More than 900 public-funded schools in Queensland, Australia, are set to adopt IP telephony, with a view to maximising learning and communications effectiveness whilst also bringing about savings in the schools’ telephony usage.
The new IP (internet protocol) telephony system is to be implemented on a 12-month contract basis, with an option for renewal being offered each year for four years to the preferred local supplier, TT Group.
Under the terms of the contract, organised through the Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET), TT Group will not only install the IP telephony system, but will also service and maintain the network.
The planned IP telephony roll-out will also involve the DET authorising business VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone handsets to be installed in a number of the schools.
A likely immediate advantage of the proposed IP telephony installation will be a reduction in the schools’ telephone wiring requirements; it is expected that only one wiring network will be required in each school rather than the current double wiring sets. This reduction should, hopefully, lead to significant savings in capital expenditure by the DET.
Another major benefit of the new technology will be the linking of all the schools with a single viable and efficient telecommunications system; no matter how marginalised some of the institutions might be geographically.
Furthermore, with the benefits of an ongoing maintenance and service contract, the schools should always- rather like those companies which have business phone systems serviced by a business VoIP provider or VoIP reseller – be able to enjoy full confidence in the 24-hour reliability and instant manageability of their IP telephony service.
As with all IP telephony systems, the Queensland service should also eventually be able to benefit students through added value applications such as video conferencing and the transmission of complex electronic data featuring targeted learning materials.
