A softphone—such as Cisco Jabber or Cisco IP Communicator*—can run on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, allowing you to use the campus data network to make calls. Faculty and staff continue to use their university number without requiring dedicated telephone hardware. ITS provides softphones based on your business needs and the operating system for your device.
Department ID Managers interested in becoming an early adopter of softphone technology should contact us via the Service Request System.
Are you a candidate for a softphone?
With a softphone, you can easily place, receive, and manage telephone calls using your computer or mobile device and an internet connection. U-M VPN (student, faculty, and staff) is required when off the U-M Network. Developer VPN will not work for softphone use at this time.
Consider using a softphone if you:
- Answer calls for a department as your primary role
- Work remotely
- Change offices often regularly or don’t have a permanent office
- Prefer not to have a standard phone on your desk
- Have lack of wiring in the building
- Don’t share your phone with anyone in the department
- IP Communicator support ends 9/9/2021. ITS is currently investigating appropriate replacement options.
- It is not advisable to call 911 from your softphone as it will connect you to Campus DPSS and provide incorrect location information.
- We ask that you do not forward your university phone to a personal or home telephone number in an emergency shut down of the U-M campus. This feature is reserved for critical operations. Please keep in mind that staff members using softphones can log into the application directly to take calls from home.