This article describes the role and the expectations of a Telephony Liaison Officer (TLO). It also explains how a Telephony Liaison Officers manage any requests or changes.

Overview of the role

The Telephony Liaison Officer (TLO) is a non-official role, embedded within Faculties and Professional Services departments, acting as a point of contact for iSolutions regarding telephony matters.

A TLO is expected to:

• Be aware of the needs and provision of telephone services within their respective area
• Provide authorisation and advice for requests originating from their department/school/faculty.

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How to delegate a colleague to approve requests when you are not available

If you are a telephony approver and you are going to be away, you can delegate a colleague to approve requests on your behalf.  

Step-by-step instructions:

1. From ServiceNow, click on your Name and choose Profile from the drop-down menu

2. Next click on New Delegates - you will see this option under your profile details on the bottom left-hand side

3. Type in the details of the person you wish to nominate as your Delegate in the Delegate field, also fill in the "Starts" and "Ends" fields.

Now click Save.

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Phone Numbers

Role and expectations

iSolutions will:

• Provide a central database of phone number allocations for individuals and their roles.
• Assign, edit and remove allocations as required in response to requests received from a TLO’s department/faculty.

The expectation is that a member of staff will be assigned and keep the same phone number for the duration of their employment, regardless of any change of job/role during that time. However, there may be circumstances where both the individual and TLO agree it is more appropriate to reassign the number as part of an internal move.

TLOs will:

• Keep abreast of staff changes within their area and raise requests as appropriate (or approve requests raised by others) to ensure iSolutions are kept up to date with new starters requiring a new number allocation.
• Maintain an up-to-date list of all TLO contacts.

Notes

Vacant numbers

TLOs should not attempt to locate/assign a vacant number. Instead, please notify iSolutions when a member of staff either leaves the University or has agreed to release their phone number as part of an internal move. This will ensure that numbers are not duplicated.

Once extensions have been assigned to staff, even if they move department, the number will remain with them.

Please do not keep spare numbers. Let iSolutions know if numbers are not being used.

 

Members of staff moving to a new team

When someone leaves a team in your department or faculty, please:

• Notify iSolutions by raising a ticket
• Ask staff to update their contact details in Subscribe. Find more information in the article "How to add or update my contact details on the internal telephone directory"

 

Finding out the numbers of your department

To request numbers for a member of staff please get in touch with ServiceLine.

 
How does the central switchboard find staff extension numbers?

The switchboard team will forward calls to staff by using the contact details that staff provide by updating Subscribe.

Please encourage staff to update their contact details with their University extension numbers. This action will ensure the numbers are added to the staff directory. Find more information in the article "How to add or update my contact details on the internal telephone directory".

 

Emergency calls using Teams softphone

999 will call the emergency services directly.

Please also make CCR aware of any emergency calls you make that occur on campus or with students by dialling 23311 (02380 593311 from an external phone).

Please report non-emergency incidents to 22811 (02380 592811 from an external phone).

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Managing calls and calls queues

Call Queues

Call Queues (also known as Hunt Groups) allow staff to answer and make calls from a shared number. They are usually set up when staff work in a team and answer enquiries for a team. Staff can opt in and out of call queues.

Call Queues can be set up with Voicemail and Welcome messages by Call Queue administrators, following the instruction in the Knowledge Base article "How to use Microsoft Teams Softphone". Once set up, all members can check Voice Messages and reply to callers. In order to become a Call Queue administrator, please raise a request with ServiceLine.

Call options:

• The phone can ring for all members at the same time.
• The call can move from member to member down a list.
• Calls can be sent to members who are least busy first.

Voicemail options:

• Activation times

Welcome message:

• A welcome message can be set up to let callers know what service they are calling. You can request a welcome message is set up by iSolutions.

 

Staff working without an extension number

Staff can be a member of a call queue without their own extension number. They will only be able to answer calls. Only staff with an allocated extension number will be able to make external calls.

Staff without their own extension number will not have a personal university phone number in the staff directory.  Staff cannot use a call queue number as their own personal number.

Staff without extension numbers cannot raise emergency calls unless they use one of the Teams telephony shared phones or use their mobile phones.

 

Removing staff from call queues

When a member of staff leaves your team and they are in one of your team call queues, they will continue to receive calls to that queue unless they are removed.

If you need help with permanently removing staff from the call queue please request this through ServiceLine.

 

External calling

All University staff are issued with a full Microsoft A5 licence. This full A5 licence is needed for staff to use Teams Softphone.

Temporary staff / contractors and visitors working on campus will receive a Microsoft A1 licence. A1 licences do not provide access to Teams Softphones.

Students are automatically assigned a Microsoft M365 A5 Student Use Benefit licence. This kind of licence does not include the possibility to make external calls. To make calls externally, students need an A5 uplift licence called "Microsoft Phone Sys licence".

If contractors and students need access to a full A5 licence to use the Teams softphone, this can be applied for at cost. 

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Requesting standard equipment

Softphone is delivered over the internet and Softphone is part of Teams. If you have the Internet and use Teams already, then you will be ready for Softphone.

For those staff who are not using PCs or Laptops, handsets will be available in shared areas that will be agreed with departments and faculties.

You may wish to use a headset so that your calls do not disturb your colleagues, you can order these using the Request forms available into the Service Portal.

The softphone can be set up to ring through your headset and your PC/laptop. If your PC does not have a speaker, you can order a speaker via ServiceLine. 

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Extensions

Extension number – who needs it and how much it costs

Only staff needing to make external calls or receive calls from an external caller at work need an extension number.

All staff with Teams have chat and video calling for messaging other staff internally and attending meetings. They do not need Softphone for this.

There is no cost to departments and Faculties for staff extension numbers as these are now centralised.

 

Requesting a new Softphone extension

To request a new Softphone extension, please fill the University Telephony Request form.

To fill the form correctly, please select the following options:

• "Requester information": choose the right one for you
• "Telephone system": select the option "Microsoft teams (Softphones)"
• "Define Request Type (Teams)": select the option "Telephone Extensions"
• "What is the extension number you are querying?": Enter your extension number. If you are not sure what the extension number is, or this is a request for a new extension number, please enter 'N/A' or 'Unknown'. 

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Desk phones – Common questions

Apply for a Teams handset

Most staff will have access to Teams to contact anyone in the University. If you have staff that do not have access to Teams via a PC/laptop, you can apply for a Teams handset giving a business reason. All buildings have a common area phone that staff can use. Handsets are chargeable.  

Staff without extension numbers cannot raise emergency calls unless they use one of the Teams telephony shared phones or use their mobile phones.

To request a Teams handset please fill out and submit the Telephony Requests form.

 

Can I keep my desk phone?

The university is modernising its telephone service and desk phones are being replaced by Teams Softphone. Staff who are unable to access Teams via a PC or laptop will have access to a shared common area phone.  

Physical handsets can be requested by exception based on specific business or medical needs.

 

Mitel DECT mobile phones replacement

You can request a DECT phone by contacting ServiceLine. Please note that cordless DECT phones are chargeable.

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How to use the softphones - guidelines

Link to guides:

• Help on setting up Softphones
• MS 365 Support Centre
• Microsoft 365 Teams Softphone - Quick start guide

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Related content

Telephone Liaison Officer (TLO) list

Telephony Requests form

Computer Peripheral Purchasing form

M365 Support Centre - Softphones

How to use Microsoft Teams Softphone