<p>2 Questions:
-Why is there a charge for domestic long distance calls? On my college visits I thought I heard that they are free… seems only UMICH charges for that…
-1 Line is shared between 2 roommates?</p>
<p>get a cellphone</p>
<p>that doesn’t answer my question…
I ahve a cell phone but it’ll save me minutes if I use the uni’s
moreover, if I don’t have adequete service coverage…</p>
<p>I don’t know about umich being the only one to charge. I often hear of other students purchasing prepaid long distance cards, so they obviously don’t get free long distance. My parents and I already agreed we wouldn’t talk more than once a week and that would be over Skype or Windows Messenger Live with video calling, so no charges there.</p>
<p>I got a cell phone with unlimited incoming so I don’t have to worry about when others call me. Plus I get free nights and weekends at 7, free long distance, and free roaming. I just have to monitor my anytime usage to under 300min a month.</p>
<p>Reception solution–>sit by a window or outside (weather permitting)
I had terrible reception in East Quad, but the window solved that problem.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.housing.umich.edu/info/infoseries_telephone.html[/url]”>http://www.housing.umich.edu/info/infoseries_telephone.html</a>
This site specifies one line with one voicemail box. Look for an answering machine with more than one box. I think their voicemail should at least offer boxes for the room’s number of occupants, but that apparently is not the case.</p>
<p>Well, I know that until the end of the year Skype’s Skypeout (PC to regular phone) feature is free for US calling. Long distance included. It’s likely they will continue to have the feature, because it is a pretty good marketing tool. <a href=“http://www.skype.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.skype.com</a></p>
<p>Or you can use Skype normally for free, high quality PC to PC calling. That’s probably the best. Get a cell phone with unlimited night minutes. That’s what the indians do. They be like call my cell phone! (after 7)</p>
<p>OK well, I know all about skype, windows live messenger, aim phoneline, all that ********… regardless of voIP services one still needs a phoneline for all those OTHER calls that could be made.
I had visisted Dartmouth, Tufts, RPI, and Lehigh and remember one, most, or all have free domestic long distance… so I was just wondering why umich has students paying for it when the school is so expensive already (oos)… they could give us a break</p>
<p>I know, I’m OOS too and I think the tuition is ridiculous. At least they bumped my grant money up a grand for the year after they finalized the cost of attendance at about $100 more than estimated. Now my parents only had to take out 22 grand this year! I BETTER get a high paying career or I’m screwed. :(</p>
<p>ya… tell me about it.
And the school has students paying for everthing left and right… I mean… 13/21 meals a week, this, that, the other thing… I’m taking out $35/k/yr… I better co-found the next google :)</p>
<p>Michigan is ranked in the top 3 public universities. That’s also why their tuition is one of the highest for public universities. If you look at the quality of education your getting, the price is high but certainly not “ridiculous”. I’m also an OOS student.</p>
<p>Ok, I agree ridiculous is a bad way to word it since I am going there for the quality of education no matter the price. Did we answer the phone questions though? I kind of sent this thread off topic.</p>
<p>Long-distance calls are not free, but they’re a fair price (like 3+ cents/minute).</p>
<p>If this bothers you you’re going to be running home when you taste the food.</p>
<p>Two words: Cellular Phone</p>
<p>AzureK, take the ****ing time to read what’s written before your post… then decide where it’s worth the space…</p>
<p>Haha, just couldn’t resist. I suggest contacting the Information Technology Central Services at the University of Michigan about your questions. The link below has e-mail address, phone, and fax numbers for the individual departments. Or you could try emailing the Housing Department.</p>
<p><a href=“Website Offline / U-M Information and Technology Services”>Website Offline / U-M Information and Technology Services;
<p>If this doesn’t answer your questions… Two words: Cellular Phone</p>
<p>where = whether *</p>
<p>:(</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a free lunch. </p>
<p>U of M incurs a cost for providing long distance service. U of M is not a for profit institution, but it is still has to cover its costs.</p>
<p>It can do this by charging all dorm residents an equal amount that will cover its costs or it can charge only those who use long distance service. The same goes for providing 13 meals a week.</p>
<p>Some people living in dorms have cell phones w/ lots of minutes/long distance included in their plans and don’t need long distance service on their dorm phones. There are also people that would rather eat out occasionally instead of eating all their meals in the dorm. </p>
<p>The converse argument to “free” long distance and 21 meals a week, is why should someone who doesn’t need or want long distance service or 21 meals subsidize those who do.</p>
<p>There is no free lunch. Someone has to pay one why or another.</p>
<p>People living in my town have to pay one of the highest taxes for schools in the state REGARDLESS of whether their child attends the school in the district or not, and REGARDLESS of whether they even have a child :).
Life ain’t fair :)</p>