Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will the carrier be able to unlock my phone for the transfer?
A: It depends. The "unlock" for the carrier is at the discretion of the vendor and may be dependent on the type of device. On newer IPhones the IMEI for the phone (IMEI= International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) may be associated only with the current vendor and they may or may not release it. You can still take the number with you but you will have to purchase a new device.
Q: The rep in the carrier store told me I need a PIN number to make the transaction.
A: There are no PIN numbers associated with any UTHSCSA accounts. Make sure they know the UTHSCSA is under a government contract and no PIN is required.
Q: Why is the HSC discontinuing the purchase of mobile phones and data plans for employees?
A: Security and risks related to co-mingling of business and personal content, inventory and lifecycle management challenges, and the administrative overhead costs associated with reconciling invoices are the primary reasons for discontinuing this practice.
Q: How much time do I have to convert from the HSC plan to a personal plan?
A: You will have until June 2, 2015 to convert to a personal mobile phone plan and you may choose any carrier you wish. Once a Service Request is submitted, your request will be worked on right away. You will receive a letter from the carrier with a deadline for transferring responsibility. Please be aware that this deadline is imposed by the carrier and it will be within 30 days of the date you submit this request. You cannot postpone going to the carrier until June 2nd.
Q: Can I keep my current phone number?
A: Yes. The HSC will provide a written release of your current number to the carrier so you can keep your current number. As well, there is no contract termination penalty for transitioning to a personal plan if this is completed prior to June 2, 2015.
Q: What if I'm not able to convert to a personal plan by June 2, 2015?
A: Accounts Management will issue carriers a list of phone numbers to disconnect. Service will be disconnected on June 2nd. If you have not converted by then, you will need to work directly with your carrier to re-activate. At this point, there is no guarantee on the phone number and possible additional charges to activate.
Q: Can I transfer my AT&T work cell phone number over to my personal AT&T account?
A:Yes. Following are the requirements:
- You must be an authorized user on the account. If not, you will have to be listed as an authorized user or the authorized user must be present to make the changes. You can have the account holder call 611 from their AT&T phone and have you added as an authorized user on the account.
- The transfer must be done at the AT&T store. You cannot do this at Best Buy Mobile or any other store.
- There is an $18 transfer fee to move the phone number over from UTHSCSA to your personal account.
Q: Can I transfer my Verizon work cell phone number over to AT&T account?
A: Yes. Following are the requirements:
- You must be an authorized user on the account. If not, you will have to be listed as an authorized user or the authorized user must be present to make the changes. You can have the account holder call 611 from their AT&T phone and have you added as an authorized user on the account.
- The transfer must be done at the AT&T store. You cannot do this at Best Buy Mobile or any other store.
- You must have the UTHSCSA Verizon account number, PIN, and Tax ID in order for AT&T to take custody of the number.
- If you decide to take the phone over from one carrier to the next, you will need to speak with your specific carrier to determine if the phone is compatible with their system.
- There is an $18 transfer fee to move the phone number over from UTHSCSA to your personal account.
Q: What if I want to get a newer smartphone or change carrier?
A: No problem. Simply go to the carrier of your choice and let them know you'd like to set up a new plan but want a new smartphone. They'll be able to show you the available phones and transfer all content from your old phone to the new.
Q: Will I need to take any sort of documentation when going to my carrier's store?
A: Yes. UTHSCSA will issue you a Transfer Authorization Letter to take with you to your carrier's store. The letter is only good for 14 days. Should you fail to go prior to the deadline listed on the letter issued to you, your phone will be disconnected and you may not be able to recover the same phone number.
Q: Are we eligible for any discount as an HSC employee?
A: Yes. You are eligible for a discount from your carrier as an HSC employee. Just take your badge as employment verification with you when visiting your carrier's store and ask about their plan discounts.
Q: Who is eligible for a salary increase to help cover the cost of mobile phone usage for HSC purposes?
A: Employees that make less than $50,0000 per year who have and will continue to need a mobile phone for business purposes are eligible for a $600/year salary increase to offset the transition to a personal data plan.
Employees that make more than $50,000 year who have and will continue to need a mobile phone for business purposes may be reimbursed up to $600 per year at the discretion of the Department Chair, VP, or Executive Committee member. Appropriate documentation to substantiate reimbursement will be required.
Q: How is the payroll change processed? When can the employee (under $50K) expect to see their $600 salary increase?
A: The employee must notify their departmental administrator when the transfer is complete and show receipt. The receipt from the carrier must be attached to the Service Request (this can be done by the individual or the administrative personnel). At that time, a new effective dated row for the 1st of the following month must be inserted in HCM for the Funding Change. The workflow email from that activity will trigger Office of Human Resources to review the EC listing for approval. If approved, the compensation change will be made. When the Funding Change is submitted prior to the 15th of the month, it will appear in the next pay cycle.
Q: How should I handle a reimbursement request?
A: At the discretion of the Chair or EC member, departments may reimburse employees for the business use of a personal cell phone provided the following:
- The Department has substantial business reason, other than providing compensation to the employee, for requiring the employee's use of a personal cell phone in connection with institutional/departmental business.
- The cell phone coverage that is reimbursed is reasonably related to the needs of the institution/department.
- The reimbursement must be reasonably calculated so as not to exceed expenses the employee actually incurred in maintaining a cell phone.
- Reimbursement requests should be processed on a Local/State voucher with evidence of the above requirements and the approval of the Chair/EC member.
Q: What about rotation, on-call, or duty phones for a department?
A: Currently active department, on-call, or rotation duty mobile phone accounts will be maintained as Health Science Center assets at the discretion of the Department Chair, VP, or Executive Committee member.
Q: What should I do about the asset tag on my phone?
A: Fill out the Mobile Phone Deactivation/Deletion Request form and take it to Tech Zone. They will take care of deleting the asset from the HSC inventory.
Q: I plan to keep my phone. What is the process to remove my phone and the associated tag from the HSC controlled item inventory?
A: In all cases, your phone will need to be removed from the HSC controlled item inventory. There are several options if you plan on keeping your phone:
- Complete the online Mobile Phone Transfer of Responsibility Service Request located at supportworks.uthscsa.edu/sw/selfservice. The IT Department will guide you through the process of transferring service and will ensure the phone is deleted from the property inventory.
- Let your Department Administrator know that you are keeping your mobile phone and fill out a Property Deletion form. Leave this information with the Administrator and it will be forwarded to Property Control for deletion from inventory.
Q: If I don't wish to keep my phone, what is the process to turn it in?
A: There are several options if you don't wish to keep your phone:
- Bring your phone to TechZone which is located on the 4th floor of the Medical School. There will be a form to fill in your phone number, sign, and date.
- Complete the online Mobile Phone Disconnect Service Request located at supportworks.uthscsa.edu/sw/selfservice. The IT Department will make certain the service is disconnected and you can take the phone to TechZone.
- Let your Department Administrator know that you don’t wish to keep your mobile phone and fill out a Property Deletion form. Leave this information and the phone with your Administrator and it will be forwarded to Property Control via TechZone for deletion from inventory.
Q: Are we allowed to reimburse mobile phones from grants?
A: Federal costing policies do not allow mobile phones to be direct charged to federal research grants and the HSC long standing policy for this will not change. For private grants and contracts, all mobile phone charges must be explicitly approved by the sponsor. Federal grants may support mobile phones in the unusual instances where it can be demonstrated that the mobile phone is used exclusively for one federal grant. For example, when a social worker is out in the field visiting patients to collect data and utilizes the cell phone exclusively for one grant. In such a case, the mobile phone must be included and justified in the budget narrative and approved by the federal agency. Federal and external sponsor costing principles regarding allowability should be followed.