The Union County School District (UCSD) in northern Georgia, with 2,700 students and 500 employees, needed a cost-effective, multisite communications solution that would replace an existing Mitel 200SX digital switch, while seamlessly integrating with an existing school intercom and paging system. In addition, UCSD required a solution that would include features such as voice mail-to-e-mail, district-wide four-digit dialing and location-based 911 services. The ability to easily expand the system – performing moves, adds and changes – was also a must.
Challenges involving the integration of existing paging systems at each school needed to be addressed. Teachers and administrators were burdened with dialing through multiple systems to reach one another. Inbound calls to teachers in classrooms interrupted the entire class over the PA, reducing productivity and learning. In addition, outgoing 911 calls were unable to be identified by location, creating significant problems for responders trying to identify the location of the emergency.
Solution:
When evaluating VoIP-based solutions, Bill Driskell, technology director for UCSD became very familiar with Asterisk. Driskell appreciated Asterisk's ability to integrate with other systems, something that proprietary VoIP platforms were unable to do. Needing an appliance-based solution, Driskell and UCSD quickly discovered the powerful Switchvox appliance family.
Partnering with Richardson Technology Systems Inc., an independent technology systems integrator specializing in education, UCSD deployed an innovative district-wide Switchvox system with more than 230 IP phones, and integration with each school's intercom, paging and classroom phone system. When compared against a competitor's bid, the Switchvox solution was found to offer more features and potential for integration at a much lower price point. With a Switchvox appliance at each of the five schools and the district office, all of UCSD's communications needs were met, and exceeded.
