Telephone system suffering , new switch in sight

by Patty Cleary D u e t o the obso lescence of the m a i n t e l e p h o n e switch, the Rice t e l e p h o n e sys tem is having serious p r o b l e m s , a c c o r d i n g t o D r . Wi l l i am Akers , Vice Pres ident fo r A d m i n i s t r a t i o n . P r e l i m i n a r y e s t ima te s for r e p l a c e m e n t of the swi tch , tenta t ive ly set fo r th is s u m m e r , a re in the $1.5 t o 2 mil l ion range . T h e par t of t h e t e l e p h o n e sys tem w h i c h h a n d l e s d i r e c t d i a l e x t e n s i o n s ( those wi th n u m b e r s in the 4000s) is cur ren t ly ope ra t ing at only 87.5 percent of full capabi l i ty . Because t w o of s ixteen direct i n w a r d d ia l ing ( D I D ) lines a re d o w n , on ly 14 i n c o m i n g calls can be received a t once f o r 300 D I D e x e n s i o n s. T h e d e c r e a s e d capab i l i t y causes o the r lines t o b e c o m e ove r loaded a n d triggers a var ie ty of p r o b l e m s inc luding p o o r a u d i o a n d d i sconnec t ions of calls. T h e p r o b l e m is exace rba t ed by the d i f f icul ty in rep lac ing par t s of the m a i n switch. T h e cur ren t swi tch , which connec t s calls be tween c a m p u s ex tens ions and calls, was instal led in 1976 by S t r o m b e r g C a r I s o n when Rice left the Hell Sys tem. S ince 1976, however , S t r o m -