Telephony

If you have a business requirement to use Teams Telephony, you can request access via your School Administration Manager. They will need to submit an online telephony request form.

Only staff currently have the required licencing for Teams Telephony. If there is a business requirement to have Teams Telephony this can be requested via your School Administration Manager.

Yes. If a new starter needs to be able to make and receive external telephone calls, Teams Telephony will be enabled for them if requested on their new start form.

Non-person phones such as those in lifts and laboratories, and critical and analogue lines are provided through a separate Mitel telephone system.

You can use the same headset you use for Teams, or your device’s speakers and microphone, to make and receive telephone calls.

If you need a headset and don't already have one, you can submit a request for a Teams-compatible headset through the IT Service Desk.

Most University equipment should be capable of supporting voice calls, but if you have an issue with your device, then you can contact the IT Service Desk.

Yes. If you have a mobile phone or tablet, you can download the Teams mobile app. You can use this for internal Teams calls, as well as directly making or receiving external calls using your university phone number.

This can be done with a University-issued or a personal device. However, we respect your privacy, and there is no expectation that you use personal devices for work calls. If you do use the Teams app on your personal mobile, you can make and receive external calls without having to use your personal number.

There is no need to forward the calls to your mobile number, although forwarding Teams calls to a work or personal mobile number would remove the issue of using up mobile data if you are not connected to Wi-Fi. However, this could incur call charges.

You can be signed into a maximum of five devices at once.

Yes. This is the default setting. You can set up the mobile app to either ring or not ring when you are active on the desktop application. In the mobile app go to Settings > Notifications. From here you can block notifications during quiet time, when you're active on the desktop or in meetings.

Yes. Calls to your mobile device can be turned on or off by opening the app. Go to Notifications > General activity and toggle calls on or off as desired.

There are online guides on Toolkit.

Teams Telephony includes voicemail. You will receive an email notification whenever a caller leaves you a voicemail message. This email will include a transcript of the message if the audio quality was good enough.

To configure your voicemail settings in Teams, you can click your profile picture and select Manage account > Calls. In the Voicemail section, click Configure voicemail. This video on how to set up voicemail explains the process.

You will not have to wear a headset all day to be able to hear an incoming call, or to use Teams Telephony. Teams allows you to choose a ‘secondary ringer’ so that you can hear the ringtone via your computer speakers.

Select your Teams profile picture and then Settings. Next, select Devices and find Secondary Ringer in the options. Click the dropdown arrow then select Speakers to let the call ring on both your headset and your computer speakers. 

Teams supports one-to-one and group calls to internal, mobile, local, national, and international numbers (where permitted). Premium call numbers are not supported, e.g. directory enquiries, competition lines etc.

Please note, unless you are calling the emergency services 999 or 112, you do not need to prefix numbers with a 9. Just enter the number as you would dial it or in E164 format, e.g. 01224 xxxxxx or 441224xxxxxx.

To call the Switchboard Operators at the University Office Reception Desk, please dial 2000.

Please see these instructions explaining how to transfer a call on desktop or mobile.

No. The application will run in the background as long as you are signed into Office 365: you do not need to have the MS Teams application open.

On mobiles, the app is automatically set up to run MS Teams in the background.

You will receive a pop-up notification giving you options to:

• Answer the call. This will put you ‘on hold’ in the meeting while you take the call.
• Decline the call. This will put the caller through to voicemail.

Yes. Press the ‘answer' button on your headset, if it has one.

Calls will go to voicemail during this period, unless you also have Teams installed on another device such as a mobile phone, in which case it would ring on that device.

You may see an out-of-date or incorrect name on the incoming call notification for an extension number. Teams checks incoming calls against your Outlook contacts list to determine which contact name to display against that particular extension number. If your contacts list is incorrect or out of date, this will be reflected in the caller names which Teams displays.

You can resolve this issue by updating your Outlook contacts list to correct or remove any incorrect or out-of-date contacts.

Yes. Calls made from abroad will be treated as a call originating from University of Aberdeen, i.e. calling a local number relative to UoA will be treated as local number. A call to a local number in the country you are in will be treated as an international call from Aberdeen.

You can call University Security Control, extension 3939, from any Teams-enabled device.

For Emergency Services you must dial 9999 or 9112. The call handler will see the location as ‘University of Aberdeen Regent Walk Aberdeen’ as that is where the call is generated. Note the additional 9 prefix which you must add to all 3-digit extension numbers.

Yes. Teams will store and display your call history by default.

You can block external nuisance calls from the call history menu. In the Teams calling app, hover over the call in your call history that you want to block. Click on the ellipsis (…) that appears and select “block” from the dropdown menu.

No. If you are logged in to your University Teams account you can make and receive calls from your University number through the Teams app. Calls will show as coming from your University number. Your personal number will not be shared.

If you are part of a call queue or hunt group, you can choose, on a call-by-call basis, to display either your personal university number or the call queue/hunt group number.

It is strongly advised against using Teams Telephony for multi-factor authentication. You may find yourself logged out of your account on all devices and not able to verify using MFA because you can't log into Teams to receive the call.

Teams Telephony can be used via your mobile phone if there is a power outage. You can switch to your work or personal mobile which will continue to work, providing you have mobile coverage and a data package.

A single point of contact, such as an enquiries line, reception, support team or hunt group is best served in Teams Telephony by setting up a call queue. This can be set up so calls either ring simultaneously to all team members, or to each member in turn according to their Teams presence. Anyone opted into the call queue will be able to handle calls wherever they are located.

The Teams "incoming call" notification will tell you which call queue an incoming call is for.

Your colleague must have placed you in their ‘Call Group’. Please inform your colleague to follow these call forwarding instructions from Microsoft.

There is no option for another user to change the call settings. However, in an emergency this can be done by submitting a request to the IT Service Desk.

Yes. You can set up call delegation.

Many hearing accessories are Bluetooth enabled. If the standard headset does not meet your needs due to a hearing impairment, please contact IT Service Desk to discuss alternative headset options.

Teams has a high-contrast mode which gives an 'inverted' display. This can be useful for:

• Those with limited colour visibility or photosensitivity issues
• Working in low-light settings
• Using a computer for long periods of time.

To turn on high-contrast mode, click your profile image in the top-right hand corner of Teams, click Settings then General. Under the Theme section, you can enable High contrast. 

During your Microsoft Teams call, click the three dots option menu in the bar at the bottom of your screen. Click Turn on live captions. There is a slight delay of around 10 seconds before the captions appear.

Corporate mobile devices

Corporate mobile devices and services must be purchased through IT Services. Vodafone is both the service provider and network carrier. In addition to providing free calls between all University mobile and landline telephones, we have purchased monthly bundles of calls, texts and data for use in the UK and abroad designed to allow users to communicate effectively with the Business even when travelling. Connection to the service is charged at a fixed monthly cost in arrears at the rates shown on the current tariffs information sheet.

The cost of the telephone/device is not included in the monthly charge and these can be purchased at any time during the contract period at the prevailing discounted cost. A list of devices and prices is available on request.

If you need to use your mobile device abroad, please refer to our guide to Travelling abroad with mobile devices before you travel.

Users MUST notify IT Services as soon as is practically possible of any lost or stolen devices so appropriate actions can be taken to prevent any possible fraudulent activity or data security breaches. Please also advise IT Services of any transfer of devices between colleagues.

Services include:

• Connection to the mobile provider’s network, currently Vodafone
• 4G data connection - see Vodafone UK-coverage-map
• A selection of basic telephones for calls and text only
• SIM only connections for diallers and iPads/Tablets
• A range of Windows, Android or iOS smartphones from the models offered by the current provider
• USB dongles/data cards for laptops
• Configuration of University supplied devices for wireless network connection, email, calendaring and contacts access via Microsoft Exchange - see our Wireless Guides
• Arranging for device repairs, upgrades and replacements
• Managing billing, ensuring call charges are attributed to the appropriate ledger code
• Smart devices are enrolled in our Mobile Device Management systems for security and legislative reasons

Insurance cover for lost, stolen or damaged mobile devices is not included in the current tariffs.

Please see Corporate Mobile Devices FAQ in Toolkit for more information.

To request a new connection, new device, change or cancellation, or to report a lost, stolen or faulty mobile device please contact the IT Service Desk:

• MyIT Portal: https://myit.abdn.ac.uk/
• Email: servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk

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Personal mobile phones

Costs for occasional ‘work’ calls (but not line rental or equipment costs) made on personal mobile devices may be claimed back on expenses (these must be supported by an itemised bill, with the relevant calls highlighted); however, overuse of this facility will be deemed as a deliberate attempt to circumvent the above requirements. See the Mobile Telephones Section of the University Expenses and Benefits Policy.

Privately owned devices and MS Exchange

You can use privately owned iPhones, Androids, and Windows Mobiles to connect to Microsoft Exchange for Outlook email, calendaring and contacts. See our Wireless fact sheets for guidance on configuring your device.

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Extension numbers

• Each telephone has a dedicated four-digit extension number and can be called directly from outside the University.
  Extension numbers starting with 2, 3 & 4 (predominantly at Old Aberdeen, Marishal and The National Decommissioning Centre) are prefixed with +44 (0)122427 for incoming external calls.
• Extension numbers starting with 7 or 8 (predominantly at Foresterhill and ASV) are prefixed with +44(0)122443.
• All four-digit extension numbers in all ranges can be dialled internally from each other directly without any prefix.
• A small number of University staff in some buildings at Foresterhill have an NHS provided five-digit telephone extension starting with a 5 and prefixed +44 (0)12245 for external calls.
• All extensions come with dialling access to local, national, and mobile numbers but can be adjusted on request from a Departmental Administrator to allow calls to international numbers.
• All extensions are barred from dialling premium rate numbers but are allowed access to Emergency Services (9999 and 9112).

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Voicemail

Voicemail for fixed telephones is part of the Mitel telephone system. It is available on all University four-digit telephone extension numbers, and we can make adjustments for shared telephone extensions and for anyone who has more than one telephone extension.

Setting up voicemail

After we have created your voice mailbox you will receive confirmation including a default passcode and instructions on how to personalise your mailbox.

• Voicemail - First time set up

You must follow the instructions in the Voicemail First time set up guide and complete ALL three set up steps otherwise callers will hear an anonymous generic greeting and may not be confident that they’ve reached you.

Voicemail user guides

• Forwarding calls
  When your voice mailbox is created, callers are automatically diverted to voicemail by default, either when you’re on another call or if you don’t answer within six rings. However, you can switch diverts off and on by changing the divert options on your office phone.
• Receiving and listening to messages
  When a caller leaves a message, you will receive an email notification with the voice message attached. If you share a phone, you may have a flashing lamp on your phone instead.
• Access voicemail and passcode reset
  You can access your mailbox to listen to messages or reset your passcode from any phone.
• Changing your greeting and name
  Change the greeting your callers will hear.

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University switchboard

The University Main Switchboard Operator service:

• Handles all incoming calls to the main University telephone number during normal business hours.
• Verifies and updates University telephone directories.

To find an internal extension number, please contact the University switchboard by dialling 0 from your desk phone, or +44 (0) 1224 272000 from off campus. Alternatively, search Outlook's Address Book or the University Staff Directory.

For external directory enquiries, please search www.thephonebook.bt.com.

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Audio conferencing

• The standard Mitel display telephone handset has hands-free speech which allows you to conduct a two-way hands-free conversation at your desk or in a small meeting room with one or up to 7 external parties.
• A range of audio-conferencing equipment is available for larger groups; please contact Media Services for further information.
• If you need to host conference calls, with external parties dialling in from a telephone, your Skype for Business account can be enabled for Microsoft Audio Conferencing dial-in access.

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Further help

For fault reports, queries, or to request telephone moves or other changes, please contact the Service Desk.

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