For some years now, the Digital Solutions and IT Infrastructure Service has been reflecting on its landline telephone systems: in fact, the obsolescence of the approximately 1,000 existing telephones and the use of more agile messaging systems (WhatsApp, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams) makes this technology increasingly unsuitable for the purpose. An acceleration of this thinking was also necessary following the development of the Spaces Pilot Project 2024 which aims to reduce workstation constraints by promoting hot desking policies. For these reasons, it has been decided, at least for a transitional period, to opt for the virtualization of the landline telephone system through a Unified Communication and Collaboration platform that integrates all communication tools in a single cloud solution, ensuring a greener, more cost-effective impact and enhanced systems durability and availability.
Following a research and analysis phase of various systems, it was decided to upgrade Kalliope, the existing telephone exchange, to the Omnia version, which allows existing extensions to be used both through physical phones and via application for PC and smartphone. The Digital Solutions and IT Infrastructure Service worked closely with the supplier to adapt Omnia's features to the Foundation's needs, in a continuous dialogue to experiment increasingly dynamic, user-oriented and GDPR compliant solutions.
Currently, the offered product:
- For the use of landline phones (already in use), requires and stores users' first name, surname and internal telephone number
- To use the applications it requires:
- FBK email address
- User’s private phone number
Both information are currently required to ensure security through multi-factor authentication (MFA) verified with a code sent via SMS.
The SDIT service has asked the supplier to make this procedure more secure and aligned with privacy in a short time, replacing the sending of OTPs via SMS with the generation of a TOTP (time-based one-time password) on an Authenticator app. This will allow to maintain MFA without the need to request the user's personal phone number.
- In the mobile version, Kalliope Mobile (Android and iOS app), which requires the same registration as above, allows you to:
- make and receive calls using the company extension regardless of geographical location (no geolocation)
- have the directory of all company extensions available on your mobile device and at the same time synchronize personal contacts and quickly access all phone numbers
- chat with one or more colleagues, exchanging documents and photos
- record calls via Personal Call Recording
- start your own Kalliope Meeting room from the app
Given the variety and complexity of the functions offered, the software requires (not differently from any other messaging application, but explicitly detailed) multiple permissions to access, among others, the personal Address Book, Camera, Storage and Recorder. At the moment, in order to use this service, all requests must be fully approved. Also these permissions are under review, upon the request of the SDIT service to the supplier, with the aim of reducing requests and/ or making them optional, giving greater freedom of choice to the user.
Until the agreed modifications have been implemented, users will be informed of these temporary constraints through a dedicated Digital Café and if, for personal reasons, they feel they do not want to use the mobile application, they will have the option not to download it and to use the online platform exclusively.