In the coming months, the Infrastructure Networks team in Information Services will be expanding Microsoft Teams to include its Teams Phone feature. DePaul users will continue to have the same dedicated phone number that they have had before. After the upgrade, calls to this dedicated number will go to the Teams app on your laptop, desktop or phone. Microsoft Teams will also include a phone keypad feature for dialing phone numbers within the app.
Voice and Video Basics
DePaul supports the Zoom and Microsoft Teams platforms for online communication and collaboration.
- Zoom is DePaul's primary conferencing platform used to support online teaching and learning in its various forms. Zoom is also frequently used to enable web conferencing for meetings across the university.
- Microsoft Teams is an online communication and collaboration platform which is available to faculty, staff, and students. Teams features instant messaging, web conferencing, ad-hoc voice and video calls over the internet, traditional telephony services (making and receiving dialed phone numbers), and a variety of other useful features and functions.
- If you have a DePaul-issued phone number, you will soon be able to make and receive calls through the Microsoft Teams application.
Microsoft Teams is a convenient way to reach people within the DePaul community. Simply search for the person you want to call and choose the video or voice call option to reach out. Microsoft Teams applications are available for desktop computers, mobile devices, and via your web browser. If you have been already been using Teams and have a DePaul phone number, you will see a new 'Calls' section within the app. This feature will allow you to make and receive calls to and from your DePaul phone number.
How do I make calls in Teams?
If you DO have a DePaul-based phone number, these are the ways you can communicate through Teams:
- Select the Calls tab in Teams. Use the keypad to dial any ten-digit phone number. You can call anyone within or outside of DePaul using their phone number.
- Chat (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
- Audio call (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
- Video call (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
If you DON'T have a DePaul-based phone number, these are the ways you can communicate with other DePaul employees through Teams:
- Chat (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
- Audio call (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
- Video call (by searching the name or names of other DePaul employees in Teams)
How can people call me in Teams?
If you DO have a DePaul-based phone number, these are the ways people can communicate with you through Teams:
- Call your ten-digit DePaul phone number (anyone within or outside of DePaul)
- Chat (DePaul employees: Search your name or multiple names in Teams)
- Audio call (DePaul employees: Search for your name in Teams)
- Video call (DePaul employees: Search for your name in Teams)
If you DON'T have a DePaul-based phone number, these are the ways other DePaul employees can communicate with you through Teams:
- Chat (by searching your name or multiple names in Teams)
- Audio call (by searching for your name in Teams)
- Video call (by searching for your name in Teams)
General FAQs
Where do we drop off our old Cisco phones?
Please communicate with your liaison about a central place to put the old Cisco phones. Your liaisons will communicate with Information Services about where to pick up the phones for salvage. Please handle the phones with care while dropping them off.
What if I don't have a DePaul-based phone number?
No problem! Continue to make direct audio and video calls to colleagues in Microsoft Teams or via conferencing in Zoom.
Is Cisco Jabber going away?
Yes. If you previously used Cisco Jabber to call from your DePaul number, this service will migrate to Microsoft Teams (technically Teams Phone within Microsoft Teams). Please remove the Jabber client from your workstation or mobile device. View instructions to remove apps in Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Can I dial 911 from Teams?
Yes. If you are on campus or use your mobile device to call 911 through Teams, 911 services will automatically receive your location. If you're making calls from your laptop or desktop while on campus, 911 will automatically know your approximate location. If you work remotely, whether at home, at Starbucks, or otherwise, you will need to manually set your location within Teams.
As an individual with a DePaul number, what will my experience on the migration date look like?
Your Cisco desk phone and/or your software Jabber client will no longer work with your DePaul number. Make sure to reboot your computer. New functionality to make telephone calls will be added to the "Calls" tab in your Microsoft Teams client. If you are using a DePaul provided computer, Microsoft Teams will already be installed. Open the application to being receiving and making telephone calls.
You'll notice a keypad and your DePaul-based phone number below the keypad. Calls coming to your DePaul number will now come into the Teams desktop, mobile, or web app. Dialed telephone calls will appear to the receiver as a call from your DePaul phone number.
What about our front desk phone or call center?
If you have a physical phone that is used for the front desk or a more complex menu or call queueing system, the Infrastructure Networks team will work with your area prior to the migration date to ensure a smooth transition.
Can I use the Teams mobile app?
Yes. The mobile app can be installed directly from your mobile app store. Log in with your Bluekey credentials. View instructions for managing notifications in Teams mobile app or setting quiet times in the Teams mobile app.
What about voicemail?
Voicemail will be sent to your BlueM@il (Exchange Online email service ending in @depaul.edu) inbox. You can listen to voicemails in the Teams client or through Outlook as you do today. Transcriptions are provided and additional voicemail configuration can be done within the Teams client.
Without a physical phone, does this mean I have to be available all the time? Can people call whenever I have my smartphone with the Teams app?
Communication channels via Zoom/Teams, etc. have always been available at all times. This isn't much different than the current communication options (especially for users who don't use a DePaul phone number or physical phone that much).
Fewer and fewer people are reaching out via phone calls. If you already use Teams, anyone in DePaul could contact you at any time today through the app. A phone number doesn't change that. You have the option to set hours of availability in Teams. Faculty also have the option to communicate to students their preferred contact methods and hours of availability.
For communication with colleagues and co-workers: Define your hours of availability on Teams by setting quiet time when you are not available on Teams.
For communication with students: Tell your students your preferred communication methods and hours. If you haven't used Teams for communicating and just want to use the phone feature, you have the option of setting quiet times when the app will not ring or notify you https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/quiet-time-in-microsoft-teams-for-mobile-devices-174c4d2d-c7c1-4228-80a7-031c14f9bcf2. Faculty have the option to give office hours, and limit Teams notifications to those specific times.
Is Zoom going away?
Zoom remains an integral part of DePaul and its teaching activities. While Microsoft Teams will become the telephony platform for the University, users are free to choose which platform they would prefer to use for chatting, team-based collaboration, video and voice calls.
What should I do in case of an emergency call?
Although it is recommended to call any emergency services through your smartphone, calling 911 works from Microsoft Teams Phone on your computer or app. Common area phones will continue to be provided in public and open spaces throughout campus for the purposes of emergency calling.
I am a Mac user. What should I do differently?
Set up the Microsoft Teams desktop app for Mac. If you are using a DePaul provided Mac, the Microsoft Office suite that contains Microsoft Teams is already installed. If you are using a personal device that does not have Office/Teams installed, download them at office365.depaul.edu. Select the Install Apps button. Once you have downloaded and installed Microsoft Teams, login with your BlueKey credentials. After Teams is set up on your Mac, make sure to open the Teams app, log in, and allow Teams notifications. You will now receive calls on your Mac. It's recommended to make a habit of opening the Team app whenever you want to be available for any Teams-based calls on your Mac.
Am I going to lose my DePaul phone number?
No. If you currently have a DePaul-based, ten-digit phone number, you will continue to have that number. The only difference is that you will now make and receive calls from and to that number in the Teams app.
If I am using the Teams app on my own smartphone, will it show my personal cell phone number?
No. Making calls from the Teams app either with your DePaul phone number, or via Teams audio or video callls, will not display your personal phone number.
There are times when I need to receive incoming calls to my ten-digit DePaul phone number. How do I ensure that I receive incoming calls?
All calls to your DePaul phone number will ring in the Microsoft Teams app after your migration is complete. If you are used to receiving and making lots of calls to and from this number, make sure to open the Teams app on your laptop, desktop, web or mobile app. Make sure you are logged into Teams, and that your phone or computer allows notifications from Teams.
I have a physical phone for my DePaul phone number. Do I get a replacement?
Information Services has worked with departmental liaisons to determine individual ongoing needs for physical phones.
How will you know about all of the physical phones in my department, school, or office?
Information Services will be reaching out to a liaison from your area in order to obtain this information.
What should I do with my old physical phone?
Each DePaul office, department, school, or college will have a liaison working and communicating with Information Services. Your liaison will reach out about old phone collection procedures.
I have a DePaul-based phone number. How will I know if the call is coming into my DePaul phone number, and not my Teams profile?
When a call is incoming, you will see two things: the person calling (either a number or an individual), and whether they are calling your DePaul phone number (a telephone call) or your individual Teams profile (indicating an internal VoIP call).
What if I don't want my phone number anymore?
People who currently have a DePaul phone number but no longer require it are welcome to decommission their number. Please contact your department or school liaison for the migration project or create a ticket to the Helpdesk.
Shared Phones (such as a front desk phone)
My office, school, or department has a shared front desk phone. What will happen to this phone?
It will be replaced and upgraded to a new physical phone that uses a Microsoft Teams interface.
Our shared phone line has a menu of options. Is this going to change?
Information Services will work with you to recreate a similar user experience for callers. Teams phone provides the similar features for phone trees, forwarding and hunt groups.
What about shared phones in computer labs and classrooms?
Physical phones in computer labs and classrooms will be replaced with Teams compatible phones.
What about voicemail for shared phones?
Information Services will work to ensure that voicemails to shared phone lines are available via email to required individuals.
Delegating Access (giving others access to your phone number)
Can I give other people the ability to answer calls to my number (or make calls)?
Yes! This option is called "delegate access". All owners of a DePaul phone number have the option to delegate access to their number. This means that incoming calls can forward to others and they can answer. You also have the option to let others make calls from your number.
What about call forwarding?
With the upgraded system, shared phone numbers and phones can be forwarded to individuals on their Microsoft Teams apps.
Changing Your Ringtone in Microsoft Teams
Note: ensure you are using the Teams 2.0 Application and not Teams classic as the settings menus are different
In your Teams client, hit the 3 dots next to your profile picture.
Select Settings:
Navigate to the Calls section and scroll down to Choose a Ringtone:
From here you can set unique ringtones for direct calls, forwarded calls, and calls from lines delegated to you using the drop downs, and use the play buttons to hear what the ringtone sounds like.