Issue/Question
- How do I make work-related phone calls when working from home?
- How do I make work-related phone calls from remote?
Environment
- Oregon State University
- Employee
- Telephones, Calling
Resolution
There are a number of options to receive and return OSU phone calls when working remotely.
Access Voice Mail Messages in Email
A transcript (and recording) of each voicemail message at OSU is delivered to the recipient via email. You can check for voicemail messages via email and respond as needed using email or by calling back on a phone that you have access to.
Zoom Conferencing
Zoom conferencing offers options for meetings, calls, and screen sharing with or without video streaming.
Zoom meetings and Zoom rooms can be scheduled and dialed into like a regular phone call. This can be a useful method to connect someone who doesn’t have phone access with someone who does.
More information about using Zoom is available here: https://is.oregonstate.edu/zoom/getting-started
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a real-time collaboration service that comes to OSU as part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite. Teams offers one-to-one and group chat as well as screen-sharing, voice, and video capability. Learn more about Teams here: https://is.oregonstate.edu/teams
Block Caller ID
If you are concerned about making calls on your personally owned phone because you don't want to distribute or make your phone number visible, consider dialing *67 and then the number that you wish to call; this will prevent your number from being displayed to the recipient via caller ID.
Google Voice
Another option for protecting your personal phone number is to use Google Voice, which allows you to use a new phone number with which you can make and receive calls. Google Voice can be configured to ring your cell or home phone when you get a call at your Google Voice number.
Note that OSU Login will not work with Google Voice: please consider using (or creating) a personal Google account if you decide to use this service. More information about this service is available at voice.google.com.
Soft Phone
Telecom now has the ability to provide software that will allow you to sign in to your OSU phone number from remote. We recommend a USB headset with a microphone. You will need to connect to the OSU VPN when connecting from off-campus. Contact Telecom for more information.
EC500 Call Forwarding and Call Masking
While it is possible to forward calls from your work phone to a personally-owned number, the capacity to do this at OSU is very limited. As such, please use another alternative if at all possible. If you have a critical need for this functionality, see: EC500 Call Forwarding
For assistance, contact the IS Service Desk.