Teams Phones

April 2024, Teams Phones

Telephone Services Migration Progresses Smoothly

Clark University’s transition to Microsoft Teams Phone is making significant headway! As of today, 44% of users and 23 out of 87 departments have successfully migrated from the legacy phone system to Teams.

Pie chart showing 44% of people have migrated to Teams Phones (shown in blue) and 56% of people have not yet migrated (shown in red)

Modern and cloud-based solution offers numerous benefits, such as:

Enhanced Collaboration: Make and receive calls directly within the Teams app, on any device with an internet connection. 

Accessibility: Reach colleagues and community members anywhere, fostering better communication regardless of location. 

Cost Savings: Reduced voice service expenses compared to the outdated system. 

Improved Reliability and Scalability: Experience consistent and dependable phone service with the ability to adapt to future needs. 

What to Expect Next:

Remaining departments and individuals will be contacted in the coming months to schedule a time for the change, please keep a lookout for emails from voip@clarku.edu. For more information, visit our Teams Phone Transition webpage.  

Together, let’s embrace this positive change and enhance communication across Clark University! 

If you have questions about this transition, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@clarku.edu or 508-793-7745. 

Resources, Teams Phones

Phone Services: Transition to Microsoft Teams Phone

Over the coming year, Clark will transition from using our traditional phone infrastructure for making and receiving voice calls to using Microsoft Teams.  This change will allow you to make and receive calls in your existing Teams client on your computer, smart phone, or Teams compatible desk phone. 

As our modality of working has recently evolved, we must be more flexible in the way we communicate. Using a modern cloud service, such as Microsoft Teams, for our phone system allows us to be more agile and provide phone service to on-campus, hybrid, and remote employees, allowing for quality support and engagement for all our community members. 

Additionally, Clark University’s current system, initially implemented in 1984, is becoming more challenging and expensive to maintain. This old technology needs to be replaced with a service that can grow in flexible and reliable ways. 

Using Microsoft Teams as our phone system offers multiple benefits, including: 

  • Unified Communication: Consolidating many of our communication tools into a single, integrated platform for voice calls, video conferences, and instant messaging. 
  • Mobility and Flexibility: Access Teams Phone from any device, ensuring that you can stay connected whether you are on campus, at home, or on the go. 
  • Familiarity on Campus: Microsoft tools are well-known and widely used on campus, ensuring a familiar user interface to minimize the learning curve associated with the transition. 

We will transition most users to Teams Phones during 2024.  

Over the last year, during the initial phases of the project, we have successfully and seamlessly transitioned more than 100 users to Teams Phones. Remaining departments and individuals will be contacted in the coming months to schedule a time for the change. 

To facilitate a smooth migration, our telecommunications team will be working closely with the Help Desk staff and Technology Trainer to provide training and resources to help you become familiar with Microsoft Teams phone features and functionalities. Visit our Teams Phone Transition webpage for answers to your questions, links to support, and more information on the project. Additionally, our support team will be available to assist with any questions or concerns you may have. 

Should you have any immediate questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the ITS Help Desk at helpdesk@clarku.edu, or 508-793-7745. 

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to modernize and enhance our working and learning environments.