Teams – Calling Migration FAQs

Quick Start

• Your phone number stays the same. Migration runs May through July.

• No more dialing 8 for outside lines or # for internal extensions. Just dial the number.

• Your computer + headset replaces your desk phone. Cisco desk phones and Jabber are being retired.

What is Teams Calling?

What is the difference between normal Teams calls and Teams Calling?

You may already use the "Call" button in Teams to talk to coworkers on their computers. Teams Calling takes this a step further by turning your Teams app into a fully functional telephone. By linking your direct Florida Polytechnic University phone number to your Teams account, you can use the dial pad in the "Calls" tab to dial external cell phones, landlines, and businesses. When someone dials your 10-digit campus number, it will ring directly in your Teams app.

What systems does Teams Calling replace?

Teams Calling completely replaces our older Cisco phone system. IT will be removing the physical Cisco desk phones from individual offices, and the Cisco Jabber application will be permanently retired.

Why is the university moving to Teams Calling?

Operating both Teams and Cisco simultaneously is expensive and requires maintaining two separate voice networks. Consolidating into Teams saves the university money by eliminating the need to buy physical phones, pay for redundant software licenses, and maintain legacy on-site phone servers. It also replaces aging equipment that is nearing the end of its lifespan.

The Migration & Timeline

When is the phone migration taking place?

The transition from Cisco to Microsoft Teams Calling will occur between May and July.

• Faculty: All faculty phone lines will be migrated on a single day. The specific date has not yet been finalized, but IT will notify faculty well in advance of the cutover.

• Staff: Staff migrations will occur on a rolling, division-by-division basis. IT will coordinate directly with your division's leadership to schedule your specific transition time.

How will my phone number change during the migration?

Your phone number will not change. Your current Florida Poly direct dial number will simply move from the older Cisco system to Microsoft Teams.

Will there be any downtime for my phone line during the transition?

There may be a very brief period of downtime during the actual cutover window as your number moves from Cisco to Teams. IT will perform bulk migrations outside of standard business hours whenever possible to minimize disruption.

Hardware & Applications

What is happening to my Cisco desk phone, and will I get a replacement?

You will use your computer or the Teams mobile app for all work calls — individual desk phones are being retired. The existing Cisco phones are not compatible with Teams Calling, so IT will collect and remove them from individual offices following the migration, and Florida Poly will not be issuing replacement desk phones to individual users. If you have a specific accommodation need, please work with your supervisor and IT to discuss options.

Does my computer need to be turned on to receive phone calls?

If you are using Teams exclusively on your computer, it must be powered on and awake to receive calls. If you lock your computer screen when stepping away from your desk, you will still hear the incoming call ring out loud, but you must unlock the screen to answer it. If your computer is turned off or goes to sleep, incoming calls will route immediately to your Teams voicemail. If you install the Teams app on your smartphone, your cell phone will ring even if your computer is asleep or completely shut down.

How do I request a headset if I don't already have one?

If you do not currently have a headset to use with your computer for Teams calls, IT will provide a standard headset at no cost to you. Please submit a help desk ticket by emailing helpdesk@floridapoly.edu to request one.

What if I want a different headset than the one IT provides?

If you prefer a different headset model than the standard one provided by IT, please speak to your supervisor. If department budget is available, your department can purchase the desired headset for you.

I used to use the Cisco Jabber app on my computer for calls. Do I still need it?

No. Microsoft Teams will entirely replace the Cisco Jabber application for voice calls. Once your number is migrated to Teams, you can uninstall or delete the Cisco Jabber app from your computer and mobile phone. Jabber will be automatically uninstalled from all University owned devices after migration.

Will there still be physical phones in classrooms, labs, and shared spaces?

Yes. Common areas, classrooms, lab environments, service desks, and shared student-worker stations will retain physical phones. The old Cisco phones in these locations will be replaced with new, Teams-compatible devices.

Can I use my personal Bluetooth headphones or earbuds for Teams calls?

Yes. Any audio device connected to your computer (such as AirPods, Bluetooth headsets, or built-in laptop microphones) can be used for Teams calls. However, for the best and most reliable audio quality, the IT-provided wired headsets are highly recommended.

Making & Managing Calls

Do I still need to dial '8' to make an outside call?

No. This is one of the biggest changes. You no longer need to dial '8' to reach an external number. Simply dial the standard 10-digit phone number using the Teams dial pad.

Do I still need to dial a '#' for internal extensions?

No. You no longer need to dial the pound sign (#) before an internal extension. For any Florida Poly phone number starting with 863-874, you can now simply dial the last four digits of the number to reach them.

How do I look up a colleague's phone number or extension?

You don't need to memorize numbers or look them up in a directory. In the Teams "Calls" tab, click into the dial pad and start typing a colleague's name. Teams will search the Florida Poly directory automatically and show matching people — click the name to place the call directly to their Teams number.

How do shared department lines work?

Teams does not use traditional "Line" buttons like the Cisco phones did. Instead, shared department lines are moved to a Teams Auto Attendant or Call Queue. When a call comes in for that shared line, it will ring directly in your Teams app, and the notification will clearly display the name of the shared line (for example, "Incoming call for IT Help Desk") so you know exactly how to answer it.

What if I'm already on a call and another call comes in?

You will hear a subtle beep and see a call notification pop up on your screen. If you click "Answer," Teams will automatically place your first caller on hold and connect you to the new caller.

Will my old Cisco speed dials, contacts, and call history transfer over to Teams?

No, your previous Cisco call history and programmed speed dials will not migrate. However, finding contacts is much easier in Teams — you can simply type a colleague's name into the dialer to call them. You can also recreate speed dials in the "Calls" tab under the "Speed Dial" section.

What happens to my call forwarding, ring groups, and delegates?

• Ring groups (shared lines): IT will rebuild shared department lines and Auto Attendants internally during the migration.

• Personal forwarding or delegates: If you had a personal setup where your phone forwarded to someone else, you will need to reconfigure this in Teams. You can manage this by clicking the "..." (Settings) next to your profile picture in Teams, selecting Calls, and setting your preferences.

How do I transfer a call to a colleague in Teams?

1. While on an active call, click the More button (the three dots) in your call window.

2. Select Transfer (a blind transfer) to immediately send the call to someone else, or select Consult then transfer to chat with or call the colleague first to announce the caller before transferring them over.

How do I put a caller on hold, and will they hear hold music?

While on a call, click the More button (the three dots) and select Hold. The caller will hear the standard Teams hold music until you click Resume.

Can I make international calls from Teams?

International outbound calling is blocked by default for most Florida Poly users. As part of each division's migration, IT will work with your division's leadership to identify users who require international calling and enable that access on an individual basis.

If you need international calling access and it has not yet been enabled for your account after your move to Teams, please speak with your supervisor so they can coordinate with IT to add the permission.

Can I receive international calls in Teams?

Yes. The international outbound restriction does not affect inbound calls — anyone calling your Florida Poly number from outside the United States will reach you in Teams normally.

Voicemail

How do I check my voicemail in Teams?

Click the Calls icon on the left side of Teams and select Voicemail. You will see a list of your messages along with an automatic text transcription of the audio.

What happens to the old voicemails saved on my Cisco phone?

Your saved voicemails from the Cisco system will not migrate to Microsoft Teams. Please log into your Cisco voicemail and listen to or delete any important saved messages before your department's migration date.

Do I still need a PIN to check my voicemail?

No. You authenticate into Microsoft Teams using your secure university credentials, so a voicemail PIN is no longer required. When you receive a voicemail, an audio file and text transcription will automatically be sent to your Outlook inbox.

Can I record a custom voicemail greeting?

Yes. By default, callers who reach your voicemail will hear a standard system greeting, but you can replace it with your own. To record a personalized greeting, click the ... (Settings) next to your profile picture in Teams, select Settings, then go to the Calls tab. Under Voicemail, click Configure voicemail and then Record a greeting — Teams will place a call to you so you can record your greeting through your headset or microphone. You can also configure a separate greeting for when your status is set to Out of Office, which is useful for vacations, conferences, or extended leave.

Remote Work & Mobile Devices

How do I make and receive calls from my mobile phone with Teams?

Download the Microsoft Teams app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store and sign in with your university account. Use the Calls tab at the bottom to dial numbers. The app uses Wi-Fi or your cellular data connection, so these calls do not use your personal cell phone plan's voice minutes. When you call out using the app, the recipient will see your Florida Poly work number on their caller ID, not your personal cell phone number.

Will my work phone automatically ring on my personal cell phone?

Yes. Your work phone number is tied to your Teams account. If you have the Teams app installed and logged in on your mobile device, it will ring simultaneously with your computer.

I do not want to receive work calls on my personal phone. What do I do?

You can disable calling notifications on your mobile device without affecting your Teams chat alerts. Please follow this guide: Teams – Turn off Calling Notifications on MobilePreview

Do I need to be connected to the campus VPN to make or receive calls from home?

No. You only need an active internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular). You do not need to be logged into the VPN to make or receive calls.

Emergencies & 911

How do I dial 911 using Microsoft Teams?

You can dial 911 directly from the Teams app dial pad, just as you would on a normal phone.

Why is Teams asking me to confirm my physical emergency location?

Important: Teams uses dynamic location services to ensure emergency responders are sent to the correct address. Because you can use Teams on a laptop off-campus, the system needs to know where you are physically located if you call 911.

If you use Teams off-campus — at home, while traveling, or anywhere else — you must confirm your physical address when a banner appears at the top of your Teams app. 911 dispatchers rely on this address to send help to the right location.

What happens if the university internet or power goes out?

One of the benefits of Teams Calling is that it lives in the cloud. If campus network services go down, your work phone will still function via the Teams mobile app on your cell phone using cellular data.