Enhancing Campus Communication: Upcoming Phone System Change

We are making a significant upgrade to our campus calling system to enhance the quality and reliability of our communication services. In 2025, the university will transition to Microsoft Teams Calling. Teams Calling is a cloud-based phone system that integrates with Microsoft Teams, allowing you to make and receive calls directly within the Teams app from your computer or mobile device, enhancing communication and collaboration. This upgrade is crucial to better support the calling needs of our university community, providing more flexible phone services to connect whether on campus or working remotely.

Migration from Cisco Phone System to Microsoft Teams Calling

We are excited to announce the transition from our current physical handsets/desk phones to Microsoft Teams Calling. This campuswide initiative connects the university with the latest telephony technology. This change aims to streamline our communication systems and remove the reliance on physical handsets/desk phones for the delivery of telephone service, while making it easier to connect not only across the campus, but also with remote and hybrid faculty and staff.

We will provide further updates and detailed instructions as we approach the transition dates. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Service Desk.

Why is this transition happening?

We have listened to your feedback, and after extensive data collection, we determined that the current system no longer adequately meets the evolving needs of the university. As more team members work remotely or in hybrid arrangements, we require an enterprise solution that enhances accessibility and service quality. Microsoft Teams Calling allows calls to be made and received directly within the app on computers or mobile devices, significantly improving communication and collaboration.

The decision to transition to Microsoft Teams Calling will streamline communication across the campus. This platform supports the university's hybrid work environment, reduces reliance on personal phone technology, and allows access to calling from any computer or mobile device.

Benefits of Teams Calling:

Support and Integration: Microsoft Teams provides strong support and seamless integration with other existing infrastructure services.
Consistent Functionality: Unlike the inconsistent functionality experienced with Cisco and Jabber, Microsoft Teams Calling offers a more reliable solution.
Infrastructure Benefits: Microsoft Teams Calling delivers infrastructure advantages at the same cost, making it a more efficient choice for our community.

What is changing for users

The biggest changes that users will see are an improvement to service quality and physical equipment. With Microsoft Teams Calling, you can receive calls to your work phone number on your computer or mobile device, as long as Teams is installed on that device. This means you can stay connected and take important calls whether you're at your desk, working remotely, or on the go.

Physical handsets/desk phones will be removed as they are only functional with the current phone system. Departments, units or individuals with a demonstrated business need (such as reception desks, lobby phones and labs) will receive a new physical desk phone. The department or individual will need to make a request and we will work with you to find the best solution that will meet your needs.

Headsets will be used instead of physical phones for all other users. If a department, unit or individual needs a headset and does not already have one, we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.

What is not changing for users

While the provider and equipment will be changing with this migration, there are key services that will not be changing for users.

Current billing and existing phone numbers will not be changing with this migration. Your department will be billed the same amount as it was with Cisco and you will continue to be assigned the same phone number.

For more details, please review the FAQ below.

Getting Started

Following are Teams Calling resources to get started:

Voicemail:

Additional resources and tips:

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Teams has its own voicemail system that transcribes messages and sends them to your email. In addition to the email, users can access their voicemail directly through the Teams application.

Stored voicemail messages will not be carried over from the current phone system. If you want to access saved voicemails, we recommend that you download them to a university-approved storage system such as OneDrive.

More information about setting up voicemail is available on the Manage your call settings in Microsoft Teams.

Important Transition Terms

While the university makes these changes, it's important to be aware of some key terminology. To help alleviate confusion, please see the table below.

Physical Phone: A traditional phone device used for voice communication.

Handset: A stationary phone typically used in an office setting.

Mobile Device: A portable device such as a smartphone or tablet used for communication.

Communication Device: Any device used to transmit or receive information.

Call Unit: A device used to make and receive phone calls.

Dial Pad: The keypad on a phone used to dial numbers.

Personal Communicator: A device used for personal communication, such as a smartphone.

Softphone: A software application that enables voice over IP (VoIP) telephone calls from computing devices.

VoIP Phone: A phone that uses Voice over Internet Protocol technology to transmit calls over the internet.

Headset: A device worn on the head that includes a microphone and speakers for hands-free communication.

Speakerphone: A phone with a built-in speaker and microphone that allows hands-free communication.

IP Phone: A phone that uses Internet Protocol to transmit calls over a network.

Analog Phone: A traditional phone that uses analog signals to transmit voice.

Bluetooth Headset: A wireless headset that connects to devices via Bluetooth.

Desk Phone: A stationary phone typically used in an office setting.

Common Area Phone: A stationary phone located in a shared space, such as a small huddle room or a common area, which is accessible to multiple users rather than being assigned to a specific individual. These phones are typically used for general purposes and are not tied to a single user or desk.

Caller ID: A feature that displays the phone number of the incoming caller.

Auto Attendant: An automated system that answers incoming calls and provides options to route the call to the appropriate department or individual.

Call Forwarding: A feature that allows incoming calls to be redirected to another phone number.

Call Transfer: The ability to transfer an ongoing call to another phone or extension.

Conference Call: A call in which multiple participants can communicate with each other simultaneously.

Do Not Disturb (DND): A feature that blocks incoming calls and notifications for a specified period.

Call Waiting: A feature that alerts you to an incoming call while you are already on another call.

Voicemail to Email: A feature that sends voicemail messages to your email inbox.

Call Screening: A feature that allows you to see the caller's information before answering.

Speed Dial: A feature that allows you to quickly dial a pre-programmed number.

Call Park: A feature that allows you to place a call on hold and retrieve it from another phone.

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol): A protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating real-time sessions that include voice, video, and messaging applications.

PBX (Private Branch Exchange): A private telephone network used within an organization that allows internal and external communication.

LAN (Local Area Network): A network that connects devices within a limited area, such as an office building.

WAN (Wide Area Network): A telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area for the purpose of computer networking.

Ethernet: A common method of networking computers in a local area network (LAN).

VPN (Virtual Private Network): A secure network connection over the internet.

QoS (Quality of Service): A feature that prioritizes certain types of network traffic to ensure high-quality communication.

Firewall: A security system that controls incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Router: A device that forwards data packets between computer networks.

Phone Number: A unique sequence of digits assigned to a phone line for making and receiving calls.

Extension: A short internal number assigned to a specific phone or user within a PBX system.

Voicemail: A system that allows users to receive, store, and retrieve voice messages.

User Profile: A set of settings and preferences associated with a specific user in a communication system.

Caller ID Blocking: A feature that prevents your phone number from being displayed to the recipient.

PIN (Personal Identification Number): A security code used to access voicemail or other services.

User Directory: A list of users and their contact information within a communication system.

Alias: An alternate name or identifier for a user.

Authentication: The process of verifying the identity of a user.

Call Queue: A system that places incoming calls in a line to be answered in the order they were received.

Call Recording: The process of recording phone conversations for later playback and analysis.

Presence: A feature that indicates the availability status of a user (e.g., available, busy, away).

Call Analytics: Tools and reports that provide insights into call patterns and performance.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): An automated system that interacts with callers and routes calls based on their input.

Call Whisper: A feature that allows a supervisor to speak to an agent without the caller hearing.

Call Barge: A feature that allows a supervisor to join an ongoing call.

Call Monitoring: The ability to listen to live calls for quality assurance purposes.

Tools

Resources

Schools & Colleges

Campus Affiliates

Office of Information Technology

Enhancing Campus Communication: Upcoming Phone System Change

Migration from Cisco Phone System to Microsoft Teams Calling

Why is this transition happening?

What is changing for users

What is not changing for users

Getting Started

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Transition Terms

Office of Information Technology

Enhancing Campus Communication: Upcoming Phone System Change

Migration from Cisco Phone System to Microsoft Teams Calling

Why is this transition happening?

What is changing for users

What is not changing for users

Getting Started

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the university transitioning from the current phone system to Microsoft Teams?

What is the timeline for this transition?

How will voicemail be handled in Microsoft Teams?

Will phone numbers change during the transition?

How will the transition impact remote workers using Jabber?

Will my current headset and camera that I use for Zoom work with Teams?

How will call center users and phone trees be impacted?

Which departments or units are affected by this transition?

Will shared lines be supported in Microsoft Teams Calling?

What will happen to the physical Cisco phones?

Will there be any changes in telephony billing rates?

Important Transition Terms

Device Terms

Call Features Terms

Network and Connectivity Terms

User Identification Terms

Call Management Terms

Office of Information Technology