Technology & Learning - November 2008 - (Page 32)

www.schoolcio.com Strategies for K-12 Leaders While a district can purchase VoIP hardware from 3Com, Cisco, Siemens, Mitel or some of the other usual suspects, it takes skill and experience to design, tune, and monitor it so that every call goes through with excellent audio. “The biggest mistake that schools make is thinking of VoIP as hardware and not as a service,” adds Thornborrow. Trillion delivered on all aspects of AISD’s new phone network, from initial design, through installation and start-up to hour-by-hour monitoring and optimization. Unlike buying hardware, the typical district pays a monthly fee for everything, which is generally about $20 per phone. But, that amount can be reduced with ERate subsidies. Last year, the FCC paid out $2.5 billion in E-Rate funds, which is collected from taxes on phone bills. There’s no guarantee how much—if any—E-Rate money a district will get, but VoIP services are classified as Priority 1 and get higher subsidies than hardware purchases, which are classified as Priority 2. For some districts, E-Rate pays threequarters or more of their phone costs. The savings add up quickly. Four years ago, AISD was paying between $10 and $12 each for the 2,200 AT&T Centrex phone lines that connected its buildings. Trillion estimated that the district would lower its bills by at least $25,000 a year. [VoIP Vendors] While there are limited choices when it comes to a traditional phone network, VoIP is an area where there are literally hundreds of vendors out here fighting for your business. Here are some of the top providers. CHEAP TO KEEP Fast forward to today and Allen says that the savings actually turned out to be higher. With E-Rate funds, the VoIP service costs $3 a phone per month. According to Allen, “It’s a bargain that can’t be beat.” That’s just the start. All the names and numbers of teachers, administrators, and staff are available online, so there’s no need for a printed directory that’s out of date the moment it’s printed. Today, the phone network’s digital directory is up to date and saves another $25,000 a year. The phones themselves are a step forward. Instead of old-school handsets, digital service adds a multitude of school-friendly features, like easy transfers and the ability to not interrupt a class. “A digital phone is like having a mini-computer on the desktop,” adds Infonetics’ Machowinski. Some organizations use digital handsets for broadcasting announcements, he adds. “It can be an intercom or a message can be scrolled across its screen.” To save money, Amarillo decided to 3Com The originator of the Ethernet protocol, different 3Com has a dozen Internet telephony platforms for small, medium, and large districts. www.3com.com Trillion Based in Austin, Trillion provides phone services exclusively to schools on a monthly basis and uses ShoreTel hardware and software. www.trillion.net Cisco Probably the largest VoIP hardware vendor, Cisco has a wide range of hardware and software that emphasizes the convergence of voice, video, and data. www.cisco.com Siemens The company’s HiPath VoIP Strategies for K-12 Leaders platform has been used in many schools and campuses. www.siemens.com Strategies for K-12 Leaders 3Com Mitel Mitel’s digital phones cover the gamut of needs from simple handsets to the equivalent of desktop computers. www.mitel.com 32 | School CIO Special Section http://www.schoolcio.com http://www.3com.com http://www.trillion.net http://www.cisco.com http://www.siemens.com http://www.mitel.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Technology & Learning - November 2008

Technology & Learning - November 2008 Contents Editor’s Desk News & Trends Put to the Test WeeWorld Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection SAS Curriculum Pathways Rosetta Stone Classroom Version Pulse Smartpen Highlights from T&L Top Classrooms Kepping the VoIP from Being the Wrong Number Watch It Back Office Business What’s New Keeping Tabs Leader of the Year Profile: Music to Their Ears

Technology & Learning - November 2008

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