Telephone - Features & Services

Telephone changes 2023

Migration of Telephony Services to Microsoft Teams Voice

Throughout 2023 and 2024 IT Services will be migrating all University staff from the Cisco CallManager telephone system to Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams platform is already in widespread use across the organisation and this change will integrate telephone functionality with the Teams software - supporting both internal and external calls.

Introduction

Your University username is associated with your telephone number. When you receive a telephone number, it belongs to you as a staff member. If you move desks or change jobs you should take that phone with you as the number is associated with you, not the department or office.

For the telephone directory to operate correctly, we need to know whenever a telephone number is reassigned to a new member of staff and what their username is. This allows us to ensure that calls are routed to the correct handset, voicemail is accessible by the correct person and handsets are associated with the correct person.

The following is a list of features and services of the telephone handsets:

Interactive Voice Response

This is where you dial a number and are asked which service you require, then press the relevant number. An example of this would be a published departmental enquiries number that cover several areas of the department and will need to be redirected to several different extensions.

Contact us with a brief outline as to what you require, and we will get back to you with regard to setting this up.

Contact IT Services

Hunt Groups

A ‘pilot’ number is called, and that call is forwarded to other extensions in a pre-set order. An example of this would be a ‘reception desk’ number for a department may not be manned all the time so calls will need to go to other extensions to maintain coverage.

Pick-Up Groups

This is where one extension is called, and after a short time other extensions are notified of an incoming call and it can be answered from another phone. An example of this would be if you share a role with colleagues and one of them isn’t able to answer their phone, you can answer the call on their behalf from your own phone.

Hunt Groups and Pick-up Groups are similar in operation. Contact us with a brief outline of what you require and we can decide which will suit your needs.

Note: A Hunt Group requires a dedicated number that is not assigned to a person, so you will either need a new extension number or give an existing person a new number and re-use their number for the group.

CUCM user web interface

The CUCM user web interface enables phone users to log in using their AD username and passwords to make some changes to the configuration of their phone handset(s). Through the user web interface users can amend their phone speed dials, enable or disable call forwarding to either voicemail or another telephone number and change call and message waiting indicator settings.

Note: It is not possible to use this web page with Internet Explorer 11. It does work with Mozilla Firefox.

Call Parking

Call parking allows you to put a call on hold and ‘park’ it by pressing the “Park” soft key. A six digit park code will be displayed on the phone handset, and this code can then be entered into another phone handset on campus to ‘unpark’ and resume the call. This could be useful if you have taken a call in an open plan office and privacy is required. You could park the call and resume it on a handset in a private office.

Extension Mobility

Extension mobility allows users to sign into different phone handsets across campus and temporarily copy all of the line settings, services and speed dials, from their normal phone, onto the handset they are currently using. This is of particular benefit to those users that work in different locations across campus, but still want to be able to contactable using their normal phone number.

Extension mobility has to be requested by submitting a request to the IT Services Helpdesk, specifying your AD username and telephone number.

Contact IT Services

Speed Dials, Fast Dials and Personal Directory

The use of fast dials and personal directories is not supported and beyond the scope of this document. Please contact the IT Services if you require information about fast dials and personal directories.

There are two types of speed dials that you can configure for your phone handset:

  • Speed dial buttons can be configured for your handset, enabling you to dial a specific number by pressing a programmed speed dial button
  • Abbreviated dial speed dials allow you to dial specified numbers by simply entering a two digit code on your phone

You can configure speed dials for your telephone handset by logging into the CUCM user web interface via the link below using your Ad username and password.

Note: that it is not possible to use this web page with Internet Explorer 11. It works with Mozilla Firefox.

CUCM user web interface

Desk Phone Integration - Jabber

Jabber integrates with your desk phone to enable you to have many presence, messaging and search facilities through your PC / Mac.

If your PC / Mac is equipped with a suitable webcam and microphone, you are able to use you it in softphone mode to make voice and video calls directly, without having to use your desk phone.

Meet-Me – Very basic conference calls

A telephone number is assigned to a person (or team/department) by the Unified Communications Team in IT Services on request, and this is referred to as their 'Meet-Me' number (it is not the same as their desk phone number).

To initiate, a person calls the Meet-Me number from a campus Cisco phone (usually need to lift the handset, press 'More' then press the Meet-Me button and dial the number).

To join the Meet-Me conference, internal users dial the Meet-Me number, external or mobile users dial the full number (i.e., 01509 followed by the Meet-Me number) and are automatically joined.
The number needs to be provided to the participants by the initiator.

The Meet-Me conference will stay active while there is a call connected, even if the Meet-Me initiator hangs up.

Note: The Meet-Me MUST be initiated by a campus Cisco phone.

Forwarding, Remote Destination, scheduling, cost

By default, all users may forward their calls to another internal number. This means that all calls to their number immediately get transferred to the nominated number. This is controlled by the user through either their handset, the Jabber client or the CUCM website. On request, we can enable forwarding to external numbers (i.e., your home phone or mobile) but users and administrators should be aware that each forwarded call will incur a call charge against the forwarding number and this will be included in the department’s call charges.

We also offer a more feature rich option known as Mobile Connect. This associates your office telephone number with (typically) a mobile phone number. Any calls to your office number will ring for a set period then, if unanswered, forward to your mobile number. If the call is unanswered on your mobile, it will then be forwarded to your office voicemail, if configured. The caller remains unaware that the call has been forwarded to your mobile and is not made aware of your mobile number. Also:

  • Calls to campus numbers from your registered mobile number will show your desk number as the caller ID
  • Call forwarding can be scheduled by day and time so, for example, calls are only forwarded during office hours
  • Call forwarding can be controlled using access lists to block or allow certain patterns of numbers

Headsets

We do not centrally supply telephone headsets, but our 6921, 6941, 6961 and 8961 handsets all support them.

The 6900 and 8900 series handsets all support Plantronics style headsets with a U10 bottom cord, and we recommend the Plantronics HW261N binaural headset or Plantronics HW291N monaural headset.

The 8961 handset also supports USB headsets.

Our recommended supplier for headsets is Rocom

Jabber is an instant messaging, phone integration and presence application that enables you to find the right people at the University, see if they are available and collaborate with them using your preferred method. For more information on this Service, see the Cisco Jabber Client webpages.

Rocom

Additional information

Follow the links below for the telephone service and quick guides and information about the Cisco Jabber service.

Handset overview & troubleshooting Telephone fair use policy Cisco Jabber service Cisco Jabber setup instructions