For years, UW-Madison and state Centrex phone users have been able to contact each other by simply dialing a five-digit version of their phone numbers. This dialing process will gradually stop working as campus transitions to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In preparation for the transition, DoIT encourages all Centrex users to begin dialing:

• 9 + the seven-digit phone number for calls within your area code
• 9 + 1 + area code + seven-digit phone number for calls outside your area code

 If you dial a five-digit extension from a Centrex line and don’t get through, please redial using the 9 + the seven-digit phone number. All users can dial 911 to make emergency calls.

This change is part of the service conversion from Centrex analog to Cisco VoIP service, affecting about 20,000 UW–Madison phone users. It does not affect those who are already using the Cisco VoIP service.

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