Campus modems no longer free

Due to reduced funding for the University, the dial-up service on the Shared High Speed Service (510-848-5298) and Lucent Test Modems (510-647-5117) are longer be free. Since May 2003, IST-CNS has been charging a small fee to use these modem services.

Note: You may know these modem services by a different name. The Shared High Speed modems are sometimes called the "General" modems. The old "Warhol" service (which had a 15-minute time limit) was discontinued in February 2002; the Warhol phone number (848-0454) now dials in to the Lucent modems.

Subscription Home IP Service (SHIPS) and Faculty modem users are not affected by this change.

SHIPS will continue to cost $12/month for no-busy-signal service with sessions lasting up to 8 hours. The two low-cost (formerly free) services have 2-hour session limits, and are often busy during peak hours.

Sign-up for the new service at our new Home IP signup web page.

Use the same web page if you want to change your Home IP password.

You will have to log on to this page using your CalNetID and passphrase. Then, you can sign up for the low-cost service or upgrade to SHIPS.

You do not have to cancel your current Home IP account if you don't want to pay for the service. If you do not sign up, your Home IP login will be disabled after 24 May.

Questions and Answers

• Will my account name or password change?
  No, your account name and password will remain the same. You should not have to make any configuration changes on your computer.


• I use DSL or a cable modem; do I have to pay?
  No. DSL and cable modem services are not affected. Neither are dial-up accounts with commercial service providers. You need to sign up only if you use a modem and an ordinary phone line to call the UC Berkeley campus modems.


• I have an Ethernet connection in my room in the residence hall; do I have to pay?
  No. Ethernet connections on campus (including the residence halls) are not affected.


• I think I'm already signed up for SHIPS. How can I tell?
  Log on to the Home IP signup page and click on the "Change Subscription Type" link. The status of your modem account (SHIPS or Low Cost) will be displayed.


• I should be able to use the Faculty modems. How can I tell?
  Log on to the Home IP signup page. If you're not given a choice of subscription types, then you're set up for Faculty modems. (Yeah, this is a little confusing; we'll make this more clear soon).


• How do I pay?
  Students will be billed through their CARS accounts. Staff members will have to provide a billing address on the Home IP signup web page and then will be billed through CARS. Staff members also have the option of having their department pay for modem service if the department agrees to pay. Follow the instructions on the Home IP signup page when you enter your billing information.


• What's a CalNet ID?
  That's an online identity available to all students, staff, and faculty members. Please see the CalNet website for details.


• I forgot my CalNet ID passphrase. What do I do?
  Students: go to User & Account Services at 2195 Hearst Ave. room 111 and ask them to reset your password. Staff and Faculty: go to User & Account Services or to your department's CalNet Deputy. Be sure to bring identification, such as your student or staff ID card.


• Why do I have to pay for my uclink or socrates email account?
  You don't. We're not charging for accounts on uclink or any other campus server. We're just instituting a charge for one method of connecting to the campus network from off-campus. On-campus Ethernet connections (including those in the Residence Halls) are not affected.