University Phone System Changing to 10-digit Dialing

Effective April 1, 2024, the University telephone system will transition from 5-digit dialing to 10-digit dialing for all phone calls made from on-campus phones (844 and 442 numbers), including calls to other on-campus phones. This change is part of a telecommunications modernization plan for the campus that will be executed over the next several years. The plan paves the way for using laptops, tablets and smart phones for all communications and will significantly reduce the need for desk phones, allowing employees to carry all forms of their “in office” communications anywhere they go.

How does this change affect users?

Currently, calls from one campus phone to another only require that you dial 5 digits (4-xxxx or 2-xxxx). Beginning April 1, 2024, all calls from a campus phone to another campus phone will require that you dial 10 digits (e.g., 334-844-xxxx). This change will not affect how calls are made to off-campus phones, including international calls. Emergency 911 calling will also be unaffected.

This change will impact all speed dial settings on campus phones. OIT recommends all offices and departments begin updating contact lists and speed dial settings to reflect the new 10-digit dialing pattern to minimize disruptions after April 1, 2024. Speed dial settings that use the Busy Lamp Field (BLF) feature will require OIT’s assistance to make the change. Please view a step-by-step guide at aub.ie/speeddial and let us know if your phone’s speed dial is a BLF. See the sample telephone screen below.

OIT has set up a special email address and phone number to aid with this change. Please contact our telecom team via email at campustelecom@auburn.edu or by phone at 334-844-1060.

Why is a telecommunications modernization plan necessary and what are the benefits?

OIT has seen a significant reduction in the use of campus desk phones over the past few years with many employees opting to use their cell phones and computers to make voice calls. It appears that a separate desk phone is no longer needed for most employees, but there is still considerable value for employees to have a university phone number for making and receiving business calls. The campus telecommunications modernization plan leverages Microsoft Teams as the next generation phone systems for Auburn University, allowing university phone numbers to be assigned in Teams.

Advantages for the university include more capabilities and the potential for more efficient and productive communications, and fewer systems to support and maintain. Employees will be able to carry their AU phone number with them wherever they go, making and receiving university business calls on their laptops, tablets and smart phones from anywhere they have connectivity to the Internet. Employees will also have the capability to chat, video conference and make phone calls all from the same application, and see the status (available, busy, away, etc.) of AU colleagues, making it easier to determine the best time to reach out to them.

Why is the change to 10-digit dialing necessary?

Migrating the University’s telephone system to Microsoft Teams will be a long process that takes place over the next several years. It will involve operating two phone systems at the same time (Microsoft Teams and our traditional phone system) until we have completely phased out the traditional phone system. As we prepare to begin this transition, we will need to adopt a 10-digit dial plan since 5-digit dialing will not work between the two phone systems.