Teams Voice provides a new way to use telephone services at CSU. With Teams Voice, your telephone number is associated with your Microsoft Teams account rather than your desktop telephone. You will make and receive calls via the Teams app on your computer (and optionally on a mobile device) – not your desktop phone. Calls can be managed from any Internet-connected device on which you are logged into Teams. Audio comes from your computer or device’s onboard microphone and speaker or via headsets that connect to your computer or device.

Applicable to:

• Fort Collins faculty and staff

Prerequisites

You'll need the following two items completed before you can use Teams Voice:

• Configuration: The Division of IT will set up and configure your account with your local IT Support. Once Teams Voice is live and ready for your account, you will receive a confirmation email from the Division of IT.
• Hardware: You will need a working microphone and speaker to use Teams Voice. These can be internal, integrated with your computer, or external, physically connected to your computer or via Bluetooth.

In this article:

• What is Teams Voice?
• Changing device settings and making a test call
• Making and receiving calls
• Recording a voicemail greeting
• Additional resources, training, and support

What is Teams Voice?

Teams Voice puts your work phone number on your computer (and optionally, also on your handheld device). You can make outbound calls by dialing a number and you can receive calls from any phone.

Note that Teams Voice is different than audio or video chats within Microsoft Teams. During a chat with another person in Microsoft Teams, you have the option of initiating a video or audio call to enhance that chat session, by clicking the video or phone icons in the upper right screen. Teams Voice is accessed by the “Calls” icon on the far left side of your Teams app, and is a way to make any phone call, regardless if the other party is a part of Teams or is using software, a cell phone, or a traditional landline.  

Device Settings

• Change your device settings and make a test call:

  Click the (…) to the left of your Teams profile picture or initials in the top right of the Teams menu bar.

  
  

  Navigate to Settings

  
  

  
  

  Once inside settings, look for Devices.

  
  

  
  

  From the devices menu, you can verify or select a microphone and speaker source as well as test your device by clicking the button entitled “Make a test call”. The test call will connect and ask you to leave yourself a short message. After you leave the message, it will play the recording back, so you know how you sound.

Making and Receiving Calls

• How do I make a call?

  From the left sidebar menu in Teams, select the Calls icon.

  

  Copy and paste a number into the dial pad or type the number directly (you do not need to input spaces between digits). For internal CSU calls, you may continue to use the 5 digit format e.g. 1-7276, 1-1886.

  Click the Call button. The recipient will receive a call from your Teams Voice number (listed below the dial pad)

   

  Note: it is unnecessary to place a 1 before the dial string for calls in the US. Calls to numbers in the same area code do not require the area code prefix. There is also no need to use an 8 or 9 to dial out.

• Is a device/handset required to use Teams Voice?

  No, using a softphone (e.g., Teams on a computer), is the recommended platform for most Teams Voice use cases. Users can use the computer’s built-in microphone or purchase a headset to use Teams Voice without the need for a physical phone/handset.

• How do I make an emergency (911) call?

  If you place a 911 call from the Teams client on your laptop while logged in from home, a hotel, etc., the 911 operator is going to see the call come through as a call from your office phone which includes the physical address of your CSU office/building.

  Important: If you make a 911 call from Teams from somewhere other than your office, be prepared to provide details about your physical location. Optionally, use your cell phone (just not the Teams client) or a wired phone in the vicinity to dial 911 in the event of an emergency.

• How can I use my mobile phone to make Teams Voice calls?

  You must download the Teams app from the iOS App Store or Android Google Play Store to make Teams Voice calls. The app is free to download.

  To make a call from your mobile phone, open the Teams app and look for the navigation panel on the bottom of the screen.

  If the Calls tab is not already pinned to the menu bar, click the (…) on the right side of the menu bar. Click Reorder. The Edit navigation screen appears, drag the Calls icon to the top section of the list using the hamburger icon (the three lines to the right of the app name).

  Click Done when finished.

  Note: you may need to drag an icon down from the top list for Calls to fit. See the "Calling Reference Guide" attachment for an overview of the Teams Mobile apps.

Can I make international calls?

• How do I accept/receive calls?

  When there is an incoming call, a window will appear on the right side of your screen.

  

  Click the purple phone icon to answer, click the red phone icon to end or decline a call.

  Note: This popup notification may appear in the bottom or upper corner of your screen. If you use more than one monitor, it may appear on a secondary monitor or underneath other open windows.

• How do I forward calls or ring another phone at the same time?

  Click on the (…) to the left of your Teams profile photo or initials in the top right of the menu bar.

  Navigate to Settings

  

  Under Settings, select Calls:

  
  From the Calls menu, you can choose additional phones to ring or to forward all your calls to your cell phone.

  You will need to add the new number the first time you use this feature. It will remember your previous entries. Similar options are available between Calls ring me and Forward my calls.

  If you were ringing multiple phones at the same time and no longer want to use this feature, ensure Calls ring me is selected, then choose No one else from the dropdown menu to the right of Also ring.

• How do I block calls?

  Microsoft and CSU have taken steps to block as much unwanted robo calls and other spam calls as possible, however, unwanted marketing or spam calls may still get through. Take the following steps to block unwanted external calls.

  Navigate to the Calls tab:

  

  From your call history, hover on the number you wish to block and click the (…) to bring up the submenu:

  

  Select Block.

  You can also manage your blocked contact settings within the Privacy tab of the Settings menu.

  
  Note: It is NOT possible to block a contact internal to CSU.

• 
  

Voicemail Greetings

• How do I record a voicemail greeting?

  Click on the (…) to the left of your Teams profile photo or initials in the top right of the menu bar.

  Navigate to Settings:

  

  Select Calls and Configure voicemail:

  

  Click Record a greeting:

  
  After a few seconds your voicemail will be dialed and a small window will appear with your initials or profile picture.

  After a few more seconds the window will maximize.

  Click the ellipsis (…) button and then the Keypad to bring up the keypad.

  Follow the prompts by clicking the appropriate option on the keypad to listen to your greeting, change your greeting, etc.

Support and Resources

Need Help?

• Contact your local IT Support via the appropriate channel for your college or department.
• If you are unsure who your departmental or college IT contact is, you can submit a help request to the Division of IT’s Help Desk.

Quick Reference Guides and FAQs

• Using a softphone (i.e., Teams on a computer), is the recommended platform for most Teams Voice users. In some cases, handset devices may be preferred or needed. See Teams Voice Devices for more information.
• See the "Teams Voice FAQs" attachment for a list of frequently asked questions.
• See the "Calling Reference Guide" attachment for the layout and common actions for calling, voicemail, and call settings.
• See the "Call Queue and Shared Line Reference Guide" attachment for information on managing a shared line or call queue, accessing shared voicemail and call histories, and the incoming call experience.
• The Call Queue and Auto Attendant FAQ explains the features of each service, common scenarios for using each, and how to get started.
• Watch Teams Video Training for an overview of different features.
• Technical resources have been compiled for Resource Coordinators and college and department IT staff to onboard and manage their users, see Microsoft Teams Resource for more information. 

Related Articles from Microsoft

• Calling Tips
• Calls and Devices
• Managing Calls
• Configure Delegate Settings
• Teams Calling Made Simple