Modernizing Government of Canada telecommunications by transitioning to softphones

Today’s workplace relies on modern tools that are flexible and accessible. With the introduction of softphones, Shared Services Canada helps modernize the digital workplace experience across the Government of Canada.

Increasingly, public servants are starting to use softphone software on their desktop computer or tablet for work calls instead of using a mobile device or bulky desk phone.

What are softphones and how they help employees

Softphones allow GC employees to make and receive calls anywhere, anytime from a GC-approved device equipped with MS Teams. Simply put, softphones allow GC employees to make calls over the Internet across government—and even outside the GC network—without an actual telephone. Softphones function much like a regular phone with basic features like voicemail, call display, call forwarding and call transfer to name a few.

Softphones offer numerous benefits to GC employees in their work serving Canadians. In a time crunch, an employee can assign a delegate (colleague) to share their line. This allows the delegate to answer and make calls on another employee’s behalf. In addition, softphones streamline teamwork by integrating with other desktop tools, such as Microsoft Teams, facilitating smooth communication and collaboration.

What this means for Canadians

SSC aims to provide high-value services to Canadians, while efficiently managing public funds. This includes lowering GC telephony expenses. To achieve this, SSC is modernizing telephony services with a more affordable, environmentally friendly and user-friendly solution.

As softphones are part of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools, they improve the user experience and are cost-effective—at least 95% less expensive than mobile devices. That’s why we’re replacing mobile phones with softphones wherever possible. The savings are even greater when compared to fixed lines, which SSC is eliminating across the GC unless absolutely necessary.

With the deployment of the softphone service, SSC continues to demonstrate Canada’s sustainable IT leadership. We’ve won global awards for continually meeting and surpassing sustainability standards. With the new softphone service, SSC can dramatically help reduce e-waste.

Looking ahead

SSC is working with CIOs across the GC to deploy the softphone service and enhance the digital workplace experience. We’re collaborating to establish softphones as the primary service, unless another voice technology is deemed necessary for a specific job function. This initiative not only modernizes voice services, it equips public servants with the secure digital tools they need to collaborate and work seamlessly. It’s all part of how SSC is Delivering Digital Solutions Together for Canada.