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Internet & Phone

Internet Service

All residence halls and residential colleges have wireless internet access, which is included in the room charge. 

Telephone Service

Northwestern University Information Technology (NUIT) is pleased to provide your telecommunications services. NUIT provides telecommunications services to the academic and administrative units of Northwestern University and many of its affiliates, as well as to all University campus residences and some fraternities and sororities.

About Your Telephone Service

The following services are included with your telephone package:

For more information, visit NUIT's Telephone Service page. 

Telephones -- To Be Provided by the Residents

You or one of your roommates will need to provide a touch-tone telephone. Telephones with a wide array of features such as last-number redial (which works with on-campus numbers only), privacy/mute buttons, and speed dialing can be purchased at many retail stores.

Rotary and/or other pulse-based telephones will not operate on the NUIT Communications Network. Cordless telephones are also not recommended because privacy cannot be assured. If you wish, you may also provide an answering machine, a fax machine, and/or a modem. You do not need a modem to access NUNet, the Northwestern University computer network.

Only one telephone line will be provided to each room. All telecommunications devices should be plugged into the outlet marked with the purple icon. The other outlets are for personal computers.

Telephone Numbers and Assignments

If you live in a University campus residence, the telephone number for your room is printed on your housing contract. If you live in a fraternity or sorority, a list of room numbers and corresponding telephone numbers has been given to the fraternity or sorority. Telephone numbers are permanently assigned to a specific room and may not be moved from one room or building to another.

The prefixes for campus residence and fraternity/sorority extensions served by NUIT are as follows:
Evanston Campus (area code 847):
Dial 2 + xxxx for 332-xxxx telephone numbers.

Chicago Campus (area code 312):
Dial 2 + xxxx for 482-xxxx telephone numbers.

Telephone Repair Service from NUIT

NUIT provides working dial-tone hookup to each campus residence room and sleeping rooms in fraternities and sororities. The outlet marked with the purple icon should provide a dial tone. Should a problem arise with your telephone service, test your outlet to determine the source of the problem(s). Use a telephone and cord that you know are in good working condition and test the outlet in your room marked with the purple icon.

If you are able to call out with the substitute telephone and cord without any difficulties, your telephone or cord is probably the cause of the problem. If the problem recurs with the substitute equipment, the problem is probably with the NUIT Communications Network. Call our Service Center at 611 at anytime -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -- to report any of the following problems: no dial tone, static, trouble placing campus calls, trouble with Call-Waiting or trouble with incoming calls.

When you call 611, you will be asked for your name, address and room number; your NU ID number; the number of the telephone with the problem; a brief description of the problem; and a working telephone number where you can be reached. NUIT will test the line and attempt to clear the trouble. If it is determined that a technician must be dispatched to your room, an appointment will be made no sooner than the next business day between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays. You must specify a two-hour window during which someone will be available to let the technician in your room.

Note: NUIT does not repair or replace telephones. Contact the manufacturer or the place of purchase to arrange for repairs.

Room Access

It is your responsibility to make arrangements to provide access to your telephone outlet for the NUIT technician. Technicians will not enter a room unescorted; you or your designated representative must be available to provide access to your telephone outlet and must remain with the technician throughout the visit. The NUIT technician will leave a summary card detailing the nature of the problem and how it was resolved, as well as the date and time of the visit. If a technician responds during a scheduled time frame and cannot gain entry due to the absence of you or your representative, you will be charged for the visit, and it will be your responsibility to reschedule the repair by calling 611.

Repair Charges

Repairs are free of charge unless any of the following apply: