Information Technology Services has been working with CUNY Central to upgrade to a new VoIP telephone system, as previously communicated below. We would like to provide an update on the progress to date and outline the next steps.
IT is currently testing the new Cisco VoIP phones. Once CUNY Central approves, we will begin deploying phones. A new phone will be installed at your workstation, and it will connect directly to the wall data port in your office. Depending on your existing setup and the data ports available, IT staff will determine the best method to connect devices for optimal performance. Additional data cables will be provided if necessary.
Due to the size of the campus and the number of devices involved, the new phones will be upgraded in phases to ensure a smooth and efficient rollout. A rollout schedule will be communicated in advance of the upgrade. The old and new phone systems will operate simultaneously until the VoIP project is complete. During this transition period, old Avaya phones can dial new Cisco VoIP phones and vice versa. After the phone installation, IT staff will follow up with users to ensure everything is working properly. Please note that your phone number will remain the same.
As part of the new system, a unified messaging application called Jabber will also be installed on your computer. Jabber provides calling functionality similar to Microsoft Teams. IT will be developing step-by-step tutorials for using Jabber, along with a dedicated Website featuring easy-to-follow guides to help you get started with both the new application and your new phone.
We anticipate the rollout will begin sometime in February or March, barring any unforeseen circumstances that IT discovers during testing. The rollout will involve phone distribution and the installation of the Jabber client. During this period, an IT staff member will install the new phone and remove the old one.
IT will continue to provide updates and will be scheduling a town hall to address any of your questions as we finalize the rollout schedule.
Thank you as always for your support.
By Patricia Kahn, PhD
