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UMB currently uses Cisco Webex Calling as a stand-alone telephone system.  Over the last few years, CITS has been evaluating opportunities to consolidate technology platforms to provide more contemporary features with simpler, ubiquitous access.  The Microsoft Cloud services – M365 (Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams) – are available to everyone at UMB and have become one of the core technology platforms for many daily IT needs.  Enabling the voice and traditional phone calling services in MS Teams is a natural fit and further enhances the overall user experience.

There are several reasons/benefits to this change:

• To collapse calling and collaboration tools under one application. 
• Additional key benefits:
  • One application to place and receive internal and external calls
  • One place for meetings and chat (on mobile device and PC)
  • No PIN for voicemails
• Provide savings opportunities for schools by leveraging existing Microsoft investments and eliminating Cisco licenses. 

Take Your Work Phone Anywhere with Microsoft Teams Calling

Microsoft Teams Calling gives you the flexibility to make and receive business calls directly from your computer, smartphone, or tablet—whether you’re in the office, working remotely, or on the go.

By using the Teams app instead of a traditional desk phone, you can:

• Stay connected from virtually anywhere
• Use one business phone number across all your devices
• Easily transfer calls between devices
• Access voicemail, call history, and contacts in one place
• Reduce reliance on physical phone hardware

We encourage employees to use the Microsoft Teams app as their primary calling solution whenever possible. With Teams Calling, your work phone is always within reach.

Physical phones will be available if required for specific job duties or common area and shared spaces – this will be discussed further with each school.

Since March 2026, a pilot group (including testers from each school) has been using MS Teams Calling.  We have since had a request to move other individuals and groups to MS Teams as early adopters.  “Early Adopters” are individuals that have no need for a physical phone, but would like their UMB extension available anywhere.    

The rest of campus will be expected to transition to MS Teams Calling between May 2026 and July 2027.  We will meet with each school and a schedule will be created based on the dates agreed upon in the meetings.

All schools and groups currently supported by CITS Telecommunications, which includes but not limited to SOM, Nursing, Admin & Finance (Public Safety), SSW, SOD, SOL, CEC, SAFE Center, Donaldson Brown and MIEMSS.

More specifically: 

• Users with a desk telephone
• Fax services
  • eFax –secure electronic fax
    • users (w/ *.umaryland.edu emails) have the ability to receive and send secure faxes via email. This will become a more traditional way to fax instead of physical fax machines.
  • Physical Fax machines or multipurpose copiers
    • All faxes will need to be located and reconfigured.
• Auto Attendants and Call Handlers (ex. Press 1 for SOM, Press 3 for UMMS, Press 2 for SOL and so on). 
  • Call Handlers will need to be rerecorded on MS Teams.  This is an opportunity to rethink your message and possibly create a new one for MS Teams. 

If you haven't used MS Teams as a collaboration tool before now, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with MS Teams.  Use the Calls' feature to call colleagues internally, which will give a good sense of how the Calling functionality works for both internal and external calls. 

Additionally, please review the How to Use MS Teams Calling page for detailed information on how to get started and the various features available to you.  

To request a License or inquiries about using MS Teams Calling, please contact your School for further assistance/guidance.

• • SOM (School of Medicine) - Help@som.umaryland.edu
  • SON (School of Nursing) - Help@umaryland.edu
  • SOL (School of Law) - help@law.umaryland.edu
  • SOP (School of Pharmacy) - Help@rx.umaryland.edu
  • SOD - Sodhelp@umaryland.edu
  • SSW (School of Social Work) - Sswmediacenter@ssw.umaryland.edu
  • CITS and Central Administration Staff - Help@umaryland.edu

General support hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday

If you find yourself getting stuck and unsure where to go, please email sdtelecom@umaryland.edu.