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IT Service Status
IT Service Status

Cisco to Teams Voice Telephony Transition

Project Status

September 2026: Northwestern IT is modernizing the University's telephone services by transitioning from Cisco to Microsoft Teams Voice. This change will better reflect how individuals and teams use phones across campus and provide a more integrated communications experience by bringing calls, voicemail, meetings, and messaging together in Microsoft Teams. Northwestern IT is partnering with technology teams across the University to plan a collaborative rollout of these changes between [fall 2026 and x end date].

Background

As part of this transition, Northwestern IT is replacing the University-wide Cisco telephony platform and devices with Teams Voice. Teams Voice provides equivalent calling services and introduces a modern communications platform designed to support how people work today. The new service will offer calling options on computers, mobile devices, and Teams-certified phones. While core calling capabilities will remain available, some features and workflows will function differently than they do on Cisco today.

Benefits to the Northwestern Community

Microsoft Teams Voice will modernize Northwestern's core calling capabilities while offering more flexible access to calls, voicemail, meetings, and messaging and reducing reliance on aging Cisco infrastructure and underused physical phones.

  • Connected experience: Manage calls, voicemail, meetings, and messaging in Microsoft Teams.
  • Flexible calling: Use a University number from a computer, mobile device, or approved Teams phone.
  • Modern service: Retire aging infrastructure and reduce the number of underused physical devices.

Goals and Objectives

The transition is designed to preserve essential calling services while helping schools and units move to a modern, more flexible platform.

  • Preserve assigned University phone numbers and core calling capabilities.
  • Enable eligible users to make and receive calls through Teams desktop and mobile applications.
  • Migrate shared lines, delegates, call groups, and other existing services accurately.
  • Prepare affected users with training, guidance, and support before and after migration.
  • Provide Teams-certified phones only where approved business needs require them and remove unused or underused Cisco hardware.

Approach

The project will be implemented over 18 months in coordinated phases by school, unit, or department.

Project Timeline

Project Timeline

Phase

Description

Status

Target timing

I

Assessment and validation:Schools and units confirm phone assignments, shared lines, delegates, call groups, and special requirements.

In progress

Fall 2026

II

Preparation:Users receive migration timing, preparation guidance, and information about the move from Cisco phones to Teams Voice.

Upcoming

Before migration

III

Migration:University phone numbers move to Teams Voice in scheduled groups, with calling service enabled and verified during each migration window.

Upcoming

Rolling by department

IV

Adoption and support:Users complete post-migration checks, access training, and receive support as they begin using Teams Voice.

Upcoming

After migration

V

Device collection:Northwestern IT coordinates collection of retired Cisco phones so all users complete the move to Teams Voice and unused or underused hardware is removed.

Upcoming

After migration

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