Jake Coffman, associate director of support services at the Price Information Technology Center on the Kansas University campus, dials up a video call with information technology engineer Andy Jackson, Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. The two demonstrated the new means for telecommunication by way of video conference, instant messaging and calls through desktop and laptop devices that KU departments will soon be adopting.

Two years from now, if things go according to plan, Kansas University’s Lawrence campus will no longer have desktop telephones.

Instead, all faculty and staff will be making calls through the Internet using their computers or cellphones.

KU Information Technology is about a year in to a three-year process of replacing the campus’ traditional phone service — and the landlines it requires — with the Internet-based Skype for Business service, said David Day, director of KU IT external affairs.

“It’s kind of blurring the lines between phone calls, instant messaging, voicemail and email into one package or one system that all operates together,” Day said.

Usage statistics show that landline phone calls at KU have declined anyway — drastically.

Since 2008, the number of calls to and from KU phone numbers has decreased 55 percent, from 6.9 million in 2008 to 3.1 million in 2015, Day said. The total minutes of those calls dropped from 19.2 million to 10.2 million in the same time frame.

Those decreases have been happening as email, instant messaging, cellphones and other communications options have grown in popularity, Day said.

KU IT, naturally, was the first department to do away with landlines, Day said.

Everyone in LEEP2, the new engineering building, also is already on Skype for Business, as the building was constructed with no copper wiring for traditional phones, Day said.

“That is the model going forward for new buildings or major remodels or major new additions,” he said.

The School of Business will be the first entire school to transition, when faculty and staff move into Capital Federal Hall — also constructed sans phone wiring — later this year.

Cost and convenience

Cost for the Skype for Business service is not expected to be significantly lower or higher than the traditional phone service, although Day said KU expects significant “cost avoidance.”

KU won’t have to pay for copper wiring in new buildings, or pay to replace landline phone equipment when it ages, he said. However, users already have computers and adequate Internet access for the new service in all buildings.

A few select staffers — such as administrative assistants whose jobs entail juggling multiple lines and messages for entire departments — will continue to use desktop phones, although they’ll also be on the Skype for Business service as opposed to a landline.

Most others will simply be provided with a headset to use when making calls from their computers, Day said. They’ll also be able to make and take calls to the same KU phone number from their cellphones, using the Skype app.

One advantage of Internet-based phone service is that it can be used anywhere in the world.

“You can take the headset anywhere you go along with your computer,” Day said, noting that goes for everything from working from home or researching abroad. “You can be in Italy on an Internet connection, and with a headset you can answer calls, you can make calls.”

Users also will be able to get voicemails delivered to their email inbox in two formats, audio files and transcriptions, Day said. They can even call into the system from a cellphone to have a computer voice read them their emails or their calendar obligations for the day.

Learning new tricks

“The biggest hurdle for customers will just be getting used to it,” Day said. “With anything new there’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve.”

Day said KU IT plans training sessions and guides as each new group of faculty and staff transitions to the new system.

A number of universities nationwide already use Skype for Business, and more will be moving that way, along with many other entities, Day said.

All KU faculty and staff are already equipped with Skype for Business instant messaging and video conference calling, an effort KU IT started implementing in spring 2014, Day said.

“There are some people who absolutely love it, and there are some people who haven’t really gotten into it yet,” he said.

But usage numbers for the Skype for Business services offered already have been trending up. According to KU IT:

• In August 2014, KU faculty and staff sent 44,915 instant messages. In January 2016, they sent 318,974.

 • In August 2014, they made 334 Skype-to-Skype calls among themselves. In January 2016, they made 16,171.

• In August 2015, they had 215 online meetings via Skype. In January 2016, they had 1,296.

Bob Lim, KU’s chief information officer, said “mobility and flexibility” is becoming more and more important for KU faculty, staff and researchers.

“Smartphones already provide integrated personal communication — email, voicemail, instant messaging, video calls — on one platform,” Lim said. “Skype for Business now provides that same integration for work phones, whether our KU customers are on campus or on the other side of the world.”