Hot desking allows employees to log in to any available phone in an office, enabling them to retain their direct numbers, caller ID and voicemail access from any desk. This flexibility reduces the need for dedicated workstations, helping companies cut costs on office space and equipment while enhancing mobility and adaptability for employees. It also fosters communication and collaboration by letting employees switch workspaces as needed. The Vodia PBX hot desking feature supports this functionality by allowing users to easily log in and out of phones using a secure PIN, ensuring seamless call handling and improved productivity.
Hot desking allows an employee to set up shop at any desk or office in the building. They can log in to any SIP desktop phone in the office by dialing the Vodia star code *70 to hot desk to any available phone. The user also keeps his or her DID phone numbers and Caller ID attributes. The employee can make and receive phone calls from a personal phone number and access voicemail. If the employee needs to move to another location, he or she can simply log out of the VoIP phone and log in to another one.
Less Expensive
Hot desking can minimize the need for office space and is often used as a cost-reduction method. Hot desking allows companies to purchase a limited quantity of phones but gives each employee his or her own extension.
Boosts Communication and Collaboration
Allows multiple users to use the same desk and phone, although at different times
Hot desking can be used on a temporary or permanent basis
Outbound calls from the hot desking phone will reflect the user’s caller ID
All calls made to the user’s extension (or as part of a hunt group or agent group) will be routed to the new destination
Boosts Productivity
Any SIP device can be used for hot desking
Users can move to any part of the building and log in to any SIP-enabled phone
Workers can rotate the phone, reducing new equipment purchasing costs
How to Hot desk with Vodia PBX
Note: Users must set their voicemail PIN before they can use the hot desking feature.
The PIN is used in several areas of the system (e.g., when a user accesses the voicemail system from another extension or from an outside line when calling in to the system from the cell phone when using the calling card feature, and when hot-desking). When you create extensions, you can leave the PIN field empty and opt to have users set up their own PINs. Once a PIN has been set up, no one other than a user registered with the extension credentials will be able to go to the mailbox.
Go to the SIP desktop phone where you will be hot desking
Dial *70 and press the confirm button on the telephone keypad
Enter your extension number when prompted
Enter your voicemail PIN code for the extension number when prompted
The system will acknowledge the hot desking feature is in service
Audio example:
Note: The system will automatically log a user out of a hot desk each night. Also, after activating the hot desk feature, users will be notified via email that a status change has been initiated on their extension.
To log out of a hot desk:
To log out of a hot desk, users must dial *70 and the extension number from either the location currently registered as a hot desk or from a phone that's been configured to the extension. The system will acknowledge hot desking is no longer in service.
Note: Hot desking has limitations. Telephone preferences, such as ring tones, address book programming, etc., cannot be moved to another desk.
Even in 2025, area codes remain important for personal and business communications. People move frequently but usually keep their original phone numbers because changing them is inconvenient and tied to banking, two-factor authentication, and multiple online accounts. For PBX administrators, area codes are essential for routing calls accurately, displaying the correct caller ID, and managing costs. Vodia PBX simplifies area code management with pattern-based dial plans, automatic updates, and smart trunk selection. This ensures that calls reach the right destination efficiently, maintain a local presence to increase pickup rates, and provide reliable communication both in North America and internationally.
Vodia’s PBX now integrates with Keycloak OpenID Connect, providing secure single sign-on for users so they can access all connected applications without repeated authentication. Logging out from one application automatically logs the user out of all connected systems, simplifying user management and improving security. Keycloak, a Cloud Native Computing Foundation project, supports standard protocols including OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and SAML, offering enterprise-grade identity and access management. To ensure proper integration, Keycloak user emails must match the corresponding PBX extension emails. Complete guidance is available in the Vodia Keycloak integration guide.
Vodia Networks has announced a strategic distribution partnership with Comms Group Global (ASX: CCG), aiming to expand the reach of its feature-rich cloud PBX solutions across APAC and EMEA. Through this collaboration, Comms Group Global will serve as an official reseller, providing businesses of all sizes with scalable, secure, and integrated telephony solutions. Customers will benefit from advanced call management features, Microsoft Teams integration, and robust security standards, while also gaining access to Comms Group’s SIP coverage in over 65 countries. The partnership enables a streamlined “one-touch” provisioning process, ensuring fast and seamless deployment for enterprises and SMEs seeking to improve efficiency.
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