Editor's note: Iowa State University no longer uses Aastra telephone products. Information about current phone hardware is in IT portal's voice and conferencing services.
Work continues to transition Iowa State telephones to a new cloud-based system that will result in better service and functionality and save an estimated $600,000 each year.
Virtually all of the new phones will be installed and switched to the new system by July 9.
As with any new system, there are a few bugs to be worked out, and IT Services staff are working to ensure the new phones are working properly, and that people are trained in how to make best use of their new capabilities.
Issues that have been identified to date include:
- Intermittent service failures such as outages, fast busy signals or limited incoming calls. Most issues have occurred in the first 1-2 days after service moves to the new system and can be quickly resolved. Service failures that persist beyond 1-2 days should be reported to the Solution Center.
- Fax machines may require minor configuration changes. Call the Solution Center at 4-4000 if your fax machine is not working.
- The new phones have gone live with generic set-ups for buttons. Soon, users will be given flexibility to make the changes themselves, or they may submit a request for the changes to the Solution Center.
"Iowa State is a busy institution, even in the summer, so we appreciate everyone's patience as we switch to the Aastra telephones," said Angela Bradley, an ITS director who is leading implementation of the new system. "We especially appreciate how nice faculty and staff have been to the installation teams as they make their way through campus."
Changing to the new system also has caused brief ITS delays in responding to work orders. According to Bradley, ITS will resume its normal five-day turnaround by Aug. 1.
Training on the new phones is available for faculty and staff who want hands-on training. Sessions have been scheduled for the weeks of July 8 and 15; details are available on the IT Services website. Regular monthly training will resume in August. Trainers also will visit call centers and administrative users to answer specific questions and to help faculty and staff get the most out of the new system.
Be sure to email or call the Solution Center at 4-4000 to report issues or if you have additional questions. You also may contact the voice/data coordinator in your department or unit for questions specific to your work.
