Zoom Phone allows you to place and receive phone calls on your computer over the internet using your Zoom account through the university.
This article assumes that you have a working understanding of the Zoom client and how to log in to your SOU Zoom account. If you need a primer, consult the Faculty Zoom FAQ. If you need help with Zoom Phone, contact your Computing Coordinator.
The Information Technology department discourages you from using Zoom Phone to dial 911 unless you do not have access to any other phone.
Requirements
To use Zoom Phone on your computer, you will need the following equipment:
The Zoom client (or the Zoom app) installed on the computer, which can be downloaded by this link.
A microphone, preferably as part of a headset.
Computer speakers, earbuds, or a headset.
Must be provided access through SOU if using Zoom Phone through SOU.
To make and receive calls, you will need to have Zoom client open and logged in on your device.
To use Zoom Phone on your cell phone, you will need to install the Zoom App onto your device from either the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone).
What to Expect When You Start
When enrolled in Zoom Phone, you should receive two emails: One with your private Zoom Phone number and the other with your extension through our main SOU Zoom Phone number.
There is no action needed to port your phone number to your campus number. Once your phone has been successfully ported over to your campus phone number, you will receive an email that the porting has been completed.
How to Access Zoom Phone
Look for the Phone icon in the middle of the menu buttons along the top of the Zoom client screen.
How to Make a Phone Call
Use the number pad in the middle of the Zoom Phone screen to dial the number. You may also type in the number using your keyboard. You can backspace if you make a mistake. Place the phone call using the blue call icon at the bottom of the number pad.
You can adjust your area code in your Zoom settings so that if you are dialing a number that starts with 541, you can just dial the 7-number extension.
What does my call look like to the person I am calling?
Once your campus phone number is ported into Zoom and assigned to you, people receiving a call from you will see your campus number. Your name will not be displayed (unless you are making a call to another Zoom Phone).
How to Receive a Phone Call
Make sure that you are logged in to your Zoom client and wait. When someone calls your Zoom Phone number, an incoming call pop-up window will appear and a ringtone will play.
You can Accept or Decline the phone call. Declined phone calls go to voicemail by default. Unanswered phone calls will go to voicemail after about 5 rings (depending on your Zoom Settings.)
What You Can Do During a Phone Call
While on a call, you can do the following using the buttons on the screen in your Zoom client:
Mute yourself.
Access the Keypad again, (which can be helpful for dealing with automated menus.)
Adjust your Audio settings for your microphone, speakers, or headset.
Click Add Call to add another party to the call (conference call).
Place the other party on Hold. By default, they will hear hold music.
Transfer the other party to another person. You will have some options on how you want to transfer.
Initiate a Zoom Meet with the callers joined automatically as phone participants.
Note: It is not easy to revert back to a regular phone call after you have transitioned to the Zoom meeting. Learn more about this by clicking here.
Minimize the phone call within your Zoom client.
Hang up using the red hang up icon.
Record the phone call.
When Recording a call, a verbal alert will be played to everyone on the phone call so that they know they are being recorded.
Make sure you have their consent to be recorded before you use this feature.
How to View Missed Calls and Voicemails
Your Zoom client will alert you when you have missed calls or voicemails by placing a red number icon on the Phone icon in the menu representing how many missed calls and unchecked voicemails you have.
The Zoom client will also place red number icons on the History tab and the Voicemail tab within the Zoom Phone window. Click on either tab to view your call log or your voicemails respectively.
Click on the Voicemail tab in the Zoom Phone window to access your voicemails. Click the Play button on a voicemail entry to listen to the voicemail.
If you need to do something with the voicemail, then you can click on the three dots menu (or the meatball menu) to access settings. Learn more about managing your voicemails here.
You will also receive an email at your SOU email address whenever somebody leaves you a voicemail. The email will include an attached audio file containing the voice message and a transcription of the voice message. Please note that the transcription is likely to contain errors since speech-to-text technology is not perfect.
Call Log in the Zoom Client
Click on the History tab in the Zoom Phone window to access your Call Log.
Within the Call Log there are different options you can use. You can callback the person by clicking on the Phone icon within an entry, click on the Play button to listen any recording associated with that phone call, or use the three dots to access the expanded menu.
Zoom SMS:
Zoom Phone comes with the ability to text using SMS.
While in the Zoom client, under the Phone tab, click on SMS on the left to start a text or to read a text that was sent. If your campus number is ported over, anyone can send a text message to your 541-552-XXXX number.
Zoom Phone Settings – Hide incoming calls while in Zoom Meeting:
To hide phone calls during your Zoom meetings, click on your profile icon in the top-right area of your Zoom client, then click on Settings in the menu, then click on Phone in the side links within the Settings window, then check the box for Hide incoming calls while in a Zoom meeting.
Zoom Phone Settings - Sign-In and Sign-Out of Receiving Shared Line Calls
Under the Phone settings in the Zoom client, you can use the checkbox for Shared Line Group to toggle whether your phone rings when a shared line is called that you can answer. (This is used most often in a helpdesk environment and does not apply to all Zoom Phone users.)
Zoom Settings – Start Zoom when I start Windows :
To ensure that you receive calls in your office while on your computer, it is highly suggested that you start Zoom when starting your computer.
If Zoom is not open, you will not receive Zoom calls on your computer. If you elect to start Zoom silently, you will not see a prompt when Zoom opens.
Customize your voicemails, hold music, and other settings
Login to your SOU Zoom account in a web browser at https://sou.zoom.us/signin. Click on the Phone entry in the sidebar links, then click on Settings in the menu.
Here you can record your own custom greetings, select which greeting to use, upload your own custom hold music (respecting copyright law, of course), and more. CTRL+Click here to explore all of the various settings that you can manage through this section of your Zoom account.
Add a comment
Please log in to submit a comment.