UMass Boston

Teams Calling

Teams Calling online drop-in sessions

Have questions about Teams Calling or need help getting started? Join an online drop-in session for assistance with calling features, settings, and more.

Starting Friday, October 30, 2026
Every Friday | 10 a.m.–noon
For faculty and staff

Register for a drop-in session

What is Teams Calling?

Microsoft Teams Calling brings your university phone service into Microsoft Teams, allowing you to make and receive university phone calls through the Microsoft Teams app on your computer or mobile device.

UMass Boston is rolling out Teams Calling to faculty and staff in phases.

What do I need to do?

ITS will contact you before your department transitions to Teams Calling. Until then, continue using your current university phone service. In most cases, you will keep your existing university phone number.

Once contacted, departments will work with the Teams Calling Project team to accomplish the following:

  • Identify a person to coordinate with the project team
  • Document individual, shared, departmental, and specialized phone services
  • Identify any operational, accessibility, emergency, or equipment requirements
  • Review and confirm the information gathered by the project team

Questions? Contact the Teams Calling Project team at teamscallingproject@umb.edu. 

How do I use it?

Once your department has transitioned, you can use Teams Calling, also known as Teams Phone, to make and receive both internal and external university phone calls through Microsoft Teams.

For the best experience, download the full Microsoft Teams application on your computer and log in with your full UMass Boston email address and email password. You can also use the Teams mobile app on a supported mobile device. 

Download Microsoft Teams 

Guides and Resources

Microsoft Teams Guides

Learn how to use Teams Calling with Microsoft’s step-by-step guides and short video demonstrations, including frequently used features

  • Making and receiving calls
  • Transferring and holding calls
  • Managing voicemail
  • Reviewing call history
  • Changing call settings
  • Using Teams on a mobile device

View Microsoft Teams Phone guides.
View the Teams Phone video library.

UMass Boston Guides

Find information about settings and procedures specific to using Teams Calling at UMass Boston.

Additional guides will be added as the rollout continues.

Get Help

Contact the IT Service Desk via the IT Self Service Portal for general questions about Teams Calling or other technology needs. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

When will I get Teams Calling?

Teams Calling is being rolled out in phases. ITS will contact departments, faculty, and staff before their transition. 

Do I need to do anything now? 

You may continue using your current university phone service until IT contacts you.  

When contacted as part of the discovery process, we ask that departments: 

  • Identify an appropriate person to coordinate with the project team.
  • Help document individual, shared, departmental, and specialized telephone services.
  • Identify operational, accessibility, emergency, or equipment requirements that should be considered.
  • Review and confirm the information gathered by the project team. 

Will I keep my university phone number? 

In most cases, yes. You’ll keep your current university phone number when your phone service moves to Teams Phone. If your number needs to change, the IT project team will let you know in advance.

Where can I learn how to use Teams Calling? 

Use the Microsoft Teams Phone guides above for common calling tasks. UMass Boston-specific guides will cover local setup and procedures.

Where do I get help? 

The IT Service Desk is available to help with Teams Calling questions and technical support. We’ll continue adding guides, videos, and other resources to this site to help you get started and make the most of Teams Calling.

What happens to existing phone numbers when Teams Calling is implemented?

Existing 617-287-XXXX phone numbers will not disappear. They will be migrated from the university's legacy PBX phone system to Microsoft Teams Calling. Calls to those numbers will continue to work and will ring directly in Microsoft Teams, allowing users to make and receive calls from their computer, mobile device, or other Teams-enabled devices.

Will I still need a desk phone after transitioning to Teams Calling?

The University's goal is to retire most traditional desk phones and move calling into Microsoft Teams. However, we recognize that some departments may have legitimate business requirements for retaining a physical phone. We are working closely with each department during the discovery process to identify and evaluate any exceptions.

What happens to UMass-issued cell phones and personal cell phones?

There is no impact to existing cell phone numbers.
  • We are not migrating cell phone numbers to Microsoft Teams Calling.
  • UMass-issued mobile phones will continue to operate exactly as they do today.
  • Personal cell phones are also unaffected.
  • The Teams Calling project is focused only on university desk phones, VoIP phones, and existing 617-287-XXXX extensions currently connected to the PBX phone system.
The key distinction is that we are replacing the underlying technology for desk phone extensions, not for mobile phone numbers.

Will my cell phone number become my Teams phone number?

No. Your mobile phone number will remain unchanged. The Teams Calling project does not replace, transfer, or migrate cell phone numbers. Instead, it migrates existing university desk phone extensions (typically 617-287-XXXX phone numbers) from the PBX system to Microsoft Teams.

Will staff be able to send text messages or chat with students through Teams Calling?

No. The project is only focused on transitioning desk phones to Microsoft Teams Calling.

How do I make an outside call with Teams Phone?

Dial the area code and phone number. You no longer need to dial 9 first or enter a long-distance code.

Physical Desk Phones

Will my desk phone go away?

In most cases yes. The Teams Calling project is moving the university to Microsoft Teams as the primary phone system. For most employees, Teams on a computer, mobile device, or tablet will be the standard calling experience. 
Physical desk phones will be available in approved exception cases. The university is currently defining the criteria and business justification required for a desk phone.

Can I install Teams on my personal phone?

Yes. Staff may voluntarily install Microsoft Teams on their personal phones, tablets, or home computers if they choose.

Will I be required to install Teams on my personal phone?

No. Employees are not required to install Microsoft Teams on their personal phones or use personal devices for university business calls. Teams Calling will be available through university-supported computers and compatible headsets. Employees may choose to use the Teams mobile application on their personal phones for convenience, but doing so is entirely optional.

Will UMass Boston be able to monitor my personal phone or computer if I use Teams on it?

Staff are not required to use personal devices for Teams Calling. Installing and using Microsoft Teams on your personal device does not give UMass Boston control over the device or access to your personal photos, text messages, or other personal content. Installing Teams alone does not allow the university to manage your device, change its settings, or place restrictions on how you use it. 

Teams requests permissions needed for features such as calling, including access to your microphone. As with university accounts on other devices, activity within Teams may be subject to university policies. 

Teams Calling Costs and Department Billing

Will my department be charged for Teams Calling?

There will be no changes to your department’s telecommunications billing during the current fiscal year. 

The Teams Calling project aims to reduce complexity and costs while maintaining current service levels. We are working with Finance to evaluate options for simplifying billing and making costs more transparent. Any billing changes for the next fiscal year will be communicated as soon as details are confirmed. 

Will departments pay more than they do today?

There will be no changes to your department’s telecommunications billing during the current fiscal year. At this time, we do not anticipate any cost increases for departments.

What happens to our current phone bills?

The current billing model will remain in place through June 2027. We are working with Finance to explore ways to simplify billing and make costs more transparent beginning in July 2027. We will share details as soon as they are confirmed.

Will the Telecom Trust Fund (TTF) change?

The Telecom Trust Fund (TTF) will remain unchanged through June 2027.

Do Teams phone numbers cost departments money?

The future cost model for Teams Calling has not yet been determined. Additional guidance will be provided once decisions are finalized.

Are desk phones billed separately?

There will be no changes to desk phone billing during the current fiscal year. Future billing arrangements are still being evaluated, and departments may be charged for desk phones under certain circumstances. 

Reducing overall costs is a goal of the Teams Calling project. Using fewer physical desk phones creates additional savings by reducing equipment costs, future maintenance needs, and the complexity of supporting multiple calling options. We will share details about any desk phone charges once decisions are finalized. 

New Phone Number Requests

How do I request a phone number for a new employee?

New employees will continue to receive phone services as part of the standard onboarding process. Please submit a request through the IT Service Desk.

Will new employees receive a traditional desk phone?

The university is evaluating a future cutoff date for issuing new desk phones. The expectation is that new phone requests will be fulfilled through Microsoft Teams whenever possible.

Are exceptions available?

Exception criteria are currently being defined and will be communicated once approved.

International Calling

Will international calling be available in Teams?

Yes, international calling can be enabled when there is a valid business need.

How do I request international calling access?

Employees will need manager approval and a service request ticket via IT service Desk to enable international calling.

Will international calling be enabled automatically?

No. International calling permissions will be reset as part of the migration and must be requested and approved before they are enabled.

Is there a cost for international calling?

The funding and billing model for international calling is still being determined.

How will requests be evaluated?

Departments may be asked to confirm that international calling is required to support the employee's job responsibilities before access is approved.