Call it a sign of the times. With the number of cell phones in the United States at 285 million, UVA is ready to do away with land-line telephones. Almost 4,000 of the phones were removed from UVA’s residence halls.
According to UVA Today, the move will save the Housing Division $500,000 a year. In the past, UVA students were offered local service and voicemail, but not long-distance calling.
Students who wish to have a land-line phone can request one, but Chief Housing Officer Mark Doherty said that over the years, the desire for land-lines has significantly decreased. Emergency phones will still be available in hallways and in residential staff areas.
“We just completed a large project with the carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon—to enhance cellular coverage in the residence halls where needed for these carriers,” said Jim Jokl, director of communications and systems for the Information Technology and Communication Department. The carriers, he said, paid for the work.
The old phones will either be auctioned off or recycled.