800 Number Cost Lowered

The Division of Communications has renegotiated contracts related to 800 service. As a result, the monthly charge of $20 for access on these lines has been eliminated as of this month. This will result in a statewidesavings of $6,000 per month! If you have any questions, please contact Jayne Scofield at (402) 471-3454.

New Reduced Cellular Rate

The Division of Communications recently negotiated a new State “flat rate” cellular plan. This will result in a new lower rate for both analog and digital users. The flat rate of $0.17 per minute will be lowered to $0.12 per minute. This new rate will go into affect on November 15, 2001 and will result in an estimated $5,000 to $8,000 savings per month. Cellular users who do not subscribe to the flat rate will remain on their current rate plans.

Please note that Voice Mail Access (retrieving voice mail messages) will now be charged at the $0.12 per minute rate. Voice Mail Deposit (setting up and modifying your voice mail) will continue to be provided free of charge.

Please contact Norma White at 402/471-6391 or Mike Jeffres at 402/471-3719 if we can assist you with questions or any of your wireless needs.

2002 State Telephone Directories

Thank you for your input for the 2002 Nebraska State Government Directory. We are in the process of updating all of the individual employee’s information as well as each agency’s information. Updates are due into our office by November 20th. We are anticipating the Directory to be available in early February 2002. Your agency will be contacted one last time in December to update the agency information pages in the front of the directory.

“Transfer of Funds” Scam Alert!

An advance fee scheme leading to the fraudulent transfer of funds from the “troubled nation of Africa” has been reported throughout the United States. This scam aims at obtaining money from unsuspecting companies or individuals who have been led to believe that they would earn a substantial commission, expressed in a percentage, for facilitating a transfer of money, usually stated in millions of U. S. dollars.

The African addresses and phone numbers found in these letters are usually “mail drops” and the e-mail addresses are usually from free services such as Yahoo and HotMail.

The U. S. Secret Service has initiated a program in which a database has been established to track names, addresses, phone numbers, company names, and any other pertinent information contained in these fraudulent letters or other similar documents.

If you receive any similar types of correspondence, please forward them to Crime Analyst Sheri L. King, Nebraska State Patrol Intelligence/Crime Analysis Division, P. O. Box 94907, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68509-4907. Ms. King will then forward them to the U. S. Secret Service.

2001/2002 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Centrex Directories

The 2001-2002 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Centrex Directories have been distributed to all State agencies that have requested copies. At this time we are unable to obtain extra copies of this directory to distribute. The University sells these directories at the UNL Book Store located in the Nebraska Union on the downtown campus for $3.50 if you need to obtain more copies for your office. The information in the UNL Directory is also available on the Internet at Http://www.unl.edu/unlpub/facstaff.shtml. Then select faculty/staff directory to obtain employee information. For information on University offices select Faculty/Staff, then Administrative Listing, then click on the office you need. You may also find the UNL Directory by going to the State of Nebraska web page at http://www.state.ne.us. Select U, which brings up the University of Nebraska. Click on the University you need and this will bring up their web page. If you have any questions on this, please call Vicki at (402) 471-2761.

NEW DOC EMPLOYEES

Dan Ward has been hired as the new Data Communications Network Manager for the Division of Communications. He began work with the DOC on October 25 and can be reached at 402/471-9543. Steve Smith has been hired as a Telecommunications Technician in the Wiring Section. His first day is November 26 and he can be reached at 402/471-2761.

TOLL PREFIXES

The following toll-free prefixes are now in use: 800, 888, 877, and 866 with almost 24.5 million toll-free numbers assigned as of the end of July 2001.

Directory Listing Closing Dates: