This semester, Communications Technology has implemented new features to students’ on-campus phone services, while also introducing Wolf-TV and WolfBytes.

In the past, all students who lived on campus in the residence halls and on Greek Court did not have optional phone service. Instead, each student automatically received a dial tone on their phone and was charged $117 for local service. However, this semester, that policy has changed, and students actually have the option to buy local phone service in their rooms.

“Everybody brings cell phones to campus, so they don’t need local dial tones [in their rooms],” BJ Attarian, student services manager, said. “At one time, it was a liability issue. If a student called Campus Police in an emergency, [police] knew where they were calling from.”

However, according to Attarian, police can now track where emergency calls are coming from through the use of GPS in cell phones.

Students who choose to buy local phone service will receive a package that includes the local dial tone, caller identification, call waiting and call return. Also, more than one phone line can go through the room, so each roommate can have his or her own phone line.

In addition to the new phone policy, ComTech has also introduced Wolf-TV, channel 87 on campus cable, for its first full semester. Wolf-TV, which used to serve as a movie channel, is the University’s first station to show student-produced programs, news, shows and first-run movies. ComTech began advertising for student-produced content for the channel at the end of the spring semester.

“One thing we thought we were lacking on this campus was student-produced material, so last spring we had quite a few students come in and they actually broadcasted quite a few things,” Attarian said. “Now we’re starting our first full semester with the channel and we are hoping to get a lot of material for the channel — exclusively student material.”

According to Attarian, WolfBytes, channel 85 on campus cable, will begin to broadcast University sporting events every weeknight at 8 p.m, which will launch the first week of September. He said ComTech will re-broadcast the ACC broadcasting of bigger sporting events, such as basketball and football games, and students can submit their recorded club or intramural sporting events.