FSU Completes Migration of Avaya Users to Zoom Phone

Faculty and staff were moved from legacy physical phone systems to a modern, cloud-based platform while retaining their existing university phone numbers. Photo courtesy of Jim Berhalter.

After two years of planning, coordination and execution, Florida State University has successfully completed the migration of its Avaya phone users to Zoom Phone, marking one of the largest communications technology transformations in the university's history. 

The project reached its finish line following 24 coordinated migrations moving roughly 11,000 phone lines across every college, department and administrative unit at FSU. Faculty and staff were moved from legacy physical phone systems to a modern, cloud-based platform while retaining their existing university phone numbers. 

“We didn't just retire old hardware—we cut the cord on decades of legacy infrastructure and gave FSU a communications system built for how we actually work today: anywhere, on any device, without missing a beat,” said Deputy Chief Information Officer Bobby Sprinkle. “That kind of change doesn't happen by accident. It happened because an incredible team rolled up their sleeves and got it done. To everyone who made this migration a reality—thank you. This is your win.” 

Zoom Phone enables users to make and receive calls from a desktop, laptop or mobile device from anywhere with an internet connection. The platform also provides voicemail transcription, integrated video calling, mobile applications and greater flexibility for hybrid and remote work. 

"This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of teams across ITS,” said Staci Smith, director of IT Service Management. “From project management to infrastructure, networking, communications, service management, training and customer support, we worked together over the last 18 months to carefully plan and execute each migration with minimal disruption to the university community.” 

With the migration complete, five-digit dialing is now available across all university phone lines, making it easier than ever for the FSU community to connect with one another. 

“Most importantly, thank you to the faculty, staff, departmental IT professionals and campus stakeholders who participated in training, tested new workflows and embraced a new way of communicating,” Sprinkle said. “Your patience and partnership were instrumental at every stage of this effort.” 

What’s Next?

While the migration project has concluded, ITS remains committed to supporting the FSU community's use of Zoom Phone using our standard operation procedures for phone lines through the myFSU Service Center.  

• Manage Your Zoom Phone Settings: Faculty and staff can manage voicemail settings, business hours, call handling preferences and voicemail PINs through the FSU Zoom Portal. For more on this, visit the Zoom Phone Day 1 Tasks FAQ. 

• Report Zoom Phone Issues: If you experience problems with your Zoom Phone service, please contact the ITS Service Desk at 850-644-4357 or submit a request through ITS Help. 

• Request a New Zoom Phone Line or Purchase Physical Phones: Departments needing new phone numbers, additional lines or phone-related services can submit requests through ITS Help. 

• Training and Resources: Quick guides, FAQs, support documentation and other Zoom Phone resources remain available on the ITS Zoom Phone webpage.