Friday the 13th should be a lucky day for those who have been waiting for improvements to the city’s phone system.

On Friday the first round of upgrades under a contract with Cox Communications should be completed according to a release issued yesterday. The Department of Public Works will be the first department to launch use of the new telecommunications system that will become the standard in all 32 city buildings, excluding the School Department. 

On Tuesday, January 17, the remaining city departments, including City Hall and the City Hall Annex will launch their new phone system.

 Over the course of the past nine months, the City’s Management Information Systems (MIS) has alerted all department heads of the coming changes and has worked within each department to address and resolve various aspects of the project including the number of handsets required, usable features and installation locations. Both Cox Communications and MIS have performed numerous site visits over the last three months to ensure the transition is smooth for both workers, as well as callers.

The project will enhance and upgrade new dedicated voice wiring systems in most buildings, as well as update all new phone sets to compliment the system to City employees.

The main number to City Hall, 738-2000, will not change and callers will be able to reach the departments they want by following telephone prompts. However, the system also allows for direct calls to departments. In addition to these features the system includes all new wiring and headsets. Upgrades started in November and are expected to be fully completed next month.

For an updated list of all city phone numbers and for other updates and information, visit the City of Warwick’s website, www.warwickri.gov.