What is the difference between basic and business service?

Please visit the ITS Voice Services page for details on service types.

I have a legacy VoIP phone, do I need to do anything?

Some campus telephones used an older VoIP service and will need to be replaced in order to work with the new system. 

Can I buy one of the Polycom VoIP phones with out a phone number?

Yes you may, by completed the Telephone Service Request form requesting phone only, no line. 

What happens with my fax machine in the new VoIP service?

Most fax machines will be able to be converted to the new VoIP service by purchasing an adapter through ITS. Fax machines that are regularly used to send or receive large faxes (15-20 pages) are recommended to remain on analog service. During the building survey process, recommendations will be made for each fax machine.

Update: Fax machines will no longer transition to the VoIP adapter.  Existing fax machines, with the exception of two, have been converted to new analog gateways at analog service rate by ITS staff.  This change has been approved by IT Governance. For any new faxes, you will need new analog service and must indicate that the use is for a fax line.

Do I have the option to stay on my analog phone and not convert to the new VoIP service?

Subscribers of the campus telephone service will need to convert to the new VoIP phone service.  During the building deployment process, those phone lines that are required to remain analog (ex. elevator phones, ADA accommodations) will be identified and handled accordingly.

Will I have to rent my phone?

No, in the new service all phone sets will be purchased by the units.  Initial set purchases will be included in the building recommendations delivered during the VoIP deployment process.   

Will I have voicemail?

Voicemail is available at no extra charge to any subscriber who would like it.  Please visit the Service Requests page.

Will I have caller ID?

Yes, caller ID is included with the service.

Can I make international calls?

In most cases, if you had an international authorization code on the old analog telephone system, it will continue to work on the new VoIP system. A small number of users may find that old authorization codes no longer work, if the codes were assigned to callers who have since left the university.

Each telephone set from which international calls will be placed must be enabled to do so. Users are billed for all international call activity.

For those without international authorization codes, please fill out and submit a form to nt@austin.utexas.edu.

How do I reset my voice mail PIN?

Please visit the PIN Management.

How do I reset my Personal Agent password?

If you have been provided with Personal Agent access, contact the ITS Help Desk at 512-475-9400 to reset the password or submit an on-line help request. If you have not previously requested Personal Agent access, submit a request to be routed to the ITS Assignment Office.

Does ITS support headsets?

No, ITS does not support headsets. However, headsets can be used with either desk phone sets or via a USB port on the computer in conjunction with a soft phone application.  Headsets are the responsibility of the unit using them. The unit is responsible for purchasing, deploying and supporting any headsets used.

Useful links:

Search these sites based on the brand name (ex: Polycom) on the front of the phone and the model (ex: IP321, IP335, IP550, IP670, VVX301) on the back to determine which headsets are compatible with your phone instrument:

• Jabra: http://www.jabra.com/headsets-and-speakerphones/compatibilityguide
• Plantronics: http://www.plantronics.com/us/compatibility-guide/#/

Jabra and Plantronics equipment may be available on UT Market: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/frms/utmarket/ecommerce/

My headset volume is reset after each call on my Polycom phone.  Is there a way to make the adjustment persist?

Because using a telephone headset can be subject to strong personal preference and because Polycom encounters different regulations among the international markets in which the company does business, the phones’ default behavior is to reset headset volume to a fixed level after each call.

We have heard from some customers who adjust their headset volume during a call only to be frustrated when they must perform the process over again on the next call. If this scenario describes you, there is a configuration option to force headset volume to persist from call to call. Contact the ITS Switchroom (submit an on-line trouble ticket: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/tn/tr/index.WBX) to request enabling this option.

I have heard that “daisy chaining” or connecting my computer through my phone is generally not recommended.  

Due to security reasons,  "daisy chaining" or using the pass thru option on the phone ports is no longer supported.

How do I set up my new voicemail?

Please visit the UT Voice Mail User Guide.

How do I forward voice messages to email?

Please visit the Forwarding UTVM to Email page.

Who do I call for support?

For basic phone service, contact the person or group that provides support for your computer, or contact the Help Desk at 512-475-9400 (or submit an on-line help request) for assistance identifying that person.

For business (multiple lines or advanced feature such as Uniform Call Distribution) or analog service contact the Help Desk at 512-475-9400 (or submit an on-line help request) or the Telephone Switchroom at 512-471-5711 option 1.

How do I replace a phone or purchase a new one?

Contact the person or group that provides support for your computer, or contact the Help Desk at 512-475-9400 (or submit an on-line help request) for assistance identifying that person.

How do I make domestic long distance calls?

No authorization code is needed.  Just dial 9+10 digit phone number.

How do I request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

To arrange for an ADA accommodation, please contact the University’s ADA Resources.

Is teleconferencing still available?

Yes, see the Teleconference Service web site for details.

Does the contact directory on my Polycom phone integrate with the address book on the UT Voicemail web page?

No, these are separate lists that are not capable of being integrated at this time.

Will the analog phones remain in my machine rooms?

Analog telephones will be retained in the main network room and the main electrical/mechanical room of each building.  These lines will be institutionally (centrally) funded.  Telephone lines in other machine rooms may be converted to VoIP and retained at the expense of any unit that opts to do so.  Lines that the unit does not choose to retain were suspended prior to disconnection.

What skills or capabilities will my unit need to have in order to support telephones with basic service?

Basic understanding of phone set/service

• Reboot device
• Ping from device
• Voicemail setup
• Dialing plan/authorization

Cable troubleshooting and management

• Patch device in room and network closet including cable management, labeling, and TSC tool updates
• Trade cables to determine if a bad cable is present

Ability to use TSC tools and command line interface on network switch to troubleshoot and configure

• View a switch in the tools and verify the switch is enabled with voice VLAN
• Verify VoIP phone is getting an IP and getting the correct IP
• Identify if there are errors on the switch port
• Mapping a wall jack to a switch port with a laptop using a CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol) tool
• Setting MVAP (Multi-VLAN Access Port) on a switch port

Access to network closet

• Verify cable patched
• Troubleshoot patched cable
• Verify an active link light on the switch for a patched connection