The College is progressing with the University-led telephony replacement project that will retire the current phone system and transfer all numbers to Microsoft Teams. This is required due to BT’s national withdrawal of analogue services as well as the end of the current contract in July 2026.
What this means for college staff
Your existing phone number will be transferred at an agreed time, and at that time, your current desk phone will no longer function.
You will then be able to make and receive calls via Microsoft Teams using:
- Your computer’s webcam microphone and speakers.
- A headset you may already use for Teams meetings.
- The Teams app on your mobile device.
- An optional purchase of aTeams-compatible desk handset (~£80), if required and approved by your line manager.
How Telephony for Teams works
- Contact Number: Teams Phone uses your existing phone number.
- Receiving calls: Callers dial your usual number, and the call will ring within the Teams app (on desktop, mobile, or a Teams handset if you have one).
- Making calls: Dial internal extensions or external numbers directly from the Teams app dial pad.
- Voicemail: Delivered within Teams, along with a transcription of the voicemail which is delivered via email.
- Call handling: Features such as call queues, delegation, and pickup groups remain available, but are predominantly managed within the Teams application.
What you need to do now
- Check you can log in to Microsoft Teams on your primary device.
- Test your meeting/call setup – if you can participate in a Teams meeting you will be able to make and receive Teams calls.
- Notify the IT Office if you use call queues, delegated lines, shared phones, or role-based numbers, so these can be migrated correctly.
- No action is required regarding your current handset; the IT Office will coordinate collection and disposal.
Handset requests
If you believe a Teams handset (£80) is necessary for your role, please discuss this with your line manager and contact us.
Next steps We will contact each department within the college individually in due course to schedule their migration and guide them through the rollout. Further details will be provided ahead of each department’s changeover.