By Jeff Murphy,
January 27, 2017
WARRENSBURG, MO – The University of Central Missouri will deploy a new Unified Communications/Voice
Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system this spring that gives campus telephone users
access to features that include Bluetooth capability, improved audio quality, single
number reach, and the ability to make video calls.
“With this new system, campus users will still have the telephone services they are
used to, but they will get so much more because the new devices are really computers
that happen to be built in the shape of a phone,” said Mel Gross, manager of the Technology
Support Center in UCM’s Office of Technology (OT).
Gross and project manager Mark Schlueter, assistant director of OT, Network Services,
updated UCM faculty and staff on the new system during annual Learning Day activities
in January, noting that the university has entered an agreement with AT&T to make
the VoIP possible. Projected deployment of this new system, which replaces about 1,750
existing campus telephones, takes place during spring break, March 20-24. Testing
with a target group is planned prior to deployment, as well as employee information
sessions and online opportunities to better acquaint campus users with the new system.
While OT will work closely with campus personnel to make a smooth transition to this
new system, the campus learning curve could be brief.
“The new phones are pretty intuitive,” Gross said. “We don’t anticipate a lot of people
needing much in-depth training. They are menu-driven, and you can scroll through
whatever you need to find, very similar to a cell phone.”
According to Schlueter, the university currently uses legacy switching equipment that
has been in place since 2001 to provide traditional telephone services to the campus
that include dial tone for analog and digital telephone, fax machines, emergency line
and voice messaging. Factors which include the manufacturer of the current equipment
previously going out of business, the system’s approaching end of life date, difficulty
in obtaining replacement parts, and implementing costly software, contributed to a
need to implement the industry standard Unified Communications/VoIP system.
At its basic level the new system will use the university’s network infrastructure
to carry voice calls via the IP data network to an IP Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
terminal that uses the Internet and existing telephone infrastructure to conduct calls.
This will allow UCM to provide telephone services, multi-media conferencing, enterprise
fax services, and other communication services to the main campus in Warrensburg,
UCM-Lee’s Summit and at university owned facilities such as the Max B. Swisher Skyhaven
Airport, Mules National Golf Club facilities at Pertle Springs, and South Recreation
Complex.
Advantages of moving to a Unified Communications/VoIP environment include easier installation,
configuration and management of the proprietary phone system; scalability; better
customer service and productivity; additional services at lower cost; advanced features
that are much easier to use; unified messaging; branch offices; and remote extensions.
From a user standpoint, Gross and Schlueter believe campus members will appreciate
new features that include a corporate (campus) telephone directory and a programmable
contact list at users’ fingertips, and increased sound quality that makes it possible
to replace meeting room phones with these new units for conference call situations.
Single number reach also will allow users to set the phone so that when calls come
in to their university telephone, both their office phone, cell phone and home phone
can be set to ring at the same time.
“These phones are Bluetooth and USB capable,” Schlueter added.
A small video screen on each telephone makes it possible to view campus members during
a telephone conversation, if both users choose to do so. A simple adjustment on
the phone can turn off the camera for users who prefer not to take advantage of this
function.
Both UCM and AT&T are looking forward to continuing the collaboration that has made
this project possible.
“First, I’d like to mention that the entire team, specifically Mark Schlueter and
team, as well as Lisa Butler (UCM director of procurement and materials management),
were integral in the success of this collaboration,” said John Irwin, senior vice
president, AT&T Global Business – Government, Education, and Healthcare Solutions.
“IP Flexible Reach and Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution from AT&T are a part of
our Voice & Collaboration suite of solutions that can simplify network management
and lower IT costs – allowing educational institutions like UCM to consolidate their
voice, video and data traffic across a single network infrastructure. This demonstrates
UCM’s propensity to stay ahead of the technology curve and their desire to always
provide the best technology to their staff and students.”
Individuals who want to know more about the new Unified Communications/VoIP can contact
Gross at gross@ucmo.edu or 660543-4357 or Schlueter at schlueter@ucmo.edu or 660-543-8289.
