On Call
What is on call?
On Call means you are expected to handle support or service calls for your employer, typically outside of normal working hours. For example, you may be on call to keep systems up and running during a weekend. The hours you are on call are ordinarily arranged ahead of time with bosses and colleagues. Emergencies and poor planning can cause staff to find themselves on call with little or no notice.
On Call is also our weekly column of tales from readers working in the IT field. Their stories describe times when they've had to deal with weird, tricky, or baffling problems or requests for help. Email our team via oncall@theregister.com if you want to contribute a yarn - we love reading your stories.