Exceptions to the softphone - new telephone system

In accordance with McGill's Climate & Sustainability Strategy, McGill is moving to a new telephone system to reduce our environmental footprint related to our physical phone system.

We are transitioning to a softphone solution. Exceptionally, physical phones will only be available for the following spaces: 

• Common areas not assigned to an individual  

• Conference rooms, labs, workshops 

• Receptionist and Administrative Assistants’ desks 

• Department/Unit offices 

Criteria for physical phones 

Physical phones cannot have a number assigned to an individual. Physical phones for Receptionist and Administrative Assistants’ desks, or Department/Unit offices, must also meet the following additional criteria: 

Receptionist and Administrative Assistant desks: 

• Phone number must be published in McGill’s Staff Directory 

• User manages department lines 

• User manages forwarded numbers  

• Multiple people perform receptionist/admin assistant duties in this space AND have a personal phone number that is or will be assigned to a softphone 

Department/Unit offices: 

• One published phone number per department or unit 

• Number must be published in McGill’s Staff Directory 

• Number must be published on the McGill website as a departmental number 

Requesting a physical phone 

To request a physical phone for a common area or a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant’s desk, please fill out the following form: 

Install a Cisco physical phone in a common area or on a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant's desk 

Additional exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

For any further questions, please contact IT Services Project Team.