The analog landline phone system of any school has long been an unsung hero toiling selflessly in the background of a typical day. Parents use the phone to tell the staff if their children are ill or will be missing school for some other reason.Likewise, teachers call parents for myriad reasons, including the call every child dreads—to report a behavior issue. But today, as we know all too well, society presents problems that dwarf these transgressions. Pandemics, security breaches, and extreme weather all call for an open avenue of communication between concerned parents and schools. VoIP phones represent a versatile way to keep that avenue open.
In fact, VoIP phones do more than keep the lines open for incoming and outgoing calls. This technology expands them to accommodate the transmission of video and data, enabling teachers throughout the school district to virtually collaborate with fellow instructors in different locations. It eliminates the need for teachers to spend time and gasoline on trips to different schools for meetings.
What is VoIP?
By now, most people know that their computers have IP addresses and that IP stands for internet protocol. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Whereas landlines transmit calls via analog copper wires, VoIP phone systems make use of broadband internet connections. VoIP phones are just as effective as landlines when it comes to incoming and outgoing calls. Since they use the school's existing computer network, they're also multimedia-friendly. They transmit video, digital files, and still images. Depending on the network, they can even provide a pipeline for instant messaging. While digital capability is the main draw for schools that switch to VoIP, there are other advantages.
VoIP Phone Systems Are Cost-Effective
Today's schools find themselves caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. Each year brings additional budget cuts, yet they are asked to provide more and more services. And overworked teachers are demanding much-deserved salary increases. A VoIP phone system is an anomaly in this world of rising expenses. It provides more yet costs less.
Because they are cloud-based, VoIP phone systems make use of schools' existing internet connections, so there are none of the expensive installation fees that come with adding hardwired phones and connecting copper wires. And because no hardwiring is involved, it costs nothing to add extensions or delete them as staffing changes dictate.
VoIP Phone Systems Are Mobile Compatible
VoIP phones let teachers use their own mobile phones to call parents at home while keeping their personal numbers private. Parents will only see the school's office number. This feature also lends itself to semiannual parent-teacher conferences. It proves useful when parents have work hours that don't permit them to come into the classroom.
VoIP Phone Systems Are Professional
VoIP phone systems come with all of the features found in today's tech-savvy corporate business offices, so the administrative staff will like them too. These features include:
- A virtual receptionist to route calls to the correct extensions
- Call queues
- Video conferencing capabilities
- One-touch conference calls
- Advanced voicemail features, such as the ability to convert visual voicemails to emails
But let's go back to those annual budget battles. Monthly VoIP bills are substantially lower than landline bills. Furthermore, VoIP is cloud-based, so all servers are operated off-site by the service provider. Schools can avoid installing costly servers and wave goodbye to expensive maintenance.
Ask any school district that has switched over to a VoIP phone system, and they'll tell you it was a no-brainer. Better yet, call ATSI for all of the details.
