|
Affiniti IP network brings benefits to Fife |
|
|
|
Thursday, 28 August 2008 |
Fife Council is reaping the financial and business productivity benefits of a new IP-based communications network, which has seen more than 12,000 council phones across 350 sites replaced by advanced VoIP handsets. Affiniti, the communications integrator which managed the switch as part of a wider project to deploy a fully converged communications network, delivered the system under budget within
Fife's ambitious 15 month timeframe. This deployment marks a new step toward Fife Council's objective to provide its 360,000 residents with better access to services and support. While the short-term budget savings from the project were immediately ploughed into improving the health and safety and performance of IT networks in schools across the region, the Council also anticipates significant cost savings and enhanced business productivity in the long-term. Fife Council Project Manager, Lee Parry said, "Switching to a converged network represented a significant investment for us but there is no doubt of its value. We have already reduced our annual phone bill from £2.5million to £500,000 and expect to have recouped the £7.5 million capital investment by 2015 with ongoing revenue savings from 2010." The new VoIP system has given the organisation access to a log of telephony users and equipment, with individual phone numbers attributed to employees. They will be able to be reached on these numbers whether they are hot-desking or working from home. The ability for employees to log in and out of their VoIP phones proved its worth in July when a small fire resulted in 60 staff from the Catering & Cleaning and Procurement & Supplies departments relocating immediately to alternative accommodation.
www.affiniti.com |
