All FAQs

Rates listed here are for direct distance dialling, not operator assisted dialling

Rates listed here are for direct-distance dialling, not operator-assisted dialling

The Telecommunications department at the University of Toronto has negotiated agreements with its telecommunications suppliers in order to provide the University with a quality level of service consistent with the lowest possible rates. Below are  the rates for the most-frequently ordered telephone services.

Please be advised that a ‘customer not-ready’ fee will be applied when a Bell technician arrives at a customer’s premises on an agreed date and the technician cannot proceed for any of the following reasons:

• site contact not available to instruct technician of work required,
• customer project postponed
• customer design change that pushed out the schedule
• any other client-related issue that changes the schedule when the tech arrives to do the work and the department is not ready to have Bell perform the work

Cancellation charges that will be applied on orders cancelled less than 2 business days prior to the service due date will be one month’s service charge plus the one-time-only installation charge or $262.50 – whichever is less.

If you are able to make outgoing calls but don’t hear your set ringing for incoming calls:

• check your volume control to make sure your volume bar is turned up enough and not in an “off” or “low” volume position
• check to make sure that you have not manually call forwarded your telephone to another number and forgotten to cancel the call forwarding feature

Voice Grade Data Lines Only

To rule out set problems, test another set of exactly the same type in place of the problem set at the same jack location. If the other set works or the problem has cleared up, you probably do have a set problem.

Email telecom.services@utoronto.ca or call 416-978-2000

Line static and interferences can result from a line or a set problem.

• Check your connections for loose cords, especially the cord connection into your handset.
• See the suggestions in Set Problems to rule out a set problem before reporting a problem with your line
• Check to see if there is an electrical transformer for another device immediately behind the set. Sometimes electromagnetic waves emanating from the device can affect your set.

If your digital display has disappeared or appears to be scrambled, check the attached AC adapter (black box-power transformer) to make sure it is still plugged into the electrical wall/floor outlet or power bar; this is what controls the appearance of the digit display on your set.

Did you wait to hear the feature acceptance tone (3 beeps)?

Did you wait to hear the confirmation tone (2 beeps)?

If you are hearing only a fast busy tone, the feature you are trying to activate is not being accepted.

• Try to enter the numbers again or cancel
• Check with your department’s Telephone Coordinator to see whether the feature you are trying to use has been assigned to your set

Check all of your connections to the jack, to the set and also into the handset.

1. On the Home screen of your Polycom phone, navigate to Directories
2. Select Contact Directory
3. Select Add or Plus sign
4. Enter the information needed and press Save

Your BroadConnect VoIP voicemail can be configured to your preferences

Voicemail-to-email is included in your VoIP Standard or Premium license, but needs to be activated and an email address added. Once activated, your voicemail messages will appear with attached .wav sound files, along with the caller’s ID, in the email inbox you have specified.

Setting Voicemail Preferences in Communicator 7

To set voicemail preferences in Communicator 7 on your computer, do the following:

1. Open Communicator 7 on your computer
2. Click the gear icon on the left to open Settings
3. Click the dark bar near the top and select Voicemail from the dropdown.

Please see the diagram below for a description and explanation of the options.

Voicemail-to-email is included in your VoIP Standard or Premium license, but needs to be activated and an email address added. Once activated, your voicemail messages will appear with attached .wav sound files, along with the caller’s ID, in the email inbox associated with your VoIP license.

1.  Log in to the voicemail by dialing *86 or press the Message key
2. Enter your password
3. Press *
4. Press 8 to change the password
5. Enter and confirm the new password

There are minimum standards to ensure that your voicemail remains secure:

• Minimum of 6 numeric characters
• Cannot be repeated number consecutively
• Cannot be the previous set password

Communicator 7 is the application used for the communications tools available to you on your desktop and mobile devices. The password can be changed from the desktop version of the application. To change the password:

• Reset the password using the Broadconnect portal link

or

1. Open Communicator 7 on your desktop computer
2. On the left icon menu, click the settings icon (the gear icon), then click Forgot password? A new page will open
3. Enter your username, which your 10-digit phone number (no dashes or spaces), and your email address. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password
4. Click the link in the email. A new page will open
5. Enter your new password in the two boxes.

• Password cannot contain login ID
• Password must contain at least one number
• Password must contain at least one uppercase alpha character
• Password must contain at least one lowercase alpha character
• Password must contain at least one non-alpha character
• Password must be a minimum of ten characters

You probably already know that you can make and receive calls on your computer with VoIP, but what kind of hardware do you need in addition to the computer?

The only additional hardware needed is either a headset, which includes earphones and a microphone, or, if you are not in a shared space, a microphone and/or speakers. There is a wide variety of options available at any of the well-known electronics retailers, so no specific models are recommended here; rather, below are some guidelines on what to look for when seeking a unit to connect to your computer. Apart from the factors mentioned here, there are the personal considerations of comfort and ease of use: these are quite unique to individuals and will depend on how long you need to wear the device in a day, what your particular use case is, and factors such as ear and head shape. A device that may be perfectly comfortable for one person to wear for a full day may irritate another person after only an hour, so some trial and error may be expected.

Connecting the audio devices

3.5mm headset jack

Depending on the capabilities of and connectors on your computer, the audio hardware can connect via Bluetooth, USB cable, or 3.5mm (mini) cable. The advantage of a Bluetooth headset is that you are not tethered to your computer; you can move a few meters away and remain connected to the call. Not all computers support Bluetooth, however, so make sure to check if yours does before going this route. USB and 3.5mm are the other common audio connector types for cabled devices; again, check your computer to see what yours has in term of inputs. Many newer computers don’t have jacks for 3.5mm connectors, and many older computers may not fully support the type of 3.5mm connector on headsets, so if you’re unsure, best to avoid these and go with Bluetooth or USB.

Plantronics, a popular headset manufacturer, has a proprietary connector called Quick Disconnect used on some of its wired headsets. You choose whether you need a USB or 3.5mm connector for connection to your desktop, and the Quick Disconnect allows you to easily disconnect your headset from that cable, enabling you to leave your station without removing your headset. See the Plantronics Quick Disconnect page for more information.

Headset Options

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1. Log in to the voicemail by dialing *86.
2. Enter your password
3. Press 7 to delete all messages

To enable Call Forwarding:

1. On the Home screen of your Polycom phone, select the “Forward” icon or press the More key, then press the Forward button.
2. Select the Forwarding Type (Always, No answer or Busy)
3. Enter the number to which you would like calls forwarded in the Contact box and press the ‘Enable‘ key

To Disable call forwarding:

1. On the Home screen of your Polycom phone, select the “Forward” icon or press the More key, then press the Forward button.
2. Select the Forwarding Type (Always, No answer or Busy)
3. Press the Disable key.

To initiate a 3-way conference call with your Polycom VVX411 phone, do the following:

1. While on an active call, press the More soft key on your Polycom VVX411, then press the Conference soft key. The first call is placed on hold
2. Dial the 2nd number.
3. When the 2nd party answers, press the More soft key, then press the Conference soft key to connect the calls.

When a VoIP user tries to sign in to the GoCo VoIP portal they will be directed to set up Two-Factor authentication. To access the portal you will need to set up Two Factor Authentication after April 23rd 2021.

GoCo has implemented Two-Factor Authentication as a security enhancement which will affect any VoIP user accessing the GoCo portal.

The options for the Two Factor Authentication are via a call or SMS Message. Please note the method cannot be changed after it has been enabled.

If authentication method needs to be changed or wrong number is entered please contact the VoIP Support Team to process your request as well as remove the old profile and have user re-enroll.

There is a 5 minute timeout to enter the token once selected.

Please click here for the information on setting up Two-Factor Authentication on the GoCo portal.

There are minimum standards to ensure that your voicemail remains secure. Please create your voicemail password using the following guidelines:

• Minimum of 6 numberic characters
• Cannot be repeated numbers consecutively
• Cannot be the previous set password

The VPN will affect the quality of service, since it goes through an additional set of routers. Dropping the VPN connection in the middle of an active call will cause the call session to be dropped for security reasons.

1. On the Home screen of your Polycom phone, navigate to Settings
2. Select Status
3. Select Network
4. Select TCP/IP Parameters

IP address is your IPv4 Address
Gateway is your IPv4 Gateway

1. On the Home screen of your Polycom phone, navigate to Settings
2. Select Status
3. Select Network
4. Select Ethernet

ITS is currently using HP 5130 PoE switches to connect the VoIP phones. These switches are LLDP/PoE enabled for the voice VLAN feature.

There are two modes we can look into:

·         if every user has a dedicated network port to connect a VoIP phone, you can configure each switch port as an access port (untagged VLAN)

·         if users only have single network drop, the pass-through port will be used to connect a computer. We will configure a switch port to be hybrid mode to enable the voice VLAN feature via LLDP.

For switches not supporting LLDP, VLAN discovery mode is an alternative; however, without DHCP server, the VLAN discovery mode will not work. You may refer to this thread in the Polycom Community support discussion board for more information:

http://community.polycom.com/t5/VoIP/FAQ-Utilizing-VLAN-s-with-Polycom-phones/td-p/38100

Please visit the downloads and training site

One of the end user experiences that will be immediately affected is 5-digit dialling (direct extension dialling). Currently, Bell Centrex users are able to dial 946- and 978- numbers using only the last 5 digits of the phone number.

Once a phone line is moved from Bell Centrex to BCT (VoIP), that number will no longer be reachable from a Bell Centrex line using 5 digits.  Users will be required to dial all 10 digits of the phone number. If they call the number using only 5 digits, they will hear a ‘your call cannot be completed’ message. BCT users will be able to dial both Bell Centrex and BCT phone numbers using only 5 digits.

The chart below shows the circumstances under which 5-digit dialling will and will not work:

With VoIP, you don’t need a physical phone in the traditional sense. To make and receive calls, you can use an application on your computer, along with headphones or earbuds with a microphone, or an application on your mobile phone. To make a call to one of your contacts, you right-click on their name and select Call:

You can also manually dial the number from the application:

Telecommunications is a central cost recovery unit which provides a wide variety of services to departments. The Telecom Admin fee covers the staffing and operating costs of this unit.
Telecom manages 3 separate contracts on behalf of the University:

Bell Centrex – while most departments have already migrated to VoIP, we are still obliged to offer the ability to have and maintain copper telephone lines throughout the University. We are actively seeking a new contract with Bell and we will communicate more once we receive additional details.
Bell Mobility – we support close to 4,000 Bell Mobility lines across the university offering tiered cellphone plans to departments as well as access to a portal for ordering phones and accessories.
BroadConnect Canada – Telecom is the central point of contact for the University’s VoIP provider, Broadconnect, which provides over 12,000 VoIP lines. Telecom manages the contract, handles public procurement obligations including the initial RFP process through which the University procured the VoIP services.
Specific to VoIP, Telecom provides support to all U of T departments dealing primarily as an escalation point for local IT support. Telecom offers guidance on network setup, troubleshooting and access to the servers to execute changes. In some cases, Telecom provides detailed troubleshooting and support in cases where a department does not have the local expertise to field technical questions.

Telecom provides ongoing training and information sessions to help answer many of the questions that users might otherwise pose to their local IT. Telecom also maintains a collection of support and training materials such as user guides and video tutorials.

Telecom provides expertise in Call Centre setup as well as providing practical assistance in setting up call queues and reports.

During the 3 year migration period, which has now ended, departments were paying 3 components: the BCC line fee, the migration fee and the Telecom admin fee. Now that the migration period is over, departments that have migrated are only being charged 2 components: the BCC line fee and the Telecom admin fee.

Departments used to pay $33 per line all in for Bell Centrex. Now they are paying $17.75 for a standard VoIP line or $19.75 for a Premium line which include a personal audioconferencing bridge which they used to pay for separately.

Starting in Summer 2020, the new automated billing system for VoIP will be introducing enhanced VoIP billing reports. This is a major improvement on the old Bell reports that did not allow for any kind of analysis other than manually checking data. The new reports provide Business Officers the ability to drill down into much more detailed information per line.
Also coming Summer 2020, the UofT Phonebook integration project currently underway will allow for seamless updates to the U of T phone directory. Typically, it was incumbent on Business Officers to manage their departmental directory through a very antiquated system. The legacy phone directly was out of date so a new solution is being built to ensure that any updates to the VoIP user data is also reflected in the U of T directory.

Lastly, a new emergency dashboard used by Campus Police provides real time data of emergency calls to 8-2222 and non-emergency calls to 8-2323. This completely replaces the old system used by Campus Police that was handled with paper updates faxed from Telecom to Campus Police where updates were manually entered. With the new system, updates are done is in real time and operators receiving a call know exactly who is calling and can see the street address in a person’s VoIP profile. Telecom is continuing to work on enhancing this service to provide prompts to users to confirm their location data to ensure that user profiles are kept current.

Telecom will support user in the following setup:

• A physical Polycom VVX311/411/501/601/IP6000 phone connected by wired cable to the Internet
• Assist users log in to their Communicator 7 desktop software or mobile app
• Ensure the Communicator 7 desktop software can receive incoming call and make outbound call on a wired connection to the Internet
• Ensure the Communicator 7 mobile app can receive incoming call and make outbound call on a mobile data connection to the Internet

The following setup is not a standard configuration supported by Telecom, we will provide best effort in assisting the users if they encounter issue however we cannot guarantee voice quality in these setups:

• Using Communicator 7 over Wi-Fi network on any types of device
• Headsets are not supported. Due to the fact that there are too many headset variants among different manufacturers, and each model has its own features that may or may not work with C7, the onus is on the user to make sure the headset chosen is working for C7. We can provide recommended hardware if requested but it is not a substitute for standard configuration.

Best Practise for Communicator 7 Usage:

• C7 account should not be logged in more than once simultaneously on the same platform. Example: computer and computer, or cellphone and cellphone.  Account logged-in in multiple places of the same platform will cause incoming call routing issue where sometimes a call is presented to one computer but not the other, or not ringing on any computer at all.
• You can however log in to different platforms (computer/mobile/tablet/Polycom phone) at the same time using the same account
• We strongly recommend assigning one C7 account per user. If account must be shared, then “one log in at a time” policy needs to be strictly enforced.  The person using a shared C7 account must log out of the app at the end of their shift.
• We strongly recommend not to enable VPN connection while using Communicator 7 as it can cause audio degradation during high traffic times

The website www.myphonetraining.com has all of the links to download the C7 app for Windows desktop and IOS.

For downloading the app to a cell phone you can find the application in the App Store on an Apple device or on Google Play on an Android device.

The myphonetraining site also has video tutorial and manual guides for using both the application and the physical Polycom handsets.

The company supplying VoIP services to the U of T community is BroadConnect Telecom.

Departments have always paid a Telecom Admin fee in order to cover the staffing and operating costs of the central Telecommunications unit.
As part of the new VoIP billing process, one of the primary goals was to increase transparency. Whereas the Telecom Admin fee used to be built into the Bell Centrex line fees charged to departments, the new VoIP billing process splits out the VoIP line fee from the Telecom Admin fee. This is why you are seeing a separate Telecom Admin fee in your departmental phone bill.

Depending on where you are and whether or not the network you are using has emergency backup power, your VoIP phone and/or computer may lose power.  If that happens, you will not be able to make phone calls using the VoIP system.  We recommend that you keep a Bell line active as an emergency line or use a cell phone to make calls during power outages.