Call freedom: You’ll no longer be tethered to a specific office where your phone is located to make calls. Goodbye deskbound phone. Hello convenience.

Mobile office workspace: Regardless of where you work, on campus or from home, all you will need is an active Teams account on your device. You’ll be able to make and receive phone calls. You can be anywhere!

Choice of device: Your smartphone in addition to your laptop or desktop computer can also be set up to make calls if you have it configured for MAM (mobile application management). All you need is your uOttawa Teams environment.

Physical telephone: All existing phones will be removed; they are old and will not be compatible with the new telephony infrastructure. For those who have been identified as receiving a replacement telephone, you will get a modern telephone for your desk.

Voice mail: Your voice mail will now be accessed from Teams. For those with a new physical telephone, the voicemail button will be programmed to access your voicemail directly from Teams.

Number of lines: Those with a University-issued cellphone or a data plan paid for their personal cellphones by the University AND who also have a physical phone will need to decide which they want to keep.

Calls rates: Calls within Canada and to the USA are now free of charge, for the rest of the world check the regularly updated international rates.

Extension number: For those with a University-issued cellphone, their uOttawa extension number will not be transferred.

Contact centres: A new software solution will be implemented offering significantly more real-time reporting for supervisors and much more flexibility for agents.

We’ve saved the best for the last... cool features that also will let you be more productive are also on the list of changes to expect!

Calls: The way of making that calls will be different.

Voice mail: You still will have voicemail; you just will have a different way of accessing it.

Teams: We’re already using Microsoft Teams for meetings with earbuds or a headset. It’s just another functionality that will be available to you in your Teams application with the Calls feature.

Telephone extension number:  You will keep the same telephone number.

Cellphones: Most people with University-issued cellphones or whose data plan is paid for their personal cellphones by the University will not be affected.

Classroom podiums: Will continue to have a physical phone, we will simply provide a newer phone.

Research and other labs: Will continue to have a physical phone that can make and receive external calls. We will simply provide a newer phone.

Elevators: Will continue to have a physical phone, we will simply provide a newer phone.

Exterior emergency phones: Will continue to have a physical phone, we will simply provide a newer phone.

Delegate support for executives: You still will be able to manage calls for executives. The way of managing the calls will be different.

Call queues: Some sectors have set up a phone configuration where when a call is received, several other phones ring for someone to pick up the call. You still will be able to do this. The way to program it will be different.

Analog handsets: the only analog devices will be the emergency phones (e.g. elevators). All new phones will be Voice over IP based (VoIP).

Fax services:  You will continue to use the service as usual until further notice.