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Phone outage to take place Saturday, Nov. 13

MUSC continues moving closer to placing all telephones on a single upgraded switch.  The majority of campus telephones (792 exchanges) will begin migrating to the new system at 12 a.m. Saturday, Nov 13. Individual phone numbers will not change.

The upgrade will be completed during a weekend which is a naturally low usage time. During this down time, a dial tone outage will be experienced. The dial tone will return on a random and gradual basis as the lines are moved to the new switch.

If you need to use a phone on Saturday, first check to see if you have service.  If you don’t...

1. Find a system failure phone (they are black and work only if 792 does not).  This program is now in place at the Medical Center and the list of locations and phone numbers is included for your convenience. Clip it and keep it in your wallet.  Follow the instructions printed on the phone.

2. As a back-up system, portable radios will be available.  These should be used only if the system failure phone does not work. 

If you need to get in touch with someone at the Medical Center on Saturday:

  • The following 792 numbers will remain in service: 792-3333 for Mayday, 792-4196 for Security, 792-7997 for Meducare, 792-4119 for Physical Plant Help Desk, 792-0590 for the paging system and 792-2123, 792-2300, 792-1010 for the operators.
  • Simon Paging will be available via the automated paging system, alphamate keyboards and through the operators.
Additional comments
  • Patient phones will not be affected during the outage.
  • Audix/voice mail will not be available during the outage. Normal service will return some time after 4 p.m. on Saturday. If you rely on your Audix/voice mail message for any after hours patient information, please make alternate arrangements.
  • Telephones that are manually forwarded for coverage at the time of the cut will have to be re-forwarded. Should your coverage be critical, advise University Communications at 792-9980.  They can plan to re-forward your phone for you.
  • Telephones that are programmed to follow coverage will resume to that coverage shortly following the change to the new switch.
  • Information regarding telephone feature changes will be provided by University Communications  prior to the cut-over.
  • After-hours answering service clients of Hospital Communications will be contacted individually to arrange for full and uninterrupted service.
  • A Help Desk Hotline (876-2200) will  be available after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13.  Please report any problems with your phone service. A contingency of technical staff will be on site, and will remain for several days.
 Many steps have been taken to ensure the safety of staff, patients and property during this process.  For information regarding the telephone upgrade, call Jane Lunn at Hospital Communications, 792-7992, or Michael Haschker, University Communications, at 792-9980.

Directory of system failure phones
ACU, 953-3615;  Admissions, 953-3616;  Adult radiology,  953-3617;  Angio holding,  953-3618; 
Antepartum,  953-3619; Bed management,  953-3620; Blood bank,  953-3621;  Burn unit,  953-3622;  Cathlab,   953-3623;  CCU, 953-3624; Central Supply,  953-3625; CH 7A,  953-3626;  CH 7B,   953-3627;  CH 7C,   953-3628;  CH 8 SCN,  953-3629;  CH 8D,   953-3630;  CH NNICU,  953-3631; 
CH PICU,  953-3632; Communications Dept, 953-3633; Communications Mgr, 953-3634; CTICU,   953-3635; Dialysis, 953-3636; Emergency Registration, 953-3637; Emergency Services, 953-3638; Emergency Services Peds, 953-3638; Eye 3, 953-3640; Eye 4, 953-3641; Fast Flow Lab,  953-3642; First Batch Pharmacy, 953-3643; Frozen Section,  953-3644; GCRC, 953-3645; Hospitals Administration, 953-3646; Hospitals Administration Clinical, 953-3647; HSC, 953-3648; Labor and Delivery, 953-3649; Microbiology,  953-3650; MICU, 953-3651; MUH—10 East, 953-3652; MUH—10 West,  953-3653; MUH—5 East, 953-3678; MUH—6 East,  953-3654; MUH—6 West,  953-3655; MUH—7 East,  953-3656; MUH—7 West,  953-3657; MUH—8 East, 953-3658; MUH—8 West,  953-3659; MUH—9 East,  953-3660; MUH—9 West,  953-3661; Nursery, 953-3662; OR, 953-3663; OT/Child Care,  953-3664; PACU, 953-3665; PCICU, 953-3668; Pediatric Pharmacy, 953-3669; Public Relations, 953-3670; Rehabilitation, 953-3671; Respiratory, 953-3672; Security Mgr,  953-3673; Security NT Lobby, 953-3674; Shortstay, 953-3675; Staffing Office,  953-3676; STN ICU, 953-3677