The EGSA believes that all graduate student offices should have a telephone that permits free local calls, though we are aware that not all departments currently respect that opinion. Personal long distance calls generally require a phone card. If you make many research-related calls, your advisor should give you a seven-digit charge number. Dial 9 and the long distance number, and after the tone, dial the charge number. This charge number, in some departments, also acts as the charge number for sending faxes.