Question
What is Cisco Jabber, how do I use it, etc.?
Answer
Cisco Jabber is a university-supported instant messaging and softphone application that allows faculty and staff to communicate with one another, both on and off-campus. The Jabber tool integrates with your University telephone and syncs with Outlook calendars, offering notifications, click-to-call capabilities, and a directory of campus users.
Cisco Jabber 911 Usage Warning
Expand the panels for additional information on using Cisco Jabber.
Making Calls with Cisco Jabber
BGSU faculty and staff can use Jabber to answer and initiate calls from their computer (AKA softphone). Follow the instruction below to use Cisco Jabber for making and receiving calls via your university phone/extension.
Set Jabber to use your computer for calls:
- Launch Cisco Jabber.
- On a Windows device:
- Navigate to the Windows Start Menu.
- Select the Cisco Jabber folder from the list of applications.
- Select Cisco Jabber.
- On a Mac device:
- Navigate to the Applications folder.
- Select Cisco Jabber from the list of applications.
- Log in using your BGSU credentials.
- Select the desktop phone icon located in the bottom left corner of the Jabber window.
- Select the Use my computer for calls option.
- If you do not see this option, please try signing out and then signing back into Jabber and/or restarting your device.
- If you still do not see this option after attempting the above, please contact Information Technology Services (ITS) as your Jabber application may need to configured to accept calls via computer.
- Select Use my computer for calls from the sub-menu.
- Select the gear icon in the top right.
- Select Options.
- Select Audio.
- Select the options you want to use for:
- Ringer/Alerts - What makes the sound when someone calls you?
- Speaker – How do you hear the audio on an active call?
- Microphone – How do people hear you during an active call?
- You are now be ready to make and receive phone calls directly from your computer.
Making a call using your computer:
- Open Jabber.
- Search for the person to call.
- Select the green phone icon next to person's name.
- Select the phone number you want to call.
Answering a call using your computer:
- When someone attempts to call you a window will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen with the person who is calling's information
- To answer the call, select the green Answer button.
- To decline the call, select the grey Decline button.
Switching back to using your desk phone for calls:
- Open Jabber.
- Select the computer monitor icon located in the bottom left corner of the Jabber window.
- Select the Use my desk phone for calls option.
Warm Transfer : A warm transfer allows you to notify/warn the person to whom you are transferring the call that a call is being transferred to them. To make a warm transfer using your BGSU desk phone or Cisco Jabber, follow the steps below.
- When on a Jabber call, select the ellipses (...).
- Select transfer.
- Enter the phone number of the transfer recipient (the person with whom the caller would like to call).
- When the recipient answers the call, speak with them and let them know you are transferring a call to them.
- At this time it may make sense to let them know whom you are transferring and for what reason.
- Select the transfer button again to connect the original caller with the transfer recipient.
- Hang up the phone.
Jabber User Requirements
- Individual users of Cisco Jabber use their BGSU username and password to log in to the application.
- A unique phone extension is required for each user. While a user may have multiple extensions setup on their desk phone or Jabber softphone, each individual username must be paired with a unique extension. This extension may be signed in on multiple phones.
- BGSU faculty/staff can access the Jabber application through the eduroam wireless network, but not through the BGSU Guest wireless network.
- Jabber is fully accessible off-campus on personal wireless networks such as home wireless.
- Jabber does not require VPN to access while off-campus.
- Student employees:
- May use Cisco Jabber for their job functions. There is no functional difference between student employees and standard employees in Jabber.
- Student employees may use Jabber for instant messaging. There is no cost for this option, and student employee access can be requested by their supervisor. A virtual/private number that is used internally by the phone systems will be assigned to the student employee as part of the setup of a Jabber Chat-Only configuration.
- Student Jabber access is requested through the same process as a full-time employee's access.
- All phone service requests that involve billing must be placed by an approved department budget administrator.
- To request calling capabilities using the Jabber application, submit a New Phone Service Request and select the Softphone Only
- To request chat-only service, submit a New Phone Service Request Form and select the Other option for Type of Phone and note you are requesting Jabber Chat-Only.
- Jabber users should not share a Jabber account. You should never share your BGSU account password with anyone.
- In special circumstances, when and where appropriate, a non-personal, Jabber-only account may be set up so that multiple people can use the same computer/phone extension/Jabber, such as a group of student employees that rotate in and out of a front desk position throughout the workweek. This type of account request must be made by a supervisor using our New Telephone Service Request form (select Other from the Type of Phone drop-down menu and explain your request in the Additional Details field). The supervisor will be contacted by ITS to discuss if is the best/correct option.
Setup Call Forwarding for Cisco Jabber (Softphone)
Users can set up Cisco Jabber to forward to their BGSU voicemail or another internal BGSU phone extension. Forwarding numbers must be set up in the 2-xxxx (without the hyphen) format.
Set Up Call Forwarding
- Login to Cisco Jabber with your BGSU username and password.
- Select the Call Settings (monitor or phone icon depending on how Jabber is set up to receive calls) from the of the Call or Chat screen.
- Select the drop-down menu under Forward Calls.
- Select voicemail to transfer calls to your BGSU voicemail box, or select the phone number to which you would like to forward calls. To add a new phone number:
- Select New from the drop-down menu.
- Enter the BGSU extension* of the phone number to which you would like to forward calls.
- *Use format 2-xxxx (without the hyphen).
- Select Forward.
Disable Call Forwarding
- Login to Cisco Jabber with your BGSU username and password.
- Select the click to turn off (under "Calls forwarded to...") from the bottom of the Call or Chat screen.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If I am away from my desk, can I access Jabber from another university computer?
Yes. Jabber will need to be reset on the initial login screen. You may want to reset Jabber when you are finished.
Can I use the iOS/Android app for Jabber?
Yes. However, your account will need to be specifically set up for mobile softphone use. To request mobile softphone capabilities, please submit a New Telephone Service Request and select the softphone only option. In the comments section, please note if you are using an Android or Apple cell phone.
ITS support for this method is limited and we recommend that you use Jabber on your university computer.
Can I use Jabber to send text messages?
No. Jabber does not have the ability to send text (SMS) messages. You can send instant messages to other Jabber users, however.
Can users set the chat history limit to more or less than 99 messages?
No. This is a limitation of Cisco Jabber. You can save your chat history using the following steps:
- Right-click in the chat window.
- Select the Save Chat.
- Choose the location where you would like to save your chat.
- Name your chat session.
- Select Save.
Cisco Jabber instant message technology is available to allow for efficient communication and collaboration between employees at BGSU. Instant message technology is not conducive for use in formal workflow of business processes and decisions. ITS recommends the following:
- Decisions and actions arrived at via instant message communications should be documented through the appropriate system of record.
- ANY communication has the potential to produce an official record. Please be advised that users of Jabber are responsible for identifying what constitutes a record.
- Jabber communications are not retained centrally by Information Technology Services (ITS). If the user requires that communications be retained for future reference, they must follow the process documented in the FAQs section below.
*Please note: Jabber instant message history between users is available for the previous 99 messages sent/received and are stored on the user’s computer. Timely archiving is recommended. See FAQs, below, for more details.
For additional assistance, please contact Information Technology Services at 419-372-0999 or through chat.