The State University of New York at Buffalo plans to switch its entire phone system to Voice-over-Internet Protocol in hopes of saving money. The Spectrum reports that the process is expected to cost $3-million and take about three years. But in the long run, officials say, the new system will be cheaper.
The Internet-based phone system, known as VoIP, works by routing phone calls over the Web instead of over traditional phone lines. That provides all sorts of benefits, such as cheaper long-distance calls, but can cause other headaches, especially when it comes to 911 services.
Despite the touted advantages—and ridiculous Vonage commercials—few colleges are making the switch to VoIP. —Dan Carnevale
