What is Unified Comms?

The University is replacing its telephone system – which is now 25 years old – and is using the opportunity to upgrade and integrate many of our existing communication tools to offer greater choice and the potential for more flexibility in where and how staff can connect with each other and to people outside the University.

What system will we be using?

After a large tender exercise, the University selected Cisco Systems Unified Communications platform supplied by Logicalis to provide the service which will be available on a range of devices – either your own or the University’s. It will combine instant messaging, voice, video, web conferencing and information about whether people are free or in a meeting and offers opportunities for staff to work effectively from off-campus and to collaborate remotely with others around the University and beyond. This solution will work on almost any type of smart device, (PC, Mac, laptop, tablet, smartphone etc) from anywhere with some form of network connection.

What will it look like?

Most staff will use the system with a piece of software called Jabber.  This runs on Windows PCs and laptops, MacOS devices, IOS devices and Android devices.  The only class of smart phone not currently supported are Windows phones.  The software will look something like this

 

What will it mean for me?

Unified Comms offers the ability to communicate with colleagues via text, voice, video or web conferencing and to switch between communications methods when you wish. To do this, we will be using a piece of software called Jabber.

Staff will be provided with access to the Jabber client on their work PC or laptop and another device of their choice. The software shows whether the person you want to communicate with is currently available and how they want to receive communications. You can text them, make a voice or video call, leave them messages or switch to web conferencing to share documents or your desktop. The Jabber client also integrates with traditional video conferencing solutions so you can use it to join and participate in a Video conferencing session.

This system gives you a lot of choice about how, when and where people contact you. It gives you the freedom to work from places – either around campus or off-site (as long as there is a network connection) – and communicate with people as if you were at your desk.

What will I need?

You will need access to a PC or laptop or a portable networked device – such as a mobile phone or tablet.  Provided you have a headset (or usb handset) you will be able to use the software to make and receive calls from any staff workstation within the University. If you have a University mobile device, you will be able to make calls on that too (even ipods and tablets will work) and you can ask for the software to be installed on one of your own devices if you think that would be convenient for you.

When will this happen?

We will be rolling out the Unified Comms from January 2015  For this system to work effectively, we need to finish the work we’re currently doing to upgrade the University’s network.  We will be installing the necessary hardware building-by-building and the software will be provided to groups and teams at the same time to make it possible for staff to use and experiment with the new features alongside people they work closely with.

Is it easy to use?

Yes, once you’ve tried it a few times. It may take a bit of getting used to though so we want to give staff as much help as possible when changing to the new system.  We have a demonstration suite set up in 20 Furnival and staff will be giving regular group demonstrations to show how the equipment and software can be used.

Will someone teach me how to use it?

Apart from the demonstrations, we are looking into producing some instructional videos to help staff benefit from the features the system offers and, when we install the software, IS&T staff will give a quick tutorial on how to use it. We will also provide self-help documents which you can keep and refer to at any time.  We are planning to identify staff in areas of the University who will be considered ‘super users’ for the system.  We will give them training in the basic features of the software so that they can help other staff who may be less confident in using it.

Can I still keep my original desk phone?

It is very unlikely – and we believe that, based on the experiences of staff who have used the new system, that you will never miss it. This system doesn’t work with a traditional analogue phone and a desktop phone would limit your access to many of the features of the system. We will be encouraging most staff to use headsets because:

• Headsets give a better experience – and we will offer a range which you can choose from
• Many staff now use desk phones only a few times a day, some hardly ever. It therefore makes sense to use your PC or other device with a headset on the occasions when you do want to make or receive a call.  Those who do use a phone more frequently will find a headset gives them better reception, access to more features (such as click and dial) and  are more ergonomic and comfortable for regular use.  If you really feel you would prefer a telephone style device, we can provide USB handsets which plug into a PC or laptop.
• Telephones are, comparatively, very expensive
• There will be IP phones around the University – in some meeting rooms and other areas – which you will be able to log into and use as if it were your own phone.
• If you use a mobile phone, you will be able to have the Jabber software installed on that, enabling you to take calls on the go or away from your desk if you wish. You will even be able to sit in Starbucks (or anywhere with a network connection) and make and receive calls from your mobile as if you were in the University.

I don’t have a webcam on my computer, how can I use video conferencing?

You can use the audio conferencing facility from any PC with Jabber installed and, if you think you need one, you can request a webcam through your faculty or department.  You can also use a meeting room, many of which have video cameras and will be Webex enabled – in fact, many people prefer to conduct video calls and meetings away from their desks so that they don’t disturb other staff and avoid interruptions.

Will there be any phones?

Yes, secretaries, executive assistants and other staff who monitor several lines on behalf of other people will find using a multi-line phone easier than using Jabber.  We will also have phones in corridors in teaching areas for reporting problems and in specific locations for use in emergencies.  Some meeting rooms will be fitted with phones too.

What about in teaching rooms?

PCs within teaching rooms will run the Unified Comms Jabber client.  This could be used with a microphone and speaker or with a headset connected to the PC.

Currently there are wall-mounted phones in the corridors near most teaching rooms for reporting of any equipment faults and for contacting security in an emergency.  We will continue to provide these and the phones will work for up to 4 hours in the event of a power cut.

What will be available in meeting rooms?

As we upgrade meeting rooms, we will replace the equipment with similar kit which works with the Unified Comms system.  If the room has a phone, for instance, we will replace it with one with equivalent or better functionality.  If the meeting room has a PC, the Jabber client will be available on it and we can either provide a hands-free attachment which will allow it be used as a conference phone or provide a separate phone in the room.

I work at a reception point and can’t wear a headset because I need people to be able to see when I’m on the phone.

We expect that at standard reception points, standard phones will be used as well as the potential to use Jabber.  We will be testing how this works during the pilot.

I share a phone number with others in my team.  How will this work with the new Unified Comms?

With the new system, each member of staff who needs a phone will have their own number. If staff currently share a number, we have two options:

1. We can give each member of staff a new number, except one who will retain the original number.  In this case, one person will receive all the calls made to the original number.
2. We give a new number to each member of staff and then put them all in a ‘pick-up’ group which will maintain the original number.  In this case all staff will be reachable via the original number.  We would prefer to move away from using the shared number unless there is a good operational reason for continuing to use it.

What about fax machines?

Existing fax machines won’t work with the new solution so we will replace most physical fax units with a fax server.  To send a fax with the new system you will send it via email using the phone number as the delivery address.  The existing fax numbers will be maintained and faxes sent to these numbers will be delivered into shared mailboxes.

We may keep some existing fax machines if there is a proven legal requirement that cannot be met by the fax server.  In this case, the phone numbers associated with these machines will need to change because we will need to provide new phone lines to support them.

What happens in an emergency?

We will install wall mounted corridor phones and lift phones which will work even if power is lost and there is no data network.  They will continue to work, without power, for at least 4 hours.  We will also ensure that there is at least one wall-mounted phone near the main exit of any small building and on each floor within larger buildings.  Depending on the shape and arrangement of fire escapes, we may install one near each major route out of a building.

Some buildings have refuge alerters in the stairwells that can be used to talk to security.  These are designed for use during building evacuations. If these are available, they may be considered an alternative to a wall mounted phone.

What about lone working phones?

In some laboratories where there is a risk of injury and people work on their own, we have phones that dial security directly if taken off the hook.  We will continue to provide these.

Will I receive voicemail?

Yes, all staff will have the ability to receive voicemail (or video mail) but it will be delivered into your email inbox and you will be able to hear it by opening the email or using a.Jabber client  If people can’t contact you via your preferred method at the time they try to get in touch, they will be able to leave a message for you on voicemail.  Once you’ve listened to a message, it will be cleared from the voicemail servers.

Can calls be recorded?

There will be a limited voice recording capacity which will be used on specific phones to record some calls.  These will be used by the University switch board to provide evidence to the police if, for example, someone rang in with a bomb warning.  There is also sufficient capacity for some of the help desks to use it for training purposes.

Can I use Unified Comms for web conferencing?

Yes, one of the benefits of the new system is that WebEX servers are hosted in house so web conferencing will essentially be free to use.  Audio, video, application and desktop sharing via a web browser is possible via almost any device.  Conferences can also be recorded and held on a conference server.

We are currently licensed for 250 people to use WebEX at any one time with up to 25 concurrent conferences and a maximum of 100 users in any conference.  The system will support fewer users if video is being used and few still if HD video is being used.

What about traditional video conferencing?

This system integrates with traditional video conferencing and also more modern telepresence solutions so people can take part in video conferences from their desktops, laptops, tablets and other devices.

At the moment, not many people use the traditional video-conferencing facilities available at the University so we don’t have many licenses for it at the moment.  If there is more demand for it, we will increase the capacity.

Will departments continue to pay for calls?

Phone bills will continue to be re-charged to departments and faculties as at the moment.

The cost of purchasing mobile phones and mobile phone charges will still be recharged to faculties and departments

We will no longer charge for new numbers, moves and changes, or equipment for new members of staff provided it falls within the standard equipment provision for staff. Larger moves and reorganisations will continue to be charged for as part of the project costs.

If the Unified Comms software is used on a mobile phone located on campus there will be no charges because the call will be routed via the networks and internal phone system.

Will the system work with social media too?

The helpdesk software can integrate with many social networking tools – we don’t have a licence for all the features available at the moment though.

Will I need a headset? If so, what type of headset will I get?

If you work in a shared office or a noisy environment you will need a set of headphones.  We are testing a range of styles for quality and comfort and will be giving staff a range of designs to select from.  We will give you guidance about the type of headset that will best suit you and the role you do but the choice will be yours.

Will I have to pay for my calls if I’m working off campus?

The Jabber client makes voice calls over the data network rather than the phone network. If you are connected to a network that is free to use, (like one in a café or your home network) then the answer is no. Any call you make to a phone outside the University appears to originate from the University so will be charged to the university.

If you are using a network that charges for data – say your home Wi-Fi has a data cap with charges for anything over that amount, or you are using a mobile phone company network – then the calls will count towards your allowance and may incur extra charges. The are a range of ways to configure the software to minimise or eliminate these costs which we will provide information on.

Will the quality of reception be as good a traditional phone?

Generally the call quality is better.  On campus, we can protect calls using the Quality of Service feature which is built into our network.  Off campus, voice traffic has no special treatment so you may have problems on low bandwidth or heavily congested networks.

If I work from another office, will I need to take my headset?

Yes if you move about you will be best taking your headset with you. Many of the headsets we’re recommending come with carrying cases.

What if a visitor needs to use a phone?

Most reception points will have traditional phones. Other phones, such a meeting room phone, will not by default make external calls. You can login the phone and then allow a visitor to use it or ring the switchboard and they can connect an external call.

What if I lose or forget to bring my headset?

The university will be carrying a significant stock of headsets to we should be able to replace a lost one very quickly.

If I have a telephone and change my mind, will I have the chance to move to a headset?

Yes

If I choose a headset and don’t like it, will I be able to revert back to a telephone?

We will try to dissuade you from using a phone. We have a wide selection of headsets and we’d be happy for you to try other units to find one that suits you.  There is also a USB handset which can be connected to a PC or laptop.

What happens if there is a power outage? Will I still be able to contact people?

Phones on emergency exit routes and in lifts will continue to work in case of a power outage. If a power outage lasts more than a few minutes it is University policy to evacuate the building; a task performed by the fire marshals who should check every room.