Getting a new phone can be a pain – comparing models, finding the right price, negotiating with your carrier on coverage plans, transferring all your important data (cute animal photos) to the new device. It’s a process that can take a sizable chunk of your change, your time, and sometimes, your sanity. 

In Information and Educational Technology (IET), there’s a group that handles new phone logistics for departments and units on campus. Cellular Support, which is part of the Network Service Center, acts as a go-between for campus groups and AT&T. So, when VetMed needed 400 new cell phones for their staff, they knew exactly who to call.

“We had to work with AT&T to place the orders for the appropriate phones, check all their current lines to make sure that they were eligible for upgrades, make sure we got the best pricing for several different models, and then put in a bulk order for all the devices,” explained Nicole Kennedy, Network Service Center Supervisor.

Because it was larger than their typical phone order, VetMed asked for extra support. They wanted Cellular Support staff to be on site to help employees activate their new phones and transition out the old ones. Nicole, having done a similar on-site activation years before, worked with VetMed to create a more streamlined process, inspired by Lean Six Sigma efficiency practices.

“We set up stations. First stop was checking in with the finance manager, then Mike Waid and I would give them a phone tutorial. IT units helped enroll their phones in Duo, then they would turn in their old phones, get a screen protector on their new phone, and head out,” Nicole said.

“Since all the staff were from VetMed, we ended up seeing a lot of cute animal photos,” recalled Mike, the Support Services Technical Lead. “Some folks had a lot of data to transfer over, so it was a fun way to pass the time.” 

Nicole and Mike were on site for two days at the end of May and beginning of June 2025. In that time, their well-oiled machine activated nearly 200 phones. The best part, besides successfully helping VetMed transition from their outdated iPhone Xr’s to the iPhone 16’s, was the human-to-human connections. 

“I’m fully remote, so being able to interact with people face-to-face was a big bonus,” admitted Mike. 

“We are usually just talking with departments and end users on the phone, so getting to spend some time in person with them and build rapport was really great,” agreed Nicole. 

While on-site activations aren’t common for the Cellular Support team, they came away from the project with a few ideas of how to improve the process for the future. Nicole learned more about the MOU process and realized the importance of adding departmental communications to spread the word about activation events. Mike realized the activation sites needed to be optimized for increased wireless connectivity. 

“We had a lot of people in the room, many with multiple devices connected to the wireless network, so it slowed down the traffic,” recalled Mike. “We ended up having some folks go to different parts of the building, spreading them out so their updates would go faster.” 

All in all, it was a very efficient project and the customers were happy. Cellular Support can be proud of a job well done. And while they don’t offer their services to individual users (yes, I asked… I need to get a new phone and I’ve been putting it off because I don’t want the hassle!), they are willing to go the extra mile for campus departments, units, and end users. 

So remember: If you need a new (campus) phone, who should you call? Cellular Support!

Get started at the Cellular Services page in the ServiceHub.