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In a joint effort with Cellular One, Oregon State University has worked to provide students with a cell phone plan in the Corvallis coverage area.

Since the beginning of October, OSU network services has been offering three plans to students of the university.

According to Rebecca Slagowski, Administrations Services coordinator for Network Services, the program is off to a good start with around 20 students currently signed up for a plan. Network Services is also planning on increasing the amount of advertising for the program, in hopes of bringing in more customers.

"We have been providing similar plans to the staff of the university, so now we will be providing them for the students," Slagowski said.

According to Slagowski, Cellular One has had towers in Corvallis for a while, and they may be planning to add more.

In addition to its already existing coverage area, a course of agreements has begun between AT&T and area cell phone carriers to exchange wireless operations in Oregon, Mississippi and Alabama. This will entail an agreement that AT&T will take over a large portion of coverage in the Oregon market between Salem and Eugene, which will include about 38,000 subscribers.

"This exchange fills an important piece of our coverage map in the Pacific Northwest," said Robert Stokes, senior vice president of Business Development for AT&T wireless, in a recent press conference.

If the deal is completed, Cellular One service in the Corvallis area will go under the designation of AT&T.

"The name will change, but this will not change anything in terms of students' cell phone plans," Slagowski said.

While this agreement is still awaiting federal regulatory approval, Network Services remains confident that it will go through and the region's cell phone coverage area will increase.

"Unlike most other cell phone plans available, these will not require a credit check. This is one way that makes the program better for students," Slagowski said, adding that the program also offers a free phone.

Of the three plans offered, the least expensive Beaver Basic plan costs $27 per month and includes 250 anytime minutes. The second most expensive and most popular, the Beaver Believer plan, costs $47 per month, and includes 3000 anytime minutes. The highest priced Traveling Beaver plan is $57 a month, with 800 anytime minutes, but also offers free roaming.

All plans are subject to a 12-month contract, and each plan adds optional features that include voicemail, unlimited mobile to mobile and toll-free calling.

The plans are being funded completely by Cellular One.

"The only money that the university is seeing as an outcome of this is to pay for administration costs," said Shay Dakan, director of Network Services.

Network Services also expects to expand the options of each plan, as well as make new plans available.

"Almost every student you see on campus has a cell phone, and this service is meant to make the process of getting one easier for the students," Dakan said.

For information on new cell phone plans, contact Rebecca Slagowski at 737-7878, go to oregonstate.edu/dept/telecom or stop by the Network Services office located in the basement of the Kerr Administration Building, room 10.

Danny Fernandez covers campus news for The Daily Barometer. He can be reached at baro.campus@studentmedia.orst.edu or at 737-2232.

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