New Cisco Webex Phone Service Overview and FAQs

Overview

The Office of Information Technology has upgraded the campus phone service to the cloud as of May 2024.

With the new Cisco Webex phone service, please note these key differences from the previous service:

• The current Cisco desk phone hardware did not change
• Users no longer need to dial * for internal calls; just dial the 4-digit extension number
• Users no longer need to dial * to transfer or forward calls; just dial the 4-digit extension number
• Users still continue to dial 10-digits for external calls
• Users need to set up a new voicemail PIN and re-record voicemail greetings 
• Access to saved voicemails are still be available after the migration
• Jabber has been retired; users should continue to utilize Microsoft Teams for instant messaging

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Basics

Q:  Will my phone number change? 

A:  No, your phone number will not change as part of this migration.

Q:  Why is the phone system being replaced?

A:  The current phone system on campus is an older system that relies on on-premise hardware.  With this upgrade to Cisco Webex, our campus will be able to utilize the scalability and flexibility of a cloud-based solution.

Q: Why is Jabber being retired?

A: With the migration to Cisco Webex, the Jabber application will no longer be functional.  If you use the Jabber softphone app, make note of any custom (personal) contact information you want to keep.  Custom contacts will not transfer to the Cisco Webex system.

Q: Since Jabber is being retired, what can I use instead?

A. You can continue to use Microsoft Teams for instant messaging.  Jabber will no longer be functional for instant messaging.

If you are currently using Jabber as a softphone by dialing from your computer and using a headset (or you know someone in your department that does), please email us with your/their contact information to phones@fit.edu.  We can provide an updated softphone solution to Jabber users.

Q: When will I be migrated?

A: IT is performing a phased migration according to the chart below:

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During the Transition

Q:  How will I know when I will be migrated?

A:  Individual users will receive two email communications from the IT office prior to their phone being migrated - one email the week prior and a reminder email on the day of migration.  

Q:  I have not been migrated yet, but I want to internally call someone who has been migrated. How should I proceed?

A:  Following the above migration schedule, users who have not been migrated yet will still need to dial * before 4-digit extension number.

Q:  I have been migrated, but I want to internally call someone who has not been migrated yet. How should I proceed?

A:  Following the above migration schedule, users who have been migrated will need to dial just the 4-digit extension number. The * before the extension number is no longer needed.

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After the Migration

Q:  How can I tell that my phone has been migrated?

A:  The Cisco desk phone will display a new background image and a small cloud icon will appear in the upper-right corner.

Q:  Why is my phone screen dark or appears blank?

A:  After a period of inactivity, the phone screen will go into hibernation mode - much like mobile devices do.  Simply touching any button on the device or picking up the handset will activate the phone screen again.

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Calling Updates after the Migration

Q:  How can I internally call someone after the entire campus has been migrated?

A:  Users will need to dial just the 4-digit extension number. The * before the extension number is no longer needed.

Q:  How can I externally call someone after the migration?

A:  Users will still continue to dial 10-digits for external calls.

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Voicemail after the Migration

Q:  How can I access saved voicemails in my old voicemail box after I have been migrated?

A:  You can dial 8710 from your desk phone, then enter the PIN you used prior to the migration.

Q:  Will voicemail-to-email be enabled with the new phone service?

A:  Yes - and a new added feature is that the voicemail will be transcribed for users to read upon receipt of the email.  Note: The new voicemail-to-email feature will be coming from a new email address: msgs@broadcloudpbx.net 

Q:  Why do I need to re-record my personal voicemail greeting?

A:  As part of the migration to the new phone service, we have a new voicemail server. This will require all users to set up their voicemail PIN on the new server and re-record their voicemail greeting.

Q:  How should I set up my new voicemail PIN?

A:  Follow these steps:

• Go to https://settings.webex.com and enter your @fit.edu email address
  • Do not enter default PIN; you should receive an email with a unique confirmation code
• Navigate to the My Profile tab (if not directed there automatically)
• Click on the Reset voicemail PIN button and follow the PIN requirements

OR

• Press the voicemail button on the Cisco desk phone (see image at right)
• Enter the default PIN 135790
• Follow the prompts to reset voicemail PIN

Note the PIN requirements:

Must contain

• 6-30 digits

Must not contain

• repeated patterns
• last 10 voicemail PINs
• the reverse of your old PIN
• your phone number or extension
• the same digit 4 times in a row
• 4 ascending digits or 4 descending digits
• the reverse of your phone number or extension

Q:  How should I re-record my voicemail greeting?

A:  Follow these steps:

• Follow the steps above to reset your voicemail PIN first
• Press the voicemail button on the Cisco desk phone (see image above)
• Enter your new PIN 
• Then follow the prompts to record your voicemail greeting
• You can also refer to this video to learn how to manage your voicemail

Q:  I cannot remember my voicemail PIN. What should I do?

A:  Follow these steps:

• Go to https://settings.webex.com and enter your @fit.edu email address
• Navigate to the My Profile tab (if not directed there automatically)
• Click on the Reset voicemail PIN button and follow the PIN requirements

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Troubleshooting

If you experience an issue during or after the migration, please enter a service ticket for our team to assist you. 

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