Hello everyone,
I wanted to start sending out some information on our new phone system for select agency locations.
We are moving from a traditional land-line phone system to a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Provider) system. Instead of being separate phone islands, so to speak, all of the locations on the VoIP system will be part of the same network and can communicate directly with one another without the need to call the main office number first.
7 locations were already on a VoIP system. These locations are Dayton View, MVHO, Dixie, St. Joseph, Sunset, Madison Home Base, and Fulton. They received the new VoIP phones and were transitioned to a new provider, GoTo. All of their extension numbers remained the same.
7 locations are in the process of moving to the VoIP system. Those locations are Miami View, the Admin building, SCC, ECEC, the MET, Kings Highway, and Aullwood. Due to the need to have distinct extension numbers for each phone, these locations will all be getting new extension numbers for their phones.
Miami View is being transferred to the new system today. The admin building will be transitioned to the new phone system Wednesday March 13th. We are in the process of installing the new phones at SCC and ECC this week and then they will be transferred the following week. We should have the new phones to install at the MET and Kings Highway by the middle of next week. The plan is to have all locations on the new GoTo system by the end of March.
We will be providing ongoing training and support for the new phone system as we transfer individual locations over (watch the GoTo VVX-Basic Training NO PARK video).
First, I have created a folder on the Intranet where I will house phone-related files and documents. The link is below. The folder is located on the Intranet in the IT tab, under the IT Corner, IT & Technical Training, and is called New Phone System Documents. So far, I have uploaded a quick one-page guide to using the phone, a longer training video, and the current list of all names and extensions for sites that will be on the VoIP system. We will also be hosting three 1-hour training sessions on Tuesday, March 12th in Conference Room A at 9:00, 10:30 and 1:00. These trainings will primarily be for users at Miami View and the Admin Building. We will also have similar trainings at the other locations before we transfer them over to the new system, so watch for training announcements.
The new system has several nice features. First, anyone at any of the VoIP locations can call anyone at any of the other VoIP locations simply by dialing their 4-digit extension. Second, users can get an account on the GoTo web portal that gives them access to their phone information. From the web browser I can see all in bound calls, all outbound calls, all voicemails (with transcripts). I can also access my contact list with all users on the system and their extensions. Third, there is a mobile app for cell phones. We pushed out the app earlier this week to all agency cell phones. Once you have a GoTo account, the mobile app on your cell phone functions exactly like your desk phone. You can make calls to any extension from your app, access voice mail from the app, and when someone calls your desk phone it also rings on the app. Your cell phone basically becomes an extension of your desk phone. I will be sending out instructions on how to create a GoTo account and use the browser and mobile app in the next few days.
If you have any questions or concerns as we make this transition, please reach out to me. As with any major change, there are sure to be random issues and glitches and technical difficulties here and there, but we will be working diligently to solve them as quickly as possible.
Thanks,
Ryan Hardesty
Director of IT and Data Systems
P (937)226-5664 x 336
Cell (859)446-8671
Miami Valley Child Development Centers
215 Horace Street | Dayton, OH 45402