AUDIENCE: Users that opted for a new physical deskphone.
In August, we announced that our campus phone system would be upgraded to Zoom Phone – a modern phone service that works within the Zoom platform we already use for video meetings and collaboration. Zoom Phone works with physical desk phones, as well as computer and mobile clients.
The campus phone system upgrade is scheduled for Friday, January 2, 2026. If you opted in for a new physical deskphone, ITS will replace your current phone with a new Zoom-compatible deskphone on January 2.
In the meantime, please take the following steps now to prepare for the January migration to Zoom Phone:
- Learn about your new Zoom-compatible deskphone. During the upcoming migration, your existing Colgate phone number will be transferred to your new phone.
After the migration, your new deskphone will be compatible with the Zoom platform that you may already use for Zoom meetings. While not required, you may wish to download the Zoom Desktop App and/or the Zoom Mobile app for additional capabilities for making and managing phone calls. Learn more about these apps on our Campus Phones and Telecommunications webpage.
- (optional).ITS staff will provide both in-person and virtual training sessions throughout December and in the coming months.
- Review your saved voicemail messages on our current phone system (scroll to the section titled “Archiving Your Voicemail from the Cisco Voicemail System). Follow these steps if you’d like to preserve these messages. If not, they will be deleted during the migration.
Completion of these steps before Wednesday, December 17, will ensure a smooth transition to Zoom Phone.
Please continue to use full 10-digit dialing for all phone calls during this transition period. We will return to 4-digit dialing for campus phone numbers after the migration is completed on January 2.
Next week, we will provide additional instructions on how to set up your voicemail messages, voicemail PIN, and other settings.
We appreciate your patience and support as we modernize our campus phone technology. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact itshelp@colgate.edu or call 315-228-7111.