Communication Gap Closes Between Houston and SHSU

While the 70 miles between Huntsville and Houston have not become shorter over the years, Sam Houston State University and Houston have grown closer this fall from a communications standpoint.

SHSU's telephone services office is providing students, faculty members and employees a way to call many Houston numbers without incurring long distance charges. In addition, many SHSU departments have new direct lines for incoming calls from Houston.

Many, but not all, numbers within the area codes 713, 832 and 281 can be dialed free by dialing 9 and the number.

If calls do not go through, callers must then place calls the old way, by dialing 9, then 1, and the number, and the call will not be free. Numbers that are called and are not within this option will get a busy signal before dialing is complete. Area code 713, 832 and 281 prefixes in The Woodlands and Spring cannot be dialed free.

Telephone services personnel said that there are simply too many prefixes to list ones which do or do not work, and at this time trial and error is the best way for callers to determine which ones do work.

James Stevens, associate vice president for information services, said that SHSU now has 24 circuits, which means that 24 phones can be connected to Houston area numbers for free. Circuits are easy to add and up to 96 will be added as needs increase.

“Right now we have the most amount of circuits for the least cost, although we will add more circuits later as it grows,” said Stevens.

Incoming callers from Houston area codes will find the communication gap even smaller.

Incoming callers can dial 281.657.6416 for free access to any SHSU number. When that number connects, the five-digit telephone extension can then be entered.

In addition, a number of SHSU departments have new direct Houston numbers for incoming calls. Those numbers will be listed in the Houston directory coming out in November, and are listed below.

Callers from Houston area codes can access these departments by dialing 281.657 and the following extensions:

Admissions (6417), visitor's center (6418), alumni (6419), athletics (6420), cashiers (6421), computer helpdesk (6422), continuing education (6423), correspondence (6424), financial aid (6425), registrar (6426), residence life (6427), student accounts (6428), theatre center (6429), hotel (6430), orientation (6431), student advising and mentoring (6432), golf course (6433), psychological services (6434), honors program (6435), College of Arts and Sciences (6436), College of Business Administration (6437), College of Criminal Justice (6438), College of Education (6439), College of Humanities (6440), advancement (6441), and public relations (6464).

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Reported by Shawna Moulton

SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Oct. 14, 2005
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