Phones

UVA Softphone (Cisco Webex) App

• Allows you to make and receive UVA phone calls over the Internet via mobile app on your smartphone (Android or iOS) and/or computers (Windows or Mac) and tablets. See Select Your Softphone Service for UVA Softphone mobile and desktop options.
• For users with an existing UVA VoIP desk phone, the app makes use of your current UVA phone number.
• App login uses NetBadge single sign-on.
• Dial-by-name allows you to place a call by searching smartphone contacts, as well as the UVA Telephone System directory.
• Supports UVA Telephone System 5-digit dialing.
• Supports video calls between UVA Softphone users.
• Fully encrypted over the Internet.
• Supports all the same customization options and features for call handling/delivery and voicemail that are available for VoIP desk phones through the University Telephone System Portal (to access the Portal, visit the Log in to Telephone Portal or ITS Billing webpage and click the log in to the UVA Telephone System Portal button – you must be on Grounds or on any UVA Virtual Private Network (VPN) to log in).

For departments paying annual IT Auxiliary Fees, standalone UVA Softphone service is available at no additional cost. However, there is a nominal monthly charge for this service if combined with VoIP desk phone service. 

See this chart (downloadable PDF) for a comparison of UVA Softphone service options and their costs or the ITS Network and Phone Services Rates and Costs page for other phone and network rates.

There are two options for UVA Softphone service: softphone as an add-on, or softphone-only. Review the options below to select the service that best fits your needs.

Why the limitations? On UVA’s phone system, E911 compliance does not permit mobile devices without built-in cellular phone capabilities to share a phone number with a desk phone. Workarounds involving additional phone numbers are possible, but have additional monthly cost.

UVA Softphone Request (Individual User):

Fill out the "Phone – Special Features" request form. In the Describe the special phone feature or configuration that you require field, copy and paste the template below with the appropriate information filled in.You must complete the following required template for each request. Your request may be delayed if it is not provided.

Softphone Request Template (Copy and paste the template below):

• Individual UVA Softphone Request for: UVA computing ID of the individual user (e.g., "Individual UVA Softphone Request for: mst3k")
• Specify if you're requesting UVA Softphone-only or UVA Softphone as an add-on service (see the Select Your Softphone Service accordion above for details)
• If the user already has a UVA VoIP desk phone, also include:
  
  • Existing UVA phone number
  • Whether the user will be turning in their existing desk phone
    
    • Note: If you do not turn in your existing desk phone, there will be additional monthly costs
• If the user does NOT already have a UVA VoIP desk phone, please provide:
  
  • User’s first and last names
  • If a FAC code should be required for dialing long distance (Y/N)
  • If the phone should have voicemail (Y/N)
• Any additional information, concerns, or questions

An ITS representative will reach out to you if further information is required.

UVA Softphone Request (5 or More Users):

Fill out the "Phone – Special Features" request form. In the Describe the special phone feature or configuration that you require field, copy and paste the template below with the appropriate information filled in. You must complete the following required template for each request. Your request may be delayed if it is not provided.

Softphone Request Template (Copy and paste the template below):

• Bulk UVA Softphone Request
• The number of users for which you are arranging UVA Softphone service
• Specify if you're requesting UVA Softphone-only or UVA Softphone as an add-on service (see the Select Your Softphone Service accordion above for details)
• Any additional information, concerns, or questions

An ITS representative will reach out to you to find out specific details needed to complete your bulk request.

Download the App:

Configure the App:

1. Open the app and press Start.
2. Enter your computingID@virginia.edu (e.g., mst3k@virginia.edu) in the "Email address" box, then press Next.
3. Complete the NetBadge and Duo authentication processes.
4. Select Allow when the app asks to send you notifications. Notifications are essential for your device to ring when receiving an inbound call.
5. Select OK when the app asks to access the microphone. This must be allowed for the app to function properly.
6. Optional: Select OK when the app asks to access your contacts. If you do not allow the app to access your phone contacts, then you can still use it to find contacts within the UVA Phone System Directory.
7. Emergency 911 Notification: Press OK.
8. Select Allow While Using App when the app asks to use your location.

Suggested Settings & Performance Options:

• Disable “Answer calls with my video on”:
  
  • Click the "Me" icon (the circle icon with your initials in the top-left corner).
  • Click Settings > Video, and toggle to turn off the "Answer calls with my video on" option.
• Disable "Call Forward Always" (CFA, SimRing, BW Anywhere, etc.):
  
  • If you have previously enabled call forwarding from your UVA Telephone System account, it should be disabled to avoid double rings. Visit the Log in to Telephone Portal or ITS Billing webpage and log in to the UVA Telephone System Portal (you must be on Grounds or on any UVA Virtual Private Network (VPN) to log in) to change your call forwarding settings.
• Delete Old Voicemails:
  
  • If the “Voicemail” button does not appear for you when you first log in, you may need to log out and then log back in. If you have a lot of stored voicemails, then this feature may take extra time to show up; deleting old voicemails will improve performance.

• UVA Extensions: Just like an on-Grounds VoIP desk phone, you can dial with five digits (e.g., 4-4000), as well as 10 digits (e.g., 434-924-4000).
• External Local Calls: To make a local call, just dial the 7-digit number. (Do NOT dial "9" as you would from a VoIP desk phone as this will not work via UVA Softphone).
• Long Distance Calls: To make a long distance call, just dial the 10 digits of the area code + phone number (e.g., 804-555-5555). (Do NOT dial "9" as you would from a VoIP desk phone as this will not work via UVA Softphone). Just like an on-Grounds VoIP desk phone, if your line is configured to require an FAC code for long distance calling, then you will be required to enter it when placing a long distance call via UVA Softphone.
• International Calling: To make an international call, Dial 011 + country code + city code + local phone number of the party you are calling. When prompted, enter FAC followed by # sign. PLEASE NOTE: When dialing country codes in Europe, do not dial the beginning "0". Likewise, if there is a 0 in front of the area code, do not dial it. (List of country codes and rates.) (What is an FAC?) *Note for faxing
• Dialing instructions for all other use cases is the same as dialing on Grounds.

Voicemail:

Voicemails can be accessed via the Voicemail icon at the bottom-right of the UVA Softphone (Cisco Webex) app (#1 in image below). For traditional dial-in voicemail, click the voicemail call-in icon (#2 in image below).

Visual Voicemail:

You cannot use UVA Softphone's visual voicemail features (where you can see a list of your voicemails with contact name, number, and date) if your voicemails are being forwarded to your email. To check if your voicemail is being forwarded to your email, and to turn that feature off in order to use visual voicemail, follow these instructions:

1. Click the "Me" icon (the circle icon with your initials in the top-left corner).
2. Click Settings > Calling > Self Care portal > Voicemail.
3. As shown in the image below, under "When a Message Arrives", toggle "off" the "Forward to email address" option. This should automatically toggle "on" the "Use unified messaging" option. This is the correct option for using UVA Softphone voicemail.
4. After you've made your selections, click Cancel. Your selections will be saved.
   

Instead of using the UVA Telephone System portal, you can configure many UVA Telephone service features via the UVA Softphone (Cisco Webex) app using the Self Care portal.

• Click the "Me" icon (the circle icon with your initials in the top-left corner).
• Click Settings > Calling > Self Care portal.
• Here, you can configure features such as Do Not Disturb, Call Center Agent Queues, Call Forwarding, and more.

Dialing 911 using UVA Softphone works differently, depending on the platform. Users should set their 911 location for UVA Softphone-only service to the location where they most often work (e.g., office building, home office).

Larger graphic available as PDF

• UVA Softphone is intended for users with basic business line telephone needs. It cannot replace UVA VoIP desk phone lines that are not associated with a UVA computing ID.
• UVA Softphone does not support second lines, nor the ability to monitor lines (BLF and SCA).
• ITS may be able to recommend alternatives to using these features; however, UVA Softphone service cannot replace physical phones for all use cases.

Fill out the "Phone – Special Features" request form. In the Describe the special phone feature or configuration that you require field, copy and paste the following with the appropriate information filled in:

• Remove UVA Softphone service for the following users: UVA computing ID(s) of the individual users who no longer need UVA Softphone service.
• Any additional information, concerns, or questions.

An ITS representative will reach out to you if further information is required.

Softphone-only service users who were set up prior to November 2021 must follow the steps below to enable their accounts for the Mac, Windows, and/or tablet Webex apps.

Fill out the "Phone – Special Features" request form. In the Describe the special phone feature or configuration that you require field, copy and paste the following with the appropriate information filled in:

• UVA Softphone change request for: UVA computing ID of the individual user (e.g., "UVA Softphone change request for: mst3k")
• Please enable my UVA Softphone-only service account for Mac/Windows and tablet app support

You will receive an “E911 for UVA Softphone” email instructing you on registering an emergency address that is required to support Mac/Windows and tablet apps.