrying camera phones on many government sites. Camera phones are not allowed in many court houses in the Bay Area. They are also banned from some gyms and public restrooms. It is the responsibility of the individual phone user to know and comply with regulations on where the phone can be carried and used. If you believe that ready access to a camera would help you in your work at SLAC, you should carefully consider the possible inconvenience of being without your phone in areas where cameras are not allowed.
Before purchasing a camera phone, you will need to evaluate how you plan to transmit any photos you take or how you will connect the phone to a PC to download the photos. Transmitting photos from the cellular phone over the Internet can have a significant impact on your monthly service charges. Remember to include these costs in your evaluation of the phone and it's value to SLAC, as well as in your business justification provided on the authorization form.
We do not recommend Bluetooth-enabled phones for SLAC users or support Bluetooth functions that may be available on SLAC phones. SLAC does not fund or approve the purchase of any Bluetooth headsets or other Bluetooth accessories for Bluetooth-capable phones.
Bluetooth-enabled phones have been shown to have a number of vulnerabilities. There are publicly available computer programs to exploit those vulnerabilities, performing actions like copying your phonebook, redirecting your calls, sending SMS messages and even placing voice calls through your phone. For some vulnerabilities, there is NO known protection other than disabling Bluetooth. Extensive documentation on the vulnerabilities and exploits is available at http://www.bluestumbler.org. This site also includes references to talks and demonstrations given at various hacker conferences in the US and Europe.
If you have a phone equipped with Bluetooth, we recommend leaving Bluetooth turned off to prevent unauthorized calls and access to personal or confidential information in your address books. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that Bluetooth is disabled on a Bluetooth-capable phone.
Remember that you will be responsible for all use made of the device you purchase, as well as the inconveniences and costs of installing software updates and resolving problems. Before purchasing a Bluetooth-enabled device, carefully weigh the benefits you would derive from the device against the exposure to yourself and to SLAC.
This chapter describes the cellular services and rates available to users at SLAC.
SLAC has a contract with T-Mobile for basic cellular service, based on government rates. The cost of service for each cellular phone is $8.56/month, plus $.04/minute of use. These rates include national roaming and long distance charges. A voice mailbox is included at no additional charge. However, you will be charged for minutes of use when you access the mailbox from your cellular phone.
Because the per minute rates are so low, the basic plan is less expensive than purchasing a plan with a bucket of minutes. This is the standard plan for all SLAC users.
T-Mobile provides street-level coverage maps that tell you how well your phone is likely to work in particular areas. These maps can be accessed on the Web at http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/. Indoor coverage is dependent on building materials and construction and may differ from the outdoor coverage in nearby areas.
No cellular carrier provides complete coverage of the country. Coverage is most likely to be limited or non-existent in remote and mountainous areas. If you are planning to travel in these areas, please consult the coverage maps or T-Mobile Customer Care, 1-800-375-1126, before you go.
Important: If you are considering purchasing a phone to use in an area, such
as the SLAC tunnels or parts of the Santa Cruz mountains, where your pocket pager does not
work, a cellular phone will probably not work there. You should borrow a
phone and test its usefulness to you before purchasing one.
SLAC cellular phones are normally restricted from making international calls. This applies to both outgoing international calls from the United States and local or long distance calls when traveling outside the United States. The international restriction does not apply to calls to Canada or to using your phone while roaming in Canada. International calls placed from mobile phones are substantially more expensive than similar calls placed from SLAC desktop phones. International travelers can borrow a cellular phone with international capability from Teri Church for their trips. You should send e-mail to Teri at least two weeks before your trip with your travel dates and requirements.
Prior to ordering any cellular phones or services, please review the SLAC policy on such purchases as well as the SLAC policy on "Limited Personal Use of Government Office Equipment including Information Technology."
SLAC has a blanket purchase order in place with T-Mobile. This agreement allows you to purchase your telephone at government rates and have it activated on a government rate plan for cellular service at the same time.
After selecting your cellular phone and accessories, submit a purchase requisition and a completed and signed authorization for the telephone using the information provided in this section. The authorization form is required for all new and replacement phones. You will be notified when the phone has arrived and is ready for you to pick up.
To order a cellular phone or services not available from T-Mobile, contact Teri Church for assistance in establishing a Blanket Purchase Order.
Complete the SLAC purchase requisition using the following information.
A standard authorization form is also required to order a cellular phone. This can be found on the Web at http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/comp/telecom/cellphone/Cell Phone Approval Form1.doc. This form should be completed, printed, signed, and included as an attachment to your purchase requisition.
The completed requisition and authorization forms can be faxed to Teri Church, on (650)-926-5365.
Listing the services on the requisition is an acknowledgement from your department that there will be ongoing costs associated with the phone. Your department will be charged back the costs on our T-Mobile invoice, reflecting the actual usage on the phone.
You will be notified when the phone is ready for you to pick up.
This chapter describes how to order accessories for SLAC cellular phones. Prior to ordering any cellular phones, accessories, or services, please review the SLAC policy on such purchases as well as the SLAC policy on "Limited Personal Use of Government Office Equipment including Information Technology." .
Information on accessories can be found in Chapter 2 of this document. You should review the following sections:
Complete a SLAC BOR using the following information.
After completing the BOR, have it signed in the lower left corner, by an authorized person from your group. Send your signed BOR to Teri Church, at mail stop 97. Teri will review the BOR and place the order for you.
You will be called when the parts are available to pick up.
If your new equipment is broken or does not function properly, you can use the warranty repair program to get a replacement phone. You must obtain a return authorization number and return your phone to T-Mobile within thirty days of receipt to qualify. See How to Get a Telephone Repaired for more information.
T-Mobile does not provide loaner or rental equipment.
Teri Church has two phones available to loan to persons who need them for International travel. E-mail your request to Teri at least two weeks before the start of your trip.
If you are uncertain whether you have a problem with your phone equipment, cellular coverage, or operating procedures, you can contact T-Mobile Customer Care on 1-(800)-375-1126 for problem resolution assistance. Brenda Eberle can also provide problem resolution assistance.
Phones which are damaged or otherwise not functioning properly upon receipt are covered as warranty repairs through T-Mobile. The warranty period for phones is one year. The warranty period for batteries and chargers is 90 days.
Examples of damage not covered by the warranty include:
If you determine that your equipment needs to be replaced, follow the procedures outlined below to ensure that you meet SLAC and DOE requirements for handling government property.
All cellular telephone bills are reviewed by SCCS for non use and excessive use. They are approved for payment by SCCS. Regulatory, Tax issues etc. are delegated to accounting to decide appropriateness. Service charges for each phone will be charged back to the account provided when you ordered your phone.
We are working to make copies of phone bills available to users and their departments. When this feature is available, users and their departments will be notified.. This will allow you to reconcile accounting charges for your department, reimburse SLAC for personal calls, and check for fraudulent calls.
If the charges on your accounting statements do not match those on your copies of the phone bills, contact SLAC Accounts Payable for assistance in resolving the discrepancies.
If you use a SLAC cellular phone for personal calls, you are required to reimburse SLAC for the amount you owe. Check the phone bills for the exact amount. Additional information on SLAC's policy on personal use of phones can be found in "Limited Personal Use of Government Office Equipment including Information Technology."
The Accounting department has noted that it is expensive to process the reimbursement checks. So, please avoid using the cellular phone for personal calls, if there are alternatives available to you. Also, if the charges for your personal calls are only a few dollars per month, you may wish to accumulate charges for two or three months before reimbursing SLAC.
To reimburse SLAC, send a personal check and a memo to the Accounts Payable Manager, M/S 6. Make the check out to "SLAC" for the amount you owe. The memo might look something like this:
I am enclosing a personal check in the amount of $_________ to reimburse SLAC for personal
cellular phone charges. Please credit account number* ________ accordingly. The date of
the invoice is ___________. A copy of the phone bill is attached.
Vendor's P.O. number is 62559.
Notes:
Send a copy of the above memo to Brenda Eberle, at M/S 97. This will allow SLAC Telecommunications to track actual business use of the cellular phones for planning purposes. DO NOT send any personal checks to Brenda or SLAC Telecommunications.
Call T-Mobile Customer Care on 1-(800)-375-1126 to let them know that your phone has been lost or stolen. They can arrange to have your phone turned off immediately. In general, you will be held responsible for calls made on your phone until the loss is reported to T-Mobile. So it is important that you report the loss as soon as possible after you discover the phone is missing.
If your phone is stolen, you will also need to file a police report. SLAC Security can provide assistance if the loss occurs at SLAC.
After you call T-Mobile to have your phone turned off, they will hold the same telephone number for you for 30 days. If you recover your phone, you can ask to have it reactivated with the same phone number. Also, if you decide to purchase a new phone, you can note on your Purchase Requisition that you want to have it programmed with the old number.
Because the cellular phone is government property, you should also report the loss to SLAC's Property Control Department.
You should be aware that there are some differences between how you make an emergency call from a SLAC telephone (one connected to the SLAC switch), a cellular phone, and a Pacific Bell line (such as a coin phone, residence line, or other phone not connected to the SLAC switch).
On calls placed from cellular phones, it is not possible to pinpoint the location of the caller. Since cellular phones are most commonly used from vehicles, emergency calls from these phones in California are often connected to the California Highway Patrol. If you are not on a highway, you should immediately identify the community and type of emergency to the dispatcher. If you are on the SLAC site, ask for Palo Alto Emergency Dispatch. State that you are calling from SLAC and give the exact location on the site. Although calls from Menlo Park are now being routed to the local emergency dispatch center, remember that a call made from some locations on the SLAC site may not be distinguishable from a call made on the I-280 overpass.
Detailed instructions follow.
This chapter contains information about a variety of topics that may help you to use your cellular phone more effectively.
If you have problems with static or disconnected phone calls while using the phone, call T-Mobile customer care by dialing 611 from your cellular phone. Customer care representatives are available to answer questions or help resolve problems with your cellular service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you do not use your phone frequently, you should test the phone and batteries at least once a month to ensure that the phone will be working when you need it. This is especially important if you have the phone primarily for emergency use.
Verify that you are able to place and receive calls, that you can hear and be heard by the other party on the calls, and that your batteries are still holding their charge for a reasonable length of time while the phone is powered on.
Make sure you understand and follow the instructions for the care and maintenance of your particular phone as they are explained in the user's guide that came with your phone.
To save on battery and airtime charges, use your pocket pager and voicemail in conjunction with the cellular phone. By letting people page you, you can avoid charges for receiving phone calls on the cellular phone. This also helps you save on battery life.
You can use your voicemail at SLAC to page your pocket pager when you have important messages. Contact your ATOM if you want this feature.
Follow the instructions that came with your phone to prolong the life of the batteries.
The most common type of fraud is cloning another cellular phone. This can be done by capturing your mobile phone number and the phone's electronic serial number (ESN). These numbers are then programmed into another phone, creating a clone which can be used to place calls that will be billed to your number.
If your phone is cloned, it will be necessary to have the number deactivated and to have your phone programmed with a new cellular number. If you travel a lot, you may also discover that your roaming capabilities are occasionally restricted in certain high-crime areas, due to the number of cloning problems in the local cellular service provider's system.
There are also a number of things that you can do to help prevent cellular phone fraud.
SLAC employees and their families can order equipment and services from T-Mobile at discounted prices. You can get the employee discount pricing by ordering your phone and service through the T-Mobile employee benefit program. Promotions change quarterly. Call 1-(866)-464-8662, option 3, and reference promotional code 4281TMOFAV, to take advantage of the current CA - City, County, and State Employee promotional offer.
As a Stanford employee, you also qualify for special discounts from AT&T Wireless. Information is available on the Stanford Web site: https://www.stanford.edu/services/wirelessdevice/cellular/personaluse.html (requires a Stanford University SUNet ID). Or visit the AT&T site for Stanford: https://business.cingular.com/cingular/authenticate/link_expired.jsp;dsessionid=DPDYEBW0ZT11VB4R0EMSFFA?_requestid=854477.
T-Mobile Customer Care can provide technical answers to most questions about your cellular service, problems with disconnected calls, where cellular service is available, and how to use features on your cellular phone.
T-Mobile Customer Care representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To reach them, call 611 (airtime free) from your cellular phone, inside your local calling area. Or dial 1-(800)-375-1126 from any other phone.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions on this guide. Please fill out a reader comment form. If you are having trouble accessing this form, note that it is now available only to users on the SLAC network.