[NEW] How do I use Teams to make or receive phone calls?

Please Note: The MSU Denver phone system is currently transitioning from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. If you or your department have not yet been migrated to Teams telephony, please instead see Making calls on an MSU Denver phone.

For more information, please visit the Skype to Teams Migration initiative webpage.

Microsoft Teams is a multimedia communication and collaboration tool available to all MSU Denver students, faculty, and staff through their Office 365 account. Microsoft Teams is the University's primary telephony solution, and can be used by MSU Denver faculty and staff to make or receive phone calls as part of their work.

Video Instructions

For a visual guide of how to use Teams for telephony, please watch this Youtube video from Microsoft's official Teams channel.

Placing Outgoing Calls

Users can place outgoing calls using their computer, smartphone, or tablet. The calling methods will vary depending on the device you are using, and whether you are trying to reach someone within MSU Denver or external to the University.

Teams app on the computer

Method One (manual phone number)
  1. Click the Calls icon on the left side of the Teams app.
  2. Manually enter a phone number using the on-screen keypad.
  3. Click the Call button.
Method Two (using contacts)
  1. Use the search bar at the top of the Teams app window to find a contact.
    • Any listed contacts will be created from the University's internal address book, as well as any contacts you have created manually yourself.
  2. In the list of results, click the name of the person you want to call to bring up their Teams chat.
  3. In the upper-right corner of the window, click the Audio call icon.

Teams app on a smartphone

Method One (manual phone number)
  1. Tap the More option in the lower-right corner of the app.
  2. Tap on Calls.
  3. Tap the phone+ icon in the lower-right corner.
  4. Manually enter the number you wish to call.
  5. Tap the telephone icon.
Method Two (using contacts)
  1. Tap the More option in the lower-right corner of the app. 
  2. Tap on Calls.
  3. Tap the phone+ icon in the lower-right corner. 
  4. Tap the People tab.
  5. Use the MSU Denver directory to search for the person you wish to call.
  6. To make an audio call, tap the phone icon.
    • To make a video call instead, tap the video camera icon.

Number dialing formats

Please note the slight changes to extension dialing and prefix requirements for Teams calls.

  • Domestic Long Distance: 1 + area code + telephone number
  • International Long Distance: 9+ 011 + country code + city + number
  • Toll Free: 1 + 8xx + number

Receiving Calls

Calls from internal (MSU Denver) contacts

Through the desktop or web application
  • If you receive a call from someone on campus, you will be notified through a pop-up window on your screen.
  • To answer with a video call, click the camera icon.
    • To answer with audio only, click the telephone icon.
Through the mobile application 
  • The incoming call will use your device's default method of showing an incoming call. It will display the contact's name, and indicate the call is routing through Microsoft Teams.
  • To answer with a video call, tap the video icon.
    • To answer with audio only, tap the telephone icon.

Calls from external contacts

Through the desktop or web application 
  • If you receive a call from an external contact, the phone number or ID of the caller will appear in a pop-up window on your screen. 
  • Click the telephone icon to answer the call.
Through the mobile application 
  • The incoming call will use your device's default method of showing an incoming call, and will display the contact's phone number or ID. 
  • Tap your phone's answer button to answer the call. 
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