Body
Purpose
This article is a basic overview of Teams Phone, which will be implemented this Fall 2025.
Intended Audience
BRCC Employees that currently have a phone number.
Teams Phone Overview
What's Happening
BRCC is moving from the Cisco phone system currently hosted by the VCCS to Teams Phone. This is a VCCS-wide migration that is happening in waves. The System Office, PVCC, and a few other colleges have successfully made this migration.
Your existing phone number will be migrated to the Teams App already installed on your work computer. This means your computer will become a "soft phone"; all incoming and outgoing calls will be placed from within the Teams app.
Documentation will be hosted in this Knowledge base, and training will be provided closer to the migration date.
Timeline
All Faculty, non-student facing Staff, in exception to the Technology Help Desk, and Administration will move to Teams Phone August 12th. Student Services, Financial Aid, the Testing Center, classrooms, and hallway devices will migrate September 19th.
Benefits
1. Enhanced Collaboration:
- Integrated communication with chat, video, and voice calling within the Teams platform simplifies workflows.
- Easier access to features like file sharing, meeting scheduling, and live collaboration.
2. Mobility and Flexibility:
- Access to calling from any device (desktop, laptop, mobile) ensures users can work from anywhere.
- Seamless integration with Office 365 tools enables efficient multitasking during calls.
3. Cost Efficiency:
- Eliminates the need for traditional phone systems, reducing telecommunication costs.
- Simplifies management and billing with a unified platform.
4. Advanced Features:
- Call analytics and insights help users track and manage communications effectively.
- Features like voicemail transcription, call recording, and real-time subtitles enhance usability.
5. Scalability:
- Easy to onboard new users or scale calling features as the organization grows.
- Ideal for growing businesses or organizations with fluctuating communication needs.
FAQ's
What happens to my desk phone?
- Your computer will function as your main work phone. IT will take care of collecting your desk phone to give you more surface area.
- For now, users will not have a physical phone in their workspace. If you believe you have a use-case for physical equipment, start talking to your supervisor about documenting your need. No new equipment will be purchased initially.
How will I call from a classroom?
- Classroom phones will be integrated into Teams Phone and function mostly the same way.
How do I find someone's number?
- Calling someone in Teams is as easy as typing their name.
- Teams Phone has a voice directory that will work similarly to the current voice directory.
Will my phone number change?
- No. All listings, individual, and department phone numbers will remain unchanged.
Do I need to install a program for Teams Phone to work?
- No. Teams is already installed on your work computer. No extra steps are needed for Teams Phone to work.
How do phone calls work without a phone?
- Phone calls will work the same as a Teams or Zoom meeting, utilizing whatever equipment you currently have.
- When calling internally, the phone call can act like a teams meeting, complete with Video, Chat, and Screen Sharing.
How do I make external phone calls?
- Your Teams app will have a number pad for dialing 10-digit external numbers via mouse click, or by typing the number in the search field.
What extra capabilities exist in Teams Phone?
- Call Recording - Internal and external calls can now be recorded and transcribed, just like a Teams Meeting.
- Text-to-speech Voicemail - Set a voicemail message by typing, rather than recording your own voice.
- Out-of-Office Voicemail - Set an out-of-office voicemail that only plays when your Outlook Automatic Reply is turned on.
- Accurate E911 - Even though your phone is now wherever your computer is, Teams will alert Emergency Services with your campus location, or the nearest address when you're remote.
How do I get help with Teams and Teams Phone?
- Some basic training articles are linked to the right of this article. More materials will be added as support needs arise.
- You may call the Help Desk at 540-453-2400 or come by E109 for one-on-one assistance.
More tutorials will be available in this knowledge base. Here's an intro to making calls: