Texas School Uses Unified Communications Solution

A Houston Texas School is switching to a unified communications solution to replace its outdated proprietary phone system.

There are more than 4,000 pupils at the YES Prep Public Schools and the staff have migrated to the new offering from Microsoft Lync Server to service their needs.

The main benefit will be cost savings across the board, typically only $3,000 dollars to install communications in one of their public schools compared with the $60,000 in costs that a PBX would incur.

Troy Neal, the director of IT engineering and support at YES Prep, said: “With the cost savings associated with deploying Lync instead of traditional PBXs, every school in the country should be doing this.”

He added: "No one here has a desk phone. We give all our staff $7 cheap headsets, and then if someone wants a handset, we purchase Polycom products."

And so along with Microsoft Lync and Aruba wireless gear, the school is offering its employees various Polycom phones including the CX300 desktop phone. That will allow new unified communications features such as videoconferencing.

That means that staff will be able to share data, make cheap Voice over Internet Protocol phone calls and message instantly. Because the system is secure and scalable it fits in with the need of the YES Public Prep Schools to expand significantly over the coming years.