OFF-NET NCIH Connection Service

Sites that are not a member of the NCIH network community may connect and participate in conferences that are scheduled by NCIH operational sites. The OFF-NET site will be referred to as an OFF-NET Occasional User Guest Site and must meet H.320 video standards. The OFF-NET site may join a conference through a specific "Guest Site" listed in the Interactive Web Scheduler. When the appropriate "Guest Site" is scheduled, a video (10-digit) number is generated for the OFF-NET site to dial up at the time scheduled for the session.

ITS/NCIH will provide five guest sites for use by OFF-NET sites to schedule a session with operational NCIH sites. These sites will be listed on the NCIH interactive web scheduler as ITS NCIH Guest 1, ITS NCIH Guest 2, ITS NCIH Guest 3, ITS NCIH Guest 4 and ITS NCIH Guest 5. Whenever available, the ITS NCIH Guest sites may be scheduled without permission from ITS on a first come basis. Although permission is not required, sites must be aware that there is an additional fee for the use of these guest sites. The rate for ITS NCIH Guest sites are $.82 a minute or $49.20 per scheduled hour of use.  The minimum scheduled usage and billable time for all guest sites is 30 minutes. OFF-NET sites should schedule a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the actual session time for testing purposes.

Although certification of the OFF-NET site is not required, it is recommended that NCIH sites conduct a short test session with first time OFF-NET users prior to the main event. All participants in a session with OFF-NET sites must assume the responsibility for bad connections or other problems related to incompatibility among the participating sites' equipment. All scheduled session time by OFF-NET users will be billed by ITS even if the session has problems.

All additional fees including test session(s) for the OFF-NET site use will be charged to the NCIH site that schedules the conference.

OFF-NET CONNECTION PROCEDURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following procedures are required for an OFF-NET site to connect to an NCIH videoconference.

NCIH Site's Responsibilities:

1. As a general rule, the appropriate NCIH Regional Coordinator should be contacted to discuss the proposed conference with an OFF-NET site prior to scheduling this type of session.
2. The NCIH site scheduling the conference will be responsible for all cost associated with the OFF-NET session. Fees will appear on ITS/NCIH monthly bill following the scheduled OFF-NET session. The additional cost may be recovered from the OFF-NET guest site at the discretion of the NCIH scheduling site.
3. The NCIH site must communicate all necessary fees, test procedures, and telephone numbers to the OFF-NET site.
4. The NCIH site must verify availability of ITS NCIH Guest 1, 2, 3, 4 and/or 5 site(s) through the Interactive Web Scheduler Report function.
5. The NCIH site must schedule the conference through the Interactive Web Scheduler. The scheduled conference should include the NCIH site participant(s) and ITS NCIH Guest 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
6. After filling in Steps 1 through 5 with the appropriate information, click on Next.  In the Next screen, indicate fifteen (15) minutes for Setup Time to allow for testing before the scheduled start time.  Choose Voice Activated as Mode for all sessions involving OFF-NET sites.  Currently, the Chair Control toolbar does not consistently list the ITS NCIH Guest Site, therefore, you should not request continuous presence/quad configurations. During the session if the ITS NCIH Guest site does not appear on the chair control toolbar, you will not be able to select the guest site and zoom it full screen from a continuous presence/quad screen.
7. On the Next screen in the list of participating sites, use the down arrow to choose the appropriate rate of speed for the ITS NCIH Guest site. It is important to choose the correct rate that the OFF-NET (ISDN) site plans to use to connect to the NCIH network.  An incorrect rate of speed will prevent the OFF-NET (ISDN) site from connecting.
8. In the Public Note Section of the Next screen, the NCIH scheduler must include the following information for billing purposes: OFF-NET site name, contact person with telephone number at NCIH host site.
9. You may modify or cancel a scheduled conference involving an OFF-NET site through the Interactive Web Scheduler. Use normal procedures for modifying or canceling a conference under My Conferences.
10. The NCIH site must communicate connection video (10-digit) number listed on the notification report to OFF-NET site(s). NOTE: Each time a conference is modified, the dial-up number for the OFF-NET site is subject to change.

1. The OFF-NET site(s) must use codecs that operate under the ITU H.320 standards and access the BellSouth Video Conferencing Services via an ISDN dial up. BellSouth Video Conferencing Services supports the following dial-up speeds: (a) 2x56, (b) 2x64, (c) 128, (d) 336, and (d) 384.
2. The OFF-NET site is responsible for any toll charges that may apply.
3. It is highly recommended that the OFF-NET site request a short test session with conferencing NCIH site(s) prior to main event.

1. The testing process verifies the clarity and quality of video, proper audio balance, and site's capability to inter-operate with a NCIH site through the guest portal.
2. The OFF-NET site should place their call for the scheduled session 15 minutes (NCIH usage charge for guest site(s) are not billed for setup time) prior to the start time of the session. This time is required for session set-up and final testing of the OFF-NET site. Reminder: The OFF-NET site is responsible for any toll charges incurred during the fifteen-minute set-up time and the conference scheduled time.