Cellular Telephone Service

This page contains links to information about CITES cellular telephone services.

Eligibility

Cellular service is available to faculty and staff for University use only and must follow the University’s Cellular Telephone Guidelines. The State of Illinois requires the campus to purchase cellular telephone service under the terms of the State of Illinois contract, negotiated by Central Management Services. The contract is administered by CITES.

University and State employees may purchase cellular service for personal use at discounted rates. Additional information may be found online at the Verizon Wireless State of Illinois and Local Government Employee web site. Verizon Wireless’ State of Illinois Employee Hotline is 877-224-5105.

Please contact the Communications Customer Service office at 333-1161 before purchasing a cellular phone or signing up with a cellular service provider.

Ordering procedures

Let us guide you through the purchasing process from choosing your phone and plan to filling out purchase requisitions. Visit Ordering Procedures for more information on the process.

Cellular phones and accessories

Prices and features of the available cellular phones, accessories, and wireless air cards and modems are available through the links below.

Cellular service plans

Air time charges apply to calls placed from and received by the cellular phone. Roam charges apply when using a cellular phone outside of its designated "home area." Long-distance calling charges may be additional. There is a $15 service charge to activate or change cellular service.

Standard service

$9.25 per month plus airtime @ $.15 per minute, which includes domestic long distance for calls placed within Illinois. Voice Mail and Caller ID services are available for no charge, but must be requested.

Packaged minute plans

America's Choice
Includes Line Rate, Airtime, Roaming, and Nationwide long-distance calling from anywhere within the America’s Choice footprint.
Click here for details

Push-to-Talk
Provides unlimited One-to-One Push-to-Talk, as well as Line Rate, Airtime, Roaming and Nationwide long-distance calling from anywhere within the America’s Choice footprint.
Push-To-Talk

Data plans
Provides Broadband/1XRTT data connectivity for BlackBerries, PDAs, modem cards, or when using tethered-capable phones.
Click here for details

International plans

International CDMA roaming
Roaming services that enables customers to use their Verizon Wireless handset to make and receive calls in a limited number of countries.
Click here for details

Global phone service for international travelers
Provides one phone, one phone number, and one bill when traveling in over 100 countries.
Click here for details

Features and options

Text messaging
All phones come with text messaging capabilities on a "pay as you use" basis. Incoming messages cost $.03 each, and outgoing messages are $.11 each. Text messaging plans are cost-effective if you send or receive more than 250 messages each month.
Click here for details

Mobile web
If your phone or PDA does not have an internal web browser (see Cellular Phone and Equipment Pricing PDF) and will be used to access the Iinternet, you will need to purchase the Mobil Web feature for $5.50 per month. A data package is also recommended so that minutes used on the Web are billed using data rates rather than voice minutes.