Phone System Upgrade

 

After nearly 21 years, the current phone system is showing its age. As a result, a new, modern phone system will be installed this summer, built upon Cisco's Unified Communications platform.

In its simplest form, the new system will function like a normal phone, which will make it easy to use. The real power of a Voice-over-IP (VOIP) system is in its integration with computers, email and mobile devices. This system has the potential to streamline many of the current communication processes used on campus. Additional training and more details about these features will be made available over the next few weeks, leading up to the installation.

Training Materials

Each phone will be installed with a Tip Sheet and a Quick Reference Guide.  These documents include many of the common features to get your phone up and running. 
Cisco 7965 Tip Sheet
Cisco 7962 Tip Sheet
Quick Reference Card

A knowledgebase has been created to address a variety of questions related to the new phone system:
http://helpdesk.etown.edu/helpconsole2012/kb/default.aspx#pageid=phone_system

Cisco has an interactive tutorial that explains the buttons and functions on the new phones:
http://www.cisco.com/E-Learning/bulk/public/celc/7960_Tutorial/index.html

 

Fax Machines

As part of the phone system upgrade, the fax machines that are currently on campus will no longer function; they are not compatible with the new system.  A new fax server which will allow faxes to be sent and received through e-mail.

Faxes will now be processed via e-mail.  All users will be able to send faxes from their own email account (see: Sending a Fax).

For receiving faxes, the fax server will now listen to incoming faxes on the existing fax numbers.  The server will convert these faxes to email and forward them to a department representative (see: Receiving a Fax).  These department representatives have been identified in each office, in many cases, they are administrative assistants.  This representative can then distribute these faxes to the appropriate person.