Telephony Replacement project: information for TCs and ITSS

The details below should help ITSS and Telephone coordinators in considering the options for their college or department when transitioning to Teams Phone. 

Expand All

The Chorus VoIP and Teams Phone systems are connected (via the University’s telephony providers) so the basic telephony functions listed below work between them:  

  • calling internal numbers 
  • transferring calls (whether this is a blind transfer or a consulted transfer) 
  • automatically forwarding calls  

However, there are some features that do not operate if people are using different telephony systems so should be taken into account when planning your transition to Teams Phone: 

  • Chorus Hunt Groups, or Teams Phone Call Queues, will only work if all the members of the Group or Queue are using the same system

  • Executive Assistant functions do not operate across the two systems 

  • call monitoring of other users’ busy status does not work if the other user is on a different system 

  • intercoms which are video enabled on Chorus will not display the video for Teams Phone user 

In addition, there are some network considerations that colleges and departments need to take in account when deploying Teams Phone handsets. IT Services will enable a port on the Frodo for the Teams Phone network. ITSS will then need to manage two voice Vlans on their internal network.

The table below outlines what is possible for someone who does not have a Teams Phone number:

Question Answer

Can I forward/ transfer a phone call to someone who does not have a University phone number?

Yes, you can forward both internal and external phone calls through Teams to someone who does not have a University phone number

Can I auto-forward phone calls from my University phone number to someone who does not have a University phone number via Teams?

Yes, you can

Can someone without a University phone number be part of a call queue?

No, you have to have a University phone number to be part of a call queue

How do I call an external phone number if I do not have a University phone number?

You cannot make an phone call without a phone number so would have to use an alternative method such as a mobile phone.  However, if the external party has a Teams account you should be able to communicate through Teams, without needing a phone number.  You might also be able to make an external call via a common area phone if it is configured appropriately

If I don’t have a University phone number can someone who does have a number (eg a receptionist) call an external line on my behalf and redirect it back to me?

No, this will not work.  If you do not have a University phone number, you can receive incoming external phone calls via Teams but you cannot make outgoing calls to phone numbers

 

Please see further information at Teams Phone features - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn.

The main reason for somebody needing to retain a personal telephone line is if they need to make or receive external calls​ from a University number.

If a phone line can be linked to a person, it should be.

A common area line is appropriate if it needs to be:

  • linked to a role (e.g, bursar or tenured position) 
  • linked to a location (e.g. library, lobby, laboratory) which is staffed by multiple colleagues performing the same role 
  • Generally the advice for personal lines is to use headsets (or the computer's inbuilt microphone and speaker, or the mobile app) unless there is a specific preference or accessibility requirement that can be better met by a handset
  • Common area lines will need handsets
  • After logging in to your personal Teams handset for the first time you will remain logged in until your SSO login annual expiry.  See further information at Single sign-on password expiry | IT Help 
  • You are strongly recommended to set up a phone lock pin on your handset to ensure the security of your account and prevent others from accessing your information.  See the Poly Edge E series Quick Guide
  • If you use a Chorus desk phone to receive a phone call as your way of authenticating your Oxford SSO (Multi Factor Authentication), you can continue to do so because the phone call will come through Teams Phone but you need to be logged in to Teams for this to work.    
  • You should also set up an alternative method and further information is available on the IT Help website. By doing this, you can still authenticate your account if you are not logged in to Teams, or you are in a Teams call (when incoming phone calls are sent to voicemail), or when your computer is shut down. 
  • If you are accessing Teams Phone through a handset (like a desk phone) you will need to set up an alternative method before you log into your handset in order to access your handset.  Thereafter you can use a Teams Phone call as your way of authenticating your SSO

You can call 999 from a Teams Phone line, as long as you have an internet connection, but the handler will not recognise your location.

  • You can call the central IT Service Desk and Security Services through Teams even if you do not have Teams Phone - using the search box under Calls

  • You can also call your college or departmental IT, HR, Finance or other teams via Teams in the same way, as long as those teams are in a call queue

Teams meeting rooms are not in scope for the Telephony Replacement Project but guidance on how to set one up is available on the IT Help website.

The Teams Meeting Room Pro licence includes telephony.  Please contact the project team if you want a phone number set up on your meeting room device.  

Yes you can mask your caller-id from external contacts by completing a change caller id Service Request.

As long as you both have a University phone number, you can set up a call group in Teams Phone to allow you to pick up a colleague's phone calls.  Anyone can answer a call to a Teams Phone enabled handset (i.e. a phone on a desk) as long as it is logged into Teams.

If you are unable to answer a Teams Phone call, for example because you are in a Teams meeting, or you are not logged into Teams, the call will be treated according to how your 'when you can't answer a call' settings are configured. The options are re-directing it to Voicemail, re-directing to another phone number, or 'do not re-direct call'.  If you do not re-direct calls, they will show as unanswered. 

If you need something more flexible, please contact the project team.