Key Accomplishments | Background | Implementation | Timeline | Frequently Asked Questions |

Telecom System Replacement Roadmap

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If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the project team at teladmin@gmu.edu.

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Implementation

​In-Scope​
  • CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service)​ (COMPLETE)
  • UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) for faculty/staff (In Progress)  ​
    • The new system will be implemented one building at a time
  • Classroom phone replacement*
  • eFAX service – Migrate GMU fax machines​*
  • Retire legacy Contact Center and PBX systems​

*This will be done following the completion of the voice implementation

Out-of-Scope​
  • Student phones​
  • Mason mobile devices​
  • Police Dispatch System (Project 821)​
  • Mason Korea Campus

What to Expect & How to Prepare

  • The new Vonage softphone software is available for download onto your devices. Users will be able to sign in and begin using the app on installation day. ITS recommends you bring a headset or headphones with a microphone to use as needed for calls during the transition. To learn more, see Mason Phones and User Guides.
  • All Avaya desk phones will be disconnected and replaced with Vonage desk phones if requested. If you have not done so, please connect with your Telecom Coordinator about your desk phone replacement. To find your contact, see Telecom Coordinators.
  • Once the installation has begun, it is recommended to use your Vonage softphone until the change is complete, as your Avaya desk phone will be unavailable. During this time, you may lose remote or VPN connectivity while the desk phone is being replaced.
  • Five-digit dialing will not be supported until all Mason users are transferred to Vonage.
    • When placing or transferring calls, enter all ten digits of the phone number (I.e., Dial 7039938870 instead of 38870).
    • Dialing 9 is no longer necessary for external calls.
  • You will receive notifications from ITS on when your building installation is starting and expected to be complete. To learn about the stages of installation day, see Preparing for Your Vonage Migration.

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Building Implementation Schedule

Spring/Summer 2023
  • May: Innovation Hall (COMPLETE), Aquia Hall (COMPLETE)
  • June: Hazel Hall (COMPLETE)
  • July: Vernon Smith Hall (COMPLETE), Van Metre Hall (COMPLETE)
  • August: Commerce Building (COMPLETE), Potomac Science Center (COMPLETE), Point of View (COMPLETE)

Fall/Winter 2023

  • September: Colgan Hall (COMPLETE), 9900 Main Street (COMPLETE), Beacon Hall, Katherine G. Johnson Hall, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Discovery Hall, Institute of Advanced Biomedicine
  • October: Innovation Park, Freedom Aquatics and Fitness Center, Prince William Biomedical Research Lab, Thompson Hall, East Building, Finley Building, Krug Hall, West Building, Fenwick Library
  • November: Research Hall, Horizon Hall
  • December: Carrow Hall, Facilities Administration, Facilities Management, Krasnow Institute, Warehouse

​

Project Timeline

2022 2023
Task/Event 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Vonage Contract Signed
Project Kickoff
Contact Center Delivery
Go Live​ (Current CCs)​
Onboard New Contact Centers
UCaaS Data Gathering
Design/Build
Testing
Planning
UCaaS Delivery
Close MS Teams Calling Plans

 

KEY:

Completed activity
Upcoming activity
Milestones/Deadlines

 

Background and Approach

Mason’s current telephone system is end-of-life, and with a workforce increasingly dispersed, the new solution delivers advanced features (e.g., mobile applications, ring/accept calls on any device, presence awareness) and integrates into Mason’s tools (e.g., Office 365).

RFP Process

Mason executed a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select a replacement provider for telecommunications.​ More than 100 stakeholders across Mason participated in the selection process​ and review the proposals from nearly 40 vendors.

Chosen Vendor: Vonage

Vonage was selected due to:

  • Quality of their proposed products​
  • User-friendly solutions ​
  • Integration capabilities with key tools used by Mason​
  • Strong customer service as reported by references
  • Lower cost​
  • New 5-year contract with options to extend to 5 additional years​

Vonage UCaaS Solution - Benefits
  • Vonage will provide a hosted enterprise-class communications platform, known as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), to replace the current PBX system for faculty and staff
  • The new system includes:
    • Softphone mobile, desktop, and web applications
    • Calling
    • Voicemail
    • 1:1 external SMS messaging
    • Call hold, transfer, and park
    • Call flow options: forwarding, follow me, simultaneous ring
    • Call blocking
    • Presence/Availability status
    • Integrations into Mason’s business productivity tools​ (Office 365 Email, Microsoft Teams (MS Teams)
  • eFAX service to replace fax machines​
Vonage CCaaS Solution - Benefits​
  • Vonage will provide a new cloud-based Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solution, including: ​
    • Enhanced call center experience​
    • Integration of SMS/Text, chat, video​
    • Caller ID shielding​
    • Mobile application – accessible from anywhere​
    • Integration into Mason applications (​Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), Salesforce Support) ​

Frequently Asked Questions

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Phones

Can I use my Nortel/Avaya phone?
No. The Nortel/Avaya phones are not compatible with the new Vonage system. The existing phones will be collected and recycled via the Mason surplus process.

Am I required to have a desk phone?
No. If you no longer use your desk phone, you can opt to only use the softphone on your computer and/or cellphone (through the Vonage app and Microsoft Teams).​

Will our conference room phones be replaced?
Most existing conference room phones are not compatible with the new Vonage system. ITS will provide recommendations for compatible conference phones for departmental purchase.

Will classroom/lab phones be replaced?
Yes, as needed.​

Headsets

How can I get a headset to use with the softphone?
ITS is not providing headsets as part of the implementation. However, ITS has recommendations for headsets to purchase if you need one.

ITS recommends the following headsets: (Available on Mason Dell and CDWG Sites)

Cost

What is the cost of the new Yealink desk phones?
As of July 1, 2023: Desk phones at implementation will be at no cost. At this time, you will be charged for the phone line only as a service. ITS has been approved for a new cost structure of a fee basis of $15/month for this new service, which is lower than the previous monthly charges.

Service

Will I keep my phone number?
Yes, in most cases.​

I currently have voicemail-to-email setup, can I keep this feature in the new Vonage system?
Yes.

Will this include the “Vonage Business” app that can be used on computers?
 The Vonage Business app offers a broad selection of many uses within telecom. Mason will offer the application with some limitations. You will be able to: voicemail to email, call forwarding, text messaging one to one, efax (coming soon), call blocking, and more.

Microsoft Teams

Will staff currently using a Teams softphone be moved over to Vonage during the transition?
Yes. MS Teams Calling Plans will be transitioned to Vonage throughout the implementation in preparation of the service retiring this fall. Licenses for these users have been paid through 2023.

Is the user status pulled from Outlook/Teams, or will it have to be manually updated in the Vonage application as well?
If a user makes a call to a 10-digit number, Teams will go to busy on a call, and the Vonage VBC app status will also change to “On a call.” If the user is in a Teams meeting, that presence does not push to the Vonage app to change the extension to busy.

New Hires

What is the process for acquiring a phone line for new hires (including softphone only or physical phone).
    • If a new phone number is required, it will be a Vonage number, once the infrastructure is set up.​
    • If the new hire is taking an existing phone # in their department, they will be issued a number from the current system.
Last modified: September 18, 2023