What is Zoom Phone?
Zoom Phone allows faculty and staff to make voice calls over an internet connection using the Zoom Workplace App much like a traditional phone line. In addition to making calls, it has several features and enhancements including, but not limited to: seamlessly transfer calls across devices and easily transition a voice call into a Zoom Meeting.
Training Resources
Zoom provides training resources for our community to learn how to use Zoom Phone quickly. You can start by watching a brief video introduction to Zoom Phone. In addition, we want to highlight several specific resources that we think you will find useful.
Advanced Feature Guides (For Auto Receptionist and Call Queue Supervisors)
For further training, visit the Zoom Learning Center. There, you will find video tutorials and read how-to articles to get the most out of Zoom Phone Services.
What are the highlights of Zoom Phone?
Zoom Phone is a step forward in how OIT delivers seamless campus technology experiences. This service benefits the campus by being:
- Familiar, integrating with our existing Zoom usage for web conferencing and remote learning.
- Versatile, allowing varied device options and communication methods to use Zoom calls on your phone, desktop, and conference room.
- Accesible, adopting a new platform that allows users to configure their Zoom Phone accounts on their own, without needing to make IT requests for simple changes.
- Reliable, utilizing stronger networks to minimize connectivity issues and enhance call quality.
- Convenient, maintaining existing phone numbers and expanding support resources so you have less to worry about.
- Cost Savings, a systemwide agreement allows OIT to help reduce costs to provide telephone services while providing a better and more integrated service with existing video meeting services.
Feature Comparison
| ✅ | Available, easy to use, and/or self-service | ⏳ | Available, but challenging to use | ❌ | Unavailable | ✋ | Admin required to make any changes | ☝️ | Admin only does initial setup |
| FEATURE | DESCRIPTION | CURRENTLY | ZOOM PHONE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Call Forwarding |
Automatically redirects incoming calls from a number to another number or device (such as a mobile phone, external line, or another extension) so calls can be answered when the primary device is unavailable or unattended. |
✅ |
✅ |
|
International Calling |
The ability to place or receive calls to and from phone numbers outside the user’s home country, typically requiring an international calling plan or per-minute billing. Callers are able to make international calls on their own once enabled by an administrator. |
✋✅ |
✋✅ |
|
Auto Receptionist/Attendant |
An auto attendant (also called a virtual receptionist) in VoIP and Zoom Phone is an automated call-routing system that answers incoming calls, plays menus or greetings (e.g., “Press 1 for Sales”), and directs callers to extensions, call queues, voicemail, or other destinations—without needing a live receptionist. |
✋✅ |
☝️✅ |
|
Call Queue |
A system that holds incoming calls and distributes them to a group of agents or users based on predefined rules (e.g., round-robin or simultaneous ringing), ensuring callers wait in line until an available agent can answer. |
✋✅ | ☝️✅ |
|
Assign Hotkeys on Physical Phones |
Configuring programmable buttons on desk phones to perform quick actions (such as speed dial, transferring calls, monitoring extensions, or toggling features) so a person can access functions with a single press. |
✋✅ |
✅ |
|
Call Delegation |
Allows a designated person (delegate) to place, answer, and manage calls on behalf of another user (delegator), often used for executive–assistant workflows. |
✋⏳ |
✅ |
|
Call Park |
Lets a person place an active call into a shared, retrievable “park” location so another person with access to that location can pick up that call from any phone or device. |
✋⏳ |
✅ |
|
Blind (Cold) Call Transfer |
A call is transferred to another number or extension without speaking to the receiving party first and without confirming they will answer. |
⏳ |
✅ |
| Warm Call Transfer |
When the transferring person first speaks with the receiving party to confirm availability before completing the transfer to the caller. |
❌ | ✅ |
|
Call Handoff |
The ability to seamlessly move an active call from one device to another (such as from a desk phone to a mobile app) without dropping the call. |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Native Client |
Using an official application (desktop or mobile) that includes built-in calling features without requiring a separate desk phone or third-party softphone. |
❌ | ✅ |
|
Visual Voicemail |
Allows a person to view, play, and manage voicemail messages through an app or interface, often with text transcriptions, instead of dialing into a voicemail system. |
❌ | ✅ |
|
Convert Call to Meeting |
A feature that lets a person to instantly turn an active phone call into a meeting; adding video and collaboration tools without ending the call. |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Shared Line Groups |
Allows multiple people share a single phone number and set of lines, allowing any member to answer, place, and manage calls using that shared number. |
❌ |
☝️✅ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Zoom Phone?
As UC Merced makes adjustments and performs budget reduction practices one such area to reduce costs was our telephony services. As a benefit to our long standing relationship with Zoom, we are able to provide both a better telephony service for the campus community as well as reduce campus costs for this core service. Zoom phone is a reliable and flexible telephony system, and is increasingly accessible with OIT's support for all bobcats.
When will UC Merced transition to Zoom Phone?
UC Merced will begin transitioning to Zoom Phone in September 2025 with the intent of migrating all phone users, including those on the current Clearspan VoIP service and those with ATT landlines, to Zoom Phone by the Spring 2026 period.
Can I call anyone with my Zoom Phone, or only other UC Merced Numbers?
Your Zoom Phone Line will be able to make domestic calls like the previous telephony system. This means you will be able to call any number, not just UC Merced Phone Numbers.
If I have an desk phone currently, will it work after the zoom phone migration?
Current desk phone hardware is not compatible with the Zoom Phone platorm, as part of this project, desk phones are not automatically being replaced by the IT Department. We strongly encourage those with desk phones to evaluate if the Zoom app on their computers or mobile devices will be a better alternative for their telephony needs. If a desk phone is required, departments will be able to start the purchasing process through our VoIP Services request.
Will my cellphone be ported over to Zoom Phone as part of this project?
No, only existing VOIP Lines and Landlines will be ported over to Zoom Phone at this time.
Will I be able to keep my current phone number with Zoom Phone?
Users with an active UC Merced phone number will retain their existing number.
What steps do I need to take to prepare for the Zoom Phone Migration?
OIT will directly communicate with existing telophony users and their CAOs to prepare for the migration. We recommend for telephony users to familiarize themselves with Zoom Phone by going through Zoom's Quick Start Guides:
Getting Started with Zoom Phone, Getting started with Zoom Phone (for new users).
Until then, you can learn more about Zoom Phone on the Zoom Learning Center.
Does Zoom Phone have a mobile app?
Yes, the Zoom Workplace app for iOS and Android that is currently used for Zoom Meetings will support all Zoom Phone integration.
What should I do if my phone service did not migrate over to Zoom Phone?
Please open up a ticket on the ServiceHub's Report a Problem section of the Home Page.
How do I request a new Zoom Phone line?
A Zoom Phone can be requested via the ServiceHub's General IT Request form.
My phone line has been moved to Zoom Phone and I am receiving spam calls, is this a Zoom Phone issue?
Most users will experience a perceived increased amount of Spam calls after the porting is completed. This is due to a number of factors, but the Zoom Admin team has made the necessary changes at the site level to mitigate spam calls. Zoom follows the same Spam Call system as most cell carriers, so we recommend users to follow Zoom's Guidelines on spam calls.
