New Phone System: FAQs

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Project Information

SJU is in the process of soliciting vendors for a new University telephone system. Modern telephony solutions provide the ability to work from anywhere, scale to meet University needs, provide SMS options, and integrate with existing platforms.

As messaging and collaboration applications like Google and Zoom have changed how we communicate, softphones offer a modern alternative to traditional desk phones. Softphones eliminate the need for physical hardware, support mobility and hybrid work by enabling calls from computers or mobile devices, integrate seamlessly with collaboration tools, and provide advanced features such as voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, and presence indicators. Softphones are highly scalable and simplify solution management making them a cost-effective and future-ready communications solution.

FAQs

​​​​​Q: What is a softphone?
A: Softphones are a software-based application that allows you to initiate and receive voice calls over the internet using a computer, smartphone, or tablet rather than a physical phone.

Q: When will my phone move?
A: Staff phones will likely move in the late Spring/early Summer. Faculty phones are planned for Fall 2026. All other service lines will be phased in thereafter. The timeline is currently subject to change

Q: What can I expect to happen during the migration?
A: You will be informed about your migration date in advance. You will experience a brief phone service interruption on the day you migrate. Additional details will be provided as they become available.
 
Q: Will I have a physical phone?
A: We are evaluating softphone solutions that remove the requirement for a physical handset and offer features such as call handling from a computer or mobile device, voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, presence indicators, and seamless integration with collaboration tools. Softphone solutions allow you to make and receive phone calls via computer or smartphone over the Internet. For most users, our current NEC desktop phones will no longer be needed.
 
Q: Will I keep my SJU phone number?
A: OIT is currently conducting an inventory of all phone numbers and analyzing usage. Once the analysis is complete, we will provide additional guidance on the assignment of phone numbers.
 
Q: Where can I find additional information?
A: Additional information will become available as the project proceeds.

 

Details

Details

Article ID: 160209
Created
Mon 2/2/26 3:46 PM
Modified
Mon 2/2/26 4:17 PM

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