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Teams Voice: A new internet-based phone system

01 Nov 2022

Microsoft Teams Voice will allow colleagues to make and receive external calls from anywhere via their laptop, desktop, or smartphone - internal calls will continue to be free via Teams-to-Teams calling

Teams Voice

Colleagues in the newly opened Engineering Buildings A and B (formerly MECD) already have access to External Calling through Microsoft Teams Voice. Following this successful pilot, we are now extending this cloud-based telephony solution to the remainder of the University.

This work is essential to future-proof our University against external transformations in the telecoms industry. BT and other providers have announced that by December 2025 they will be switching off their legacy networks, as they move to an internet-based model. This means landline phones connected to old copper wire networks will no longer work – so we must upgrade to an internet-based system. Teams Voice is a flexible solution that will help colleagues who often work from home, or do not have a set work location or desk on campus. Instead of your landline handset, you will have the ability to make and receive external voice calls using your university phone number anywhere via Microsoft Teams on your chosen device, (such as a laptop, desktop, or smartphone).

These changes will ensure we are prepared for the digitisation of the telecoms industry and supports our strategy of becoming a digital University. It will also significantly lower costs and provide a more hygienic work environment by removing shared phone handsets.

All colleagues with the appropriate Microsoft license will be moved to MS Teams Voice. If you are one of the many members of staff that do not currently have a university phone number, you will be issued with one as part of the rollout. All other colleagues will retain their existing number where possible; all landline phone handsets will be removed.

We are currently working out the details of our rollout plan with our new Manchester-based supplier FourNet. Once finalised we will share more information about go-live dates. We will also be providing support and training with live webinars and via our M365 Help and Support site.

  • If you have any queries or would like to be put in touch with the business lead supporting the project for your area, please email the project team at Teams.Voice@manchester.ac.uk.