Dear UO faculty, staff, and graduate employees,
As announced in November, the University of Oregon is planning to switch the telephone service for most employees to Microsoft Teams calling by the end of 2022.
This move will allow the university to operate more effectively in a modern and increasingly hybrid work environment by enabling you to make phone calls from wherever you are, using computers and, optionally, personal mobile devices.
After years of hard work to advance the UO's communications technologies, the project team in Information Services is excited to take this big step forward with you.
Information Services chose the Teams calling service as part of the Communications and Collaborative Technologies program. Our vision is to develop and implement communications tools in a consistent manner to simplify the user experience, optimize our technology investments, and provide the UO community with the ability to connect, share, and work together seamlessly, whether in person or remotely.
Below is an overview of this rollout. You'll receive more information before your own transition to Teams calling.
Key Points about the Teams Calling Rollout
- Phased by department. The transition to Teams calling will be completed in phases, several departments at a time. The first transitions are scheduled for June 1. We're aiming to complete the transition university-wide by the end of December 2022.
- Phone numbers. UO phone numbers will remain the same.
- Desk phones. Most desk phones will be collected as part of this transition.
- Beyond 2022. Eventually Teams calling will be offered to employees who currently have no UO phone service, but this year we're focusing on moving people off the current phone system, which is no longer supported by the vendor.
Exceptions to Teams Calling
- UO cell phone only. Employees whose only UO phone service is a university-issued cell phone won't be switched to Teams calling at this time.
- Amazon Connect. Units that use Amazon Connect for high-volume customer service operations, also known as call centers, will continue to do so. Those employees will start to use Teams calling for their direct lines.
- Utility voice system. Outside of Teams calling, we're also implementing a separate, more traditional phone service to accommodate exceptional situations for which Teams calling isn't a good fit, such as emergency phones and elevator phones.
Learn More
- Frequently asked questions. Visit our Microsoft Teams calling FAQ for answers to common questions about the Teams calling rollout.
- Videos and instructions on Teams calling. We’re offering a range of materials to support your transition. Visit the new Teams calling section of the UO Service Portal.
- General introduction to Microsoft Teams. If you aren't yet using Microsoft Teams for meetings, chat, and collaboration, we encourage you to start familiarizing yourself with Teams by watching our brief Teams introductory video.
- Trainings and other details to follow. We will provide more information to each department before its transition to Teams calling. Watch for emails with updates and next steps, including the training schedule.
Questions and Tech Support
If you have any questions, please submit a ticket through the Microsoft Teams support page of the UO Service Portal.
Teams calling will help us keep pace with the changing communications and collaboration needs of our community, both now and in the future. Information Services is here to support you as we make this positive transition together.
Sincerely,
Abhijit Pandit
Chief Information Officer
Melody Riley
Associate Chief Information Officer for Enterprise Solutions
