Zoom Phone: Campus Phone Transition

Zoom Phone Summary

We are excited to announce that Villanova University is transitioning to Zoom Phone as our new unified communication system. This change is part of our ongoing efforts to modernize campus technology, improve connectivity, and enhance collaboration for faculty, staff, and students.

What is Zoom Phone?

Zoom Phone is a softphone service, meaning it is a downloadable application that allows you to make and receive phone calls over the internet using mobile devices and laptops. This means:

  • You’ll be able to use your Villanova phone number wherever you may be without the requirement of the VPN.
  • You’ll no longer need to use or share your personal cell phone number for work purposes.
  • This effort will also significantly reduce the number of desk phones used across our campus, reducing electronic waste and supporting the university’s sustainability goals.

Project Timeline

Project Team

Project Benefits & Features

Zoom Phone Benefits

The following list includes some of the most significant benefits of the Zoom softphone application for the Villanova community:

  • Greater mobility: Full telephone functionality at home, on campus, traveling, or wherever there is an internet or cellular connection, allowing faculty and staff to work seamlessly and have a more consistent presence with their Villanova Zoom phone number no matter where they are.
  • Expanded privacy: Villanova faculty and staff can use a Zoom phone number for work calls, eliminating the need to share personal phone numbers.
  • Device options: Users can select any combination for using the softphone application, whether on a Villanova-provided laptop, desktop, mobile device, or even a desk phone if needed. The application also supports multi-device compatibility.
  • Increased functionality: Comprehensive self-service calling features, including options on how and when calls are received, contact integration, and more. These features are all accessible through an easy-to-use interface.
  • Decreased environmental impact: A cloud-based softphone service reduces the reliance on physical devices and backend equipment. We can also cut costs related to updating, maintaining, and relocating telephone lines by eliminating the need for physical phones.
  • Efficiency with a Softphone Application: The Zoom user interface includes features like drag-and-drop call transfers, voicemail transcription, and a voicemail-to-email service. These enhancements will facilitate faster and more efficient phone communication.
  • Network flexibility: Users can utilize the softphone application through most internet or cellular connections without needing the Villanova VPN.

Zoom Phone Features

This is not an exhaustive list of the features available with softphones; rather, it highlights some features that may not currently be offered with physical phones. Most existing features available with today’s traditional phones will continue to be accessible to the university community using a softphone:

  • Standard phone features include call forwarding, call holding, call transfers, a shared contact directory, incoming call notifications, caller information, and voicemail options.
  • Customizable notification settings to ensure you receive alerts from your Villanova phone number only when desired.
  • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) allows you to make and receive calls using a Villanova number from any of your devices, without disclosing your personal cell phone number.
  • Zoom Presence from your softphone shows when individuals are online, offline, busy, or in a meeting. This feature allows others in the university community to know the best times to reach out or when they might not receive an immediate response.
  • Seamless conference calls allow for easy addition of participants and merging calls with someone on hold.
  • Quickly transfer a call from your softphone application to another device if needed.
  • Easily switching from a voice call to Zoom Meeting (videoconferencing) without requiring participants to manually join.
  • Emergency calls can be made using the Zoom Phone mobile app, desktop app, or desk phone.
  • Customizable Business messaging: closed, holiday hours.
  • Unique call handling for busy times, when on another call, or when a call is unanswered, including the ability to forward calls to an internal number, external number, or voicemail.
  • Call Delegation enables another phone user to manage calls on your behalf, such as allowing an administrative or executive assistant to make and receive calls for their executives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have Other Questions?

Any questions or inquries related to the Zoom Phone transition should be sent to:

Zoom Phone Team
zoomphone@villanova.edu