Enhancing Campus Communication: Upcoming Phone System Change
We are making a significant upgrade to our campus calling system to enhance the quality, reliability and flexibility 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, wherever you may be located. Teams Calling will streamline communication by instantly launching on any device with Teams installed when you start it up. Forgetting to "turn on" your phone will become a thing of the past.
Migration from Cisco Phone System to Microsoft Teams Calling
We are excited to announce the transition from our current phone system to Microsoft Teams Calling. This campuswide initiative offers campus constituents the ability to use your campus phone service and number from physical handsets, desktop computers, tablets, mobile devices and more. This change aims to streamline our communication systems and support the need to utilize the campus phone system from both on and off campus.
We will provide further updates and detailed instructions as we approach the transition dates. Information Strategy and Services (ISS) will approach individual departments during a discovery session where we will discuss how we can best support you during the transition, improve your current service, and eliminate e-waste and the deployment of unnecessary hardware. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Service Desk or your department IT professional.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. The current system provides poor support for departments with team members working both on-premises and in hybrid arrangements, resulting in an inconsistent user experience.
The university requires an enterprise solution that enhances accessibility, service quality and a common experience for users. Microsoft Teams Calling allows calls to be made and received directly within the app on computers or mobile devices, significantly improving communication and collaboration between all team members.
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 improvements to service quality, reliability and flexibility. With Microsoft Teams Calling, you can make and receive calls using your work phone number on any device that can support the Teams application. The application is offered through our university's Microsoft 365 application suite, which you likely already have installed.
ISS will be approaching departments, units or individuals directly to determine the best hardware suitable for the new system. CU is committed to minimizing e-waste, but any area with a demonstrated business need — such as reception desks, lobby phones and labs — will receive new physical desk phones. In other instances, a user might be better served with a headset for use with their computer or other accommodations.
Our survey from 2024 indicated that staff and faculty are interested in always considering sustainability when provisioning new services, and we heard you. ISS will ensure that hardware is available to support the university's business needs, but we will not be deploying potentially unnecessary hardware carte blanche.
What is not changing for users
Your phone number will not change. ISS will work with individual departments to maintain any calling services that you currently enjoy and migrate them to the new platform. While the technology will be changing with this migration, these key services will not be changing for users.
Existing phone numbers and current billing will not be changing with this migration; your department will be billed the same amount as it is currently.
For more details, please review the FAQ below.
Phone number vs physical handset/desk phone
Digital Flexibility and Freedom from the Desk
With Teams Calling, a physical phone is no longer required in order for someone to contact you via your digital phone number. You are able to install the Teams Calling application to your computer so that you can answer calls on your university laptop or desktop using the built in speakers and microphone or a headset. You can also install it on your cell phone to answer university calls directly on your mobile device.
This allows for much more work flexibility and makes it easier for people to reach you by your university phone number whether you're in your office on campus, at home, or making rounds in a clinic.
Phone Number
Your phone number is a unique set of digits that people use to reach you. This is the same as an email address or your personal cell phone number. Your email address isn't tied to a single computer, and your cell phone number can be transferred when you upgrade your phone. Similarly, your university phone number isn't a specific physical phone; it can be connected to any device that is able to use the Microsoft Teams app (such as your cell phone, laptop, or optional new Teams capable desk phone.)
Your university phone number is not physical, it is digital. It can be transferred to a new device while remaining active and connected to you.
Physical Handset/Desk Phone
A physical handset is the device you use to make calls. It's the device you hold in your hand, like a traditional desk phone or mobile cell phone. A physical handset or desk phone may be connected to your phone number so that it rings when someone calls you, but it can be changed or replaced without affecting your phone number or the ability for people to contact you via that number.
Training resources
Getting Started
Teams Calling training resources:
- Overview of Teams calls video
- Getting started with Microsoft Teams phones
- Get started with Microsoft Teams Phone video
- Use the dial pad to make a call in Microsoft Teams
- Quiet time in Microsoft Teams for mobile devices
- Forward Teams Calls To Your Cellphone or a Different Number video
Voicemail for Teams Calling training resources:
Additional resources and tips:
- Prevent your Teams Phone from ringing during a meeting
- Manage notification settings in Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Teams | How to Block Numbers and Change Your Status / Notification Preferences
- Physical Phones (applicable if you have been assigned a new physical phone)
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
