Do you Fuze?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you will soon. Fuze is UCOP’s new preferred Internet-based conference and collaboration service. It’s cheaper and easier to use than ReadyTalk and iLinc, and it’s launching this month with webinars, a new website and other support materials.

President Napolitano announced the adoption of Fuze in her June 2 Efficiency Review update, saying that the new service can improve efficiency and quality as well as reduce costs. You can still use ReadyTalk for now, but iLinc will be discontinued Sept. 30, 2014.

“Fuze delivers robust capabilities through an easy-to-use interface,” said Shirley Bittlingmeier, client services officer in Information Technology Services (ITS). “Because it does so through the cloud and from desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets alike, it nicely compliments our move toward Anytime/Anywhere Access.”

How do I learn Fuze?

Fuze is easy to use and quite intuitive, but the Fuze experience differs from ReadyTalk because you’re using your computer, not your phone, for both video and audio. For this reason, and because of its many powerful capabilities, it’s worth investing some time to learn Fuze. Live training webinars are offered as follows:

• Friday, Aug. 15, 10 to 11 a.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2 to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 21, 10 to 11 a.m.
• Friday, Aug. 22, 2 to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2 to 3 p.m.

You can join the webinars online or via telephone, but ITS recommends that you do both audio and video online to get the full Fuze experience. Join using these options:

• Fuze online meeting number: http://fuze.me/22428627
• Dial in:
 toll free +1-855-346-3893; 
toll number +1-201-479-4595

Note: These webinars are on the new Fuze app for Windows 7, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. For Windows XP, please view recorded sessions on the legacy Fuze app.

More about Fuze

Fuze works on Windows and Mac computers and with most smartphones and tablets with Internet access. You’ll need a user account to create or host a meeting but not to attend one. A headset is optimal for Internet audio and a webcam for Internet video.

The service integrates with Outlook and all OP operating systems, and it works with UCOP video conference room systems. It can handle multiple high-definition video streams and up to 125 participants at one time.

Last year, ReadyTalk fees cost UCOP about $250,000. Fuze costs much less because it uses free Internet audio and charges only a nominal fixed annual license fee for unlimited meetings. ReadyTalk charges per-minute and per-call dial-in fees, so the more you use it, the more it costs. However, it may be a viable alternative for remote attendees who do not have a reliable Internet connection.

Please contact the IT Service Hub to create your account and to install the Fuze app on your Windows or Mac computer. To install on your smartphone or tablet, go to the appropriate app store for your device.

For more details and additional learning resources, go to:

• ITS Fuze website
• ITS Fuze Knowledge Base
• Fuze Get Started Guide (for Windows 7, OSX, iOS, Android)
• Fuze Customer Success site (Windows 7, Windows XP, OSX, iOS, Android)
• Fuze Learning site (Windows XP, iOS, Android)

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