Zoom Phone

Overview

Zoom Phone is a cloud-based communication system that allows Brandeis faculty and staff to place and receive business calls using their university phone number. This service replaces traditional desk phones with a flexible "softphone" solution that operates seamlessly within the Zoom Workplace app on both desktop and mobile devices.

What You Need

To use Zoom Phone, ensure you meet the following requirements:

• Eligibility: You must be an active Brandeis faculty or staff member with a "Zoom Workplace for Education Premier" license. By default, students and contingent workers do not have this license.

• Software: The latest, up-to-date Zoom Workplace desktop or mobile app must be installed.

• Credentials: Your Brandeis username (UNET) and password.

• Hardware: A working microphone and speakers (or a dedicated headset) on your computer or mobile device.

Getting Started

1. Activate and Access Zoom Phone

• Provisioning: Zoom Phone must be activated and a number must be assigned before use. New users must submit a ticket to the Help Desk to request account activation and phone number provisioning.

• Accessing the App: Once provisioned, open the Zoom Workplace app on your computer or mobile device and click the Phone tab in the main navigation menu.

• E911 Compliance: If it is your first time accessing the Phone tab, follow the on-screen prompts to set your emergency address. This is required for emergency services compliance.

• Your Number: Your assigned Brandeis phone number will be displayed on the dial pad interface.

2. Making and Receiving Calls

• Placing a Call: Use the on-screen dial pad to enter a phone number manually, or type a contact's name into the search bar to locate and call someone directly from the Brandeis directory.

• Receiving a Call: When an incoming call arrives, an on-screen notification will appear. Click Accept to answer or Decline to send the caller directly to voicemail.

• Elevate to Meeting: During an active phone call, you can click the "Elevate to Meeting" option to instantly transform your voice call into a fully featured Zoom video meeting.

Managing Your Settings & Voicemail

Customizing Call Handling and Greetings

To configure advanced personalization options like voicemail greetings and business hours, navigate to your Phone tab within the Zoom Web Portal.

Setting Up Voicemail Greetings

1. Log into the portal, look under settings, and scroll down to Call Handling.

2. Ensure the action for when a call is not answered is set to "forward to voicemail/videomail".

3. Locate Greeting and leave voicemail instruction, click Edit, and select Add Audio.

4. Choose one of the three following methods to update your greeting:

   • Text to Speech: Enter an asset name, choose "Voicemail greeting" as the category, enter your custom text message, choose a voice type, and click Add.

   • Upload: Enter an asset name, set the category to "Voicemail greeting", and upload a pre-recorded .mp3 or .wav file.

   • Record by Computer: Enter an asset name, select "Voicemail greeting", and record your message directly using your computer's microphone.

Configuring App-Based Call Forwarding

You can adjust basic call forwarding settings from within the Zoom Workplace app:

1. Open the Zoom Workplace app and click on the Settings gear icon (bottom-left corner).

2. Go to the Phone tab and scroll to the Voicemail section.

3. Modify the options for "When I'm busy on another" and "When a call goes unanswered" to Forward to another extension.

Emergency Services (E911)

Important Note: Always keep your "Emergency Address" updated so emergency personnel can locate you if you dial 911 from your Zoom Phone app.

• Updating Address: Emergency addresses can be updated from your personal profile on the Zoom Web Page under the Phone tab.

• On-Campus Calls: If you dial 911 or Public Safety (ext. 65000) while on campus, Zoom will recognize your location via your IP address.

• Off-Campus/Remote Calls: When working remotely, Zoom Phone will prompt you to enter your current physical address. The app saves this location so you only need to enter it once per remote work location.

• Personal Devices: If you dial 911 from a personal physical device (e.g., your standard mobile cellular connection), the call routes directly to your local municipal 911 service rather than Brandeis Public Safety.

Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

• How can a student or contingent worker gain access? Students and contingent workers are not licensed by default. To gain access, their supervisor must request an upgrade to a "Zoom Workplace for Education Premier" license in the Identity Management (IDM) system and have them activated. Open a ticket with the Help Desk to request this.

• How do I request international calling? International calling can be enabled for staff members who demonstrate a legitimate business requirement. Please submit an IT help ticket to request access.

• Can an old phone number be reassigned to a new employee? Yes. Phone numbers previously assigned to departing employees can be transferred to new staff members. This process requires coordination with the Zoom Phone team and must be requested via a Help Desk ticket.

• Do I have separate extensions and external numbers? No. Your full external phone number and internal campus extension are integrated. All campus numbers follow the format 781-736-xxxx. Your 5-digit internal dialing extension consists of the last 5 digits of your phone number (e.g., 6-xxxx).

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Missing Phone Tab: If the "Phone" tab does not appear in your app interface, double-check that you are fully signed into Zoom using your official @brandeis.edu account. If it is missing after verifying your login, your account might still need to be provisioned for a Premier license.

• Audio/Microphone Issues: If you experience issues hearing or being heard, navigate to Settings > Audio within the app. Ensure that the correct microphone and speaker hardware are selected for your active device. You can also test your hardware using the built-in Test Speaker & Microphone option.

Support

For further assistance, configuration help, or troubleshooting, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk at 781-736-HELP (4357).