Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the question of choice for the answer.

General Questions

Where is the Office of Telecommunications?
Are there terms and conditions that I should be aware of?
What if I misplace my PBN Personal Billing Number or it gets stolen?
Why is there a telephone in my bedroom?

What if I cannot remember the password for my voicemail?

Billing Questions

How and where can I pay my telephone bill?
What happens if I do not pay my telephone bill by the due date?
Can I register for classes if I do not pay my telephone bill by the due date?
I paid my telephone bill but my PBN is still not working?
What do I need to do if I want to disconnect my PBN?

Telephone Service & Features

What is a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?
Do I need a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?
How do I get a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?
Should I share my PBN (Personal Billing Number) with my roommate?
Can I use my PBN (Personal Billing Number) from any telephone on campus?
What is provided with telephone service?
Are there any telephone features available on the telephone?
Do I need to bring my own telephone?
What do I do if my Personal Billing Number is not working?

Questions Answered

General Questions

Where is the Office of Telecommunications?

The Office of Telecommunications is located in room 106B of the Allen Administration Building.

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Are there terms and conditions that I should be aware of?
- Student telephones are provided by The College. Students are responsible for proper handling and care of their phones through the duration of their housing agreements. Students who misuse/damage phones will be charged the cost of replacement ($21/phone.)
- If a PBN has been lost or stolen, contact the Office of Telecommunications immediately. You will be required to file a police report, and be held responsible for all calls made using a PBN until a report is filed. See the PBN Fraud Policy for full details.
- No services (telephone or otherwise) are to be billed to campus telephone numbers. This restriction includes, but is not limited to, Collect, Third-party Billed, and 10-10-XXX calls.
- Students will be billed for all physical damage to College provided equipment, including the telephone and cable jack.
- Bills for telephone services are rendered monthly by the Office of Student Accounts and payment is due by the date specified on the bill.
- Repairs may take up to 24 hours after notification (business hours only).
- If technician determines that the problem was caused by your telephone equipment, you will be billed $10 for a service visit.
- Complaints for bill discrepancies must be received within 30 days of the invoice date.

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What if I misplace my PBN Personal Billing Number or it gets stolen?

Notify the Office of Telecommunications immediately. The old PBN will be deactivated and a new PBN will be issued at no additional charge.
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Why is there a telephone in my bedroom?
In an effort to increase campus safety, the Office of Telecommunications has installed telephones in each residence hall and townhome bedroom. For information about the free calling program and additional features provided free of charge with the telephones, please see the “What is provided with my telephone service?” section of our FAQ’s.

Voice mailboxes will be provided upon requests for student use at no cost. It is our hope that the provision of voice mailboxes and telephones will allow a means of communication for campus officials to reach students in the event of an emergency. If an emergency were to occur, a broadcast voice mail message would be sent, alerting students to the situation. Students will know they have a voice mail message when a “stuttered” dial tone, which sounds different than a busy signal or normal dial tone, is heard. Please note that this dial tone will act as an alert to the presence of all voice mail messages, not just those for emergencies. If students wish they may substitute a message waiting light for the stuttered dial tone. Please see our troubleshooting and forms pages for more information on this topic.
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What if I cannot remember the password for my voicemail?
If you cannot remember the password for your voice mailbox, you will need to fill out a form online and we will reset the password to a default of 1 2 and your 4 digit extension. There are separate forms for Students and Faculty/Staff.

For students: There are separate forms for changing your password and re-enabling your voice mailbox. For password changes: Student Password Change Form

To re-enable a mailbox that is locked, but you remember the password: Re-enable Mailbox

For Faculty/Staff: Faculty Password Reset

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Billing Questions

How and where can I pay my telephone bill?

You can pay your bill with cash, or by check, money order, Easy Money or with a MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. All cash payments must be made at the Office of Student Accounts. Other forms of payment can be made at the Student Accounts Offce, the Student Accounts drop boxes, or by mail to SUNY Brockport., PO Box 5118, Buffalo, NY 14240-5118. You can also make credit card payments by calling (716) 395-2555 or by selecting "online Services" from the SUNY Brockport Homepage and then selecting "Campus Information System" �
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What happens if I do not pay my telephone bill by the due date?

If you do not pay your bill by the due date a $10.00 late fee will be charged to your account and your PBN can be deactivated without further notice. If a PBN is deactivated due to non-payment, the account must be paid in full before the PBN is reactivated. Also, a block not allowing you to register for classes will be placed on any past due account with a balance over $5.00. After paying your telephone bill, you will need to contact the office of telecommunications, x5151 option 2 during office hours of 8-4:30, to reactivate your PBN.
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Can I register for classes if I do not pay my telephone bill by the due date?

A block not allowing you to register for classes will be placed on any past due account with a balance over $5.00.
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I paid my telephone bill but my PBN is still not working?

Your PBN is not automatically reactivated when a payment is made. Therefore, you must contact the office of telecommunications, x5151 option 2, 24 hours, and during office hours of 8-4:30, after your telephone payment has been processed by the Student Accounts Office to have your PBN reactivated.
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What do I need to do if I want to disconnect my PBN?
You need to go to the Office of Telecommuncations and fill out a PBN cancellation form.
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Telephone Service & Features

What is a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?

For Students: A PBN is a personal billing number used to make international calls, calls outside the U.S. This means for any call outside the U.S. the charges accumulated from the phone call will be billed directly to you through the PBN.

A PBN is an account number that you use when placing calls. The PBN allows the calls that you make to be billed directly to you. Only those calls that are made on your PBN will be charged to you, unlike some campuses that charge you for all calls that are placed on the phone in your room. This is a more efficient and more convenient way of billing.
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Do I need a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?

For students only if you will be making phone calls outside the United States.

For faculty you will need to have a PBN if you wish to make any calls outside of SUNY Brockport (including local calling). Calls within the campus do not require the use of a PBN. (You just need to dial the last four digits of the telephone number)
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How do I get a PBN (Personal Billing Number)?

To request a PBN, please use our online PBN application form. You will need to provide your Banner ID (9 digit number that begins with 8) and your date of birth.Your request should be completed within four business hours after we receive it. You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your request immediately. You will be sent a second email once your PBN has been created, notifying you of what your PBN is along with instructions on how to use it.
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Should I share my PBN (Personal Billing Number) with my roommate?

NO!! Do not share your PBN with anyone - not even your roommate. You are responsible for any and all calls charged to your PBN. Do not leave it out where people can see it. Keep it in a safe and secure location. You will keep the same PBN year after year. Please notify the Telecommunications Department if you no longer attend SUNY Brockport so that we may disconnect your PBN.
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Can I use my PBN (Personal Billing Number) from any telephone on campus?

Yes, your PBN can be used from any telephone on campus. PBNs cannot be used on off campus telephones.
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What is provided with telephone service?

Students: Telecommunications now provides free on-campus, local and long distance calling to students living in the residence halls and townhomes. Each bedroom is equipped with one telephone and one telephone line to be shared between roommates. Telephone lines are programmed with call waiting and caller ID. Please note that if you wish to use caller ID with the phone provided by The College, you will need to purchase a caller ID box from a local retailer. Voice mail will also be provided upon request, free of charge.
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Are there any telephone features available on the telephone?

Each student telephone line is equipped with call waiting and caller ID.

Faculty/Staff telephones are programmed on an individual basis.

Voice mailboxes can be ordered by going to the Student Voice Mail Form or the Faculty/Staff form
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Do I need to bring my own telephone?

Students do not need to bring their own telephones when moving into the residence halls or townhomes. The College now provides students with one telephone per bedroom. Please note that students may also make on-campus, local, and long distance calls free of charge.
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What do I do if my Personal Billing Number is not working?

Students: First note that you only need to use a Personal Billing Number if you are making an international call. If you are trying to make a local or long distance call from your residence hall room simply dial 9 followed by the area code and/or number
If you are trying to make an international call first verify that your Personal Billing Number is correct. Next, be sure you are entering the telephone number correctly. If you are sure that you are entering everything properly and it is still not working, your PBN may have been disconnected due to nonpayment of your bill. Please contact our Office at x5151, option 2 for more information.

Faculty and Staff: Please verify that your Personal Billing Number is correct and that you are dialing correctly. If you are entering correctly and are unable to get through, you may have a hold on your account for a past-due bill. If you need assistance or would like to verify your Personal Billing Number please contact our Office at x5151, option 2.
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