Voice over IP (VoIP) is becoming an increasingly popular form of telephone service. VoIP works by taking the voice signals on your telephone, converting the signals to digital information, and sending them over a computer network instead of over traditional telephone lines. Over the past few years VoIP has started replacing the phone systems at larger organizations such as UofL, and is being offered to homes in some areas over broadband cable and DSL conections.

The university has been working with VoIP in a pilot project for several years, and has been used with success in new buildings and renovations since 2002. VoIP can be installed anywhere the ethernet network is available. When installed, the VoIP phone will plug into the network outlet and the computer will plug in the back of the phone, so one outlet can serve both devices.

The goal of the VoIP project is to convert the entire campus to VoIP by July 2007. The change involves installing new hardware and software within the UofL network, and also providing new IP telephone sets for faculty and staff. Residence halls will be wired for VoIP and current plans call for residence halls to move to VoIP by the Summer of 2007.

The University of Louisville gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Case Western Reserve University in the development of these web pages for their permission to use VoIP documentation and materials from their web site.