STS FAQ

General

Q: What is the easiest way to find out what the phone number is for my room?
A: Using a phone plugged into a phone outlet in your room, dial 262. A recording will tell you the room's telephone number.

Q: Why do I have to pay for telephone services?
A: Student Telephone Service is required in all College Houses as well as in University-owned Greek Houses for easy access to Penn's 511 emergency call service. Dialing 511 connects you directly to Penn's local police station for the fastest possible response and is available from any campus phone.

Q: Should I sign up for another telephone service beside STS?
A: The University contracts with a variety of local and long distance vendors in order to provide competitive rates for student customers. You may at times be solicited by various service providers or see items on the Internet that may appear attractive. Please do not participate in these offerings as in many cases, these services are very costly and are often misleading.

Q: Will I have to split a bill with my roommate?
A: No, an individualized monthly statement is issued to each student's local address itemizing all of the calls made by his or her PAC number as well as features ordered, e.g., Voicemail, Return Call, Call Block.

Q: How much does it cost to call internationally?
A: You can find a complete listing of international long distance charges by country on ISC's Networking and Telecommunications rates pages.

Personal Access Code (PAC)

Q: What is a PAC code?
A: A PAC code is a six-digit number you must dial when making domestic or international long distance calls. PACs are NOT required when making local calls. You may not choose your six numbers; Student Telephone Services will assign you a PAC. You may look up your PAC code online.

Q: How do I use my PAC?
A: A complete listing of how to make different types of calls can be found on our Dialing Instructions page. Look for the long distance dialing information.

Voicemail

Q: How do I setup my Voicemail?
A: Information on setting up your Voicemail can be found here.

Additional Features

Q: How can I Add or Remove Features from my Service Plan?
A: You can contact Student Telephone Services directly, or you can submit an online request.