Zoom Phone: Campus Phone Transition
Zoom Phone Summary
We are excited to announce that ²ÝÁñÉçÇø is transitioning to Zoom Phone as our new unified communication system. This change is part of our ongoing efforts to modernize campus technology, improve connectivity, and enhance collaboration for faculty, staff, and students.
What is Zoom Phone?
Zoom Phone is a softphone service, meaning it is a downloadable application that allows you to make and receive phone calls over the internet using mobile devices and laptops. This means:
- You’ll be able to use your ²ÝÁñÉçÇø phone number wherever you may be without the requirement of the VPN.
- You’ll no longer need to use or share your personal cell phone number for work purposes.
- This effort will also significantly reduce the number of desk phones used across our campus, reducing electronic waste and supporting the university’s sustainability goals.
Project Timeline
Start Date:
February 2025
End Date:
March 2025
Goals:
- Modernize ²ÝÁñÉçÇø's voice infrastructure by moving to a cloud based platform.
Description:
TheÌýZoomÌýPhone system platform allows users to make and receive calls within theÌýZoomÌýclient already installed and used for various University functions. Users can accessÌýZoomÌýPhone from their mobile devices, computer, and supported desktop phones. Additionally, users can manage voicemail and settings via the ²ÝÁñÉçÇøÌýZoomÌýportal.
Start Date:
May 2025
End Date:
April 2026
Goals:
- Provide users with a cloud based, feature rich and secure phone system.
- Integrates seamlessly with Zoom's broader collaboration platform, offering reliable and flexible voice communication for both office and remote workers.
Description:
The Project Team is collaborating with each area's project champion to determine a convenient time for each area to transition to Zoom Phone.
Project Team
Executive Sponsor
- Tej Patel
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Project and Change Management
- Ben Alfonsi
Senior Enterprise Project Manager - Emily Wilms
Senior Application Specialist
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Project Steering Committee Member(s)
- Matthew Morrissey
AVP, Enterprise Technology Services - Kevin Donahue
AVP, Instructional Technologies - Jonathan Hardy
Deputy Chief Information Officer
Project Steering Committee
- Vince Czyzewski
Director, Network and Communication Services - Julien Rossow-Greenberg
Director, Customer Experience and Support
Project Operational Team Member(s)
- Reuben Tiger Wesley
Senior Manager, Network & Communication Services - Max Mancini
Senior Voice System Administrator
- Emil Kotschneff
Senior IT Enterprise Consultant - John Medeck
Lead Network Engineer - Pete Palladino
Solutions Architect - Gary Elder
Senior Voice System Administrator - Grady Powell
Manager, Support Services
| Department/Division | ÌýChampion(s) |
| Athletics | Gina Palmero |
| Campus Mailroom, Graphic Services & Conference ServicesÌý | Michael George |
| Career Center | Maura Jackman & Laura Walker |
| Charles Widger School of Law | Joe Mariani |
| College of Engineering | Steven Lengkeek |
| College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Jonathan Graziola |
| College of Professional Studies | Ryan Moffat & Stephen Dunlap |
| Dining Services | Michael Powers |
| Enrollment Management | Brian Galloway |
| Facilities Management Office | Andrea Jones |
| Falvey Library | Gabbi Pettineo |
| Financial Affairs | Sarah Caffrey |
| General Counsel & Compliance | Hedya Aryani |
| Human Resources | Jen Derry & Julie Condie |
| M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing | Maria Pavelsky |
| Mullen Center | Parris Bradley |
| Office of Auxiliary Services | Tony Alfano |
| Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Sydney Lobasco |
| Office of the Executive Vice President | Heather Dibble |
| Office of Mission and Ministry | Genevieve Lynch |
| Office of the President | Chrissy Quisenberry |
| Office of the Provost | Lauren Kleckner |
| Public Safety | Megan Jacobs |
| Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Ìý | Stephen Sheridan |
| Student Life | Tom DeMarco |
| The Inn at ²ÝÁñÉçÇø | Chip Kratzinger |
| University Advancement | Michael Zellman |
| University Communications and Marketing | Michelle Dwyer |
| ²ÝÁñÉçÇø School of Business | Scott Hansen |
Project Benefits & Features
Zoom Phone Benefits
The following list includes some of the most significant benefits of the Zoom softphone application for the ²ÝÁñÉçÇø community:
- Greater mobility: Full telephone functionality at home, on campus, traveling, or wherever there is an internet or cellular connection, allowing faculty and staff to work seamlessly and have a more consistent presence with their ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Zoom phone number no matter where they are.
- Expanded privacy: ²ÝÁñÉçÇø faculty and staff can use a Zoom phone number for work calls, eliminating the need to share personal phone numbers.
- Device options: Users can select any combination for using the softphone application, whether on a ²ÝÁñÉçÇø-provided laptop, desktop, mobile device, or even a desk phone if needed. The application also supports multi-device compatibility.
- Increased functionality: Comprehensive self-service calling features, including options on how and when calls are received, contact integration, and more. These features are all accessible through an easy-to-use interface.
- Decreased environmental impact: A cloud-based softphone service reduces the reliance on physical devices and backend equipment. We can also cut costs related to updating, maintaining, and relocating telephone lines by eliminating the need for physical phones.
- Efficiency with a Softphone Application: The Zoom user interface includes features like drag-and-drop call transfers, voicemail transcription, and a voicemail-to-email service. These enhancements will facilitate faster and more efficient phone communication.
- Network flexibility: Users can utilize the softphone application through most internet or cellular connections without needing the ²ÝÁñÉçÇø VPN.
Zoom Phone Features
This is not an exhaustive list of the features available with softphones; rather, it highlights some features that may not currently be offered with physical phones. Most existing features available with today’s traditional phones will continue to be accessible to the university community using a softphone:
- Standard phone features include call forwarding, call holding, call transfers, a shared contact directory, incoming call notifications, caller information, and voicemail options.
- Customizable notification settings to ensure you receive alerts from your ²ÝÁñÉçÇø phone number only when desired.
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) allows you to make and receive calls using a ²ÝÁñÉçÇø number from any of your devices, without disclosing your personal cell phone number.
- Zoom Presence from your softphone shows when individuals are online, offline, busy, or in a meeting. This feature allows others in the university community to know the best times to reach out or when they might not receive an immediate response.
- Seamless conference calls allow for easy addition of participants and merging calls with someone on hold.
- Quickly transfer a call from your softphone application to another device if needed.
- Easily switching from a voice call to Zoom Meeting (videoconferencing) without requiring participants to manually join.
- Emergency calls can be made using the Zoom Phone mobile app, desktop app, or desk phone.
- Customizable Business messaging: closed, holiday hours.
- Unique call handling for busy times, when on another call, or when a call is unanswered, including the ability to forward calls to an internal number, external number, or voicemail.
- Call Delegation enables another phone user to manage calls on your behalf, such as allowing an administrative or executive assistant to make and receive calls for their executives.
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Why is ²ÝÁñÉçÇø moving to Zoom Phone?
Zoom Phone provides a seamless integration with the familiar Zoom platform, allowing you to easily make and receive calls directly within your existing Zoom app, while also offering features like call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and the ability to seamlessly transition between voice calls and video meetings all from one interface, making it a convenient choice for unified communication across different devices and locations.
- When do we start using Zoom Phone?Ìý
The project team will meet with the Zoom Phone Champions in each department/area to discuss needs before transitioning to Zoom phones. Most departments will be transitioned in Summer/Fall 2025.
- How can I prepare for my department’s transition to Zoom?
It is important to verify the accuracy of the current phones assigned to your department. Your Zoom Champion can access the Zoom Phone PowerApp to get a current listing of active phone lines.  If there are phone lines that are no longer needed, the Champion can identify them in the Zoom Phone PowerApp.
- Will I be getting a new phone number?
No, your ²ÝÁñÉçÇø phone number will not change. Requesting new phones will be very similar to the way it works now, with a standard request form via ²ÝÁñÉçÇø’s Service Desk.
- Will I be eligible for a deskset?
When the migration is complete, all users will have a Zoom soft client via the Zoom app (PC/Mac/iOS/Android supported). Champions may request a physical desk phone for users if they average 5 or more outgoing calls a week in the last 13 months.Ìý
- What will happen to departmental and common area phones?
Any departmental or common area phone that has made 1 or more outgoing calls per week for the last 13 months will receive a physical phone.
How do I access Zoom Phone?
Open the Zoom app on your computer and/or cell phone. After transition, if you have been provided with a ²ÝÁñÉçÇø phone number, you should see a "Phone" tab in the top row of the Zoom window.Is Zoom Phone a new app/application?
No, Zoom Phone is not a separate new application; it's a feature integrated within the existing Zoom app, allowing users to make phone calls through the same interface they use for video meetings, essentially adding phone functionality to the existing Zoom platform.How do I install Zoom Phone application?
Zoom Phone is integrated into the same application that you use for Zoom Meetings. There is no additional software that you need to install if you already have the Zoom application installed for Zoom meetings. If you don't already have the Zoom app on a device where you want to use for Zoom Phone, go to https://zoom.us/download.
How can I learn more about using Zoom Phone?
While additional ²ÝÁñÉçÇø-specific documentation will be prepared over the coming months, please reference  o°ù.Will there be training for Zoom Phone?
Virtual Workshops will be provided before each department’s transition.
Have Other Questions?
Any questions or inquries related to the Zoom Phone transition should be sent to:
Zoom Phone Team
zoomphone@villanova.edu