Carlisle Area School District Streamlines Communication with ClearlyIP

OUR CUSTOMER

Carlisle Area School District

The district’s IT team, oversees a range of technological and communication needs critical to both daily operations and emergency preparedness.

Customer Details:

• Location: Pennsylvania
• Schools:
  • 7 – Elementary Schools
  • 2 – Middle Schools
  • 1 – High School
• Total Buildings: 13
• Enrollment K-12: 5000+
• Teachers: 350+

CHALLENGES BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION

The district relied on a legacy Cisco phone system that was outdated and costly to maintain. Key issues included:

• High annual licensing costs, exceeding $30,000, due to Cisco’s shift from lifetime to annual licensing models.
• Failing hardware, with phones aging 6-10 years and no official support available.
• Costly telecommunication expenses, including PRIs and POTS lines, which were inflexible and expensive.
• The need for compliance with regulatory requirements such as Kari’s Law and the Ray Baum Act.

These challenges made upgrading critical, but budget constraints and the necessity for a reliable solution added complexity to the decision-making process.

THE SOLUTION BY CLEARLYIP

After an extensive review process involving multiple bids and compliance checks, Carlisle selected ClearlyIP for its ability to provide:

• Cost Efficiency: By transitioning from traditional PRI services to ClearlyIP’s trunking, the district achieved an 80% reduction in telecommunication expenses, bringing monthly costs down from $2,000–$4,000 to $600.
• On-Premises PBX with Failover Capabilities: ClearlyIP’s hybrid solution enabled dual operation of the existing Cisco system and the new ClearlyIP PBX, facilitating a gradual and seamless migration.
• Scalability and Reliability: ClearlyIP’s solution included support for future growth, ensuring uninterrupted service with failover gateways and LTE backup.
• Customization and Support: ClearlyIP worked closely with the district’s IT team to address unique challenges, providing aggressive pricing on support and tailored deployment options.

THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

The deployment encountered initial challenges, particularly in understanding the specific needs of a school district. Feedback from Carlisle led ClearlyIP to:

• Enhance project management and task tracking for more efficient communication.
• Refine training programs, scheduling user-focused sessions after the full rollout for maximum impact.
• Despite these hurdles, the transition was completed without disruption to services. The phased approach, starting with elementary schools and progressing to high schools, minimized resistance to change.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

The ClearlyIP implementation delivered significant improvements:

• Cost Savings: Transitioning to ClearlyIP saved the district over $100,000, which included replacing all district phones and adding necessary equipment within the existing budget.
• Improved Reliability: The system has remained operational without any downtime since deployment, providing a stark contrast to previous experiences with cloud-based systems.
• Compliance: All phones meet federal regulations, ensuring the safety and legal requirements for emergency calling.
• User Satisfaction: Staff feedback highlighted ease of use and enhanced communication features, such as simplified dialing and flexible call management.

LOOKING AHEAD

Carlisle plans to continue expanding its use of ClearlyIP services and has provided feedback on potential enhancements, including bundled pricing models and additional project management tools. The district remains confident in its partnership with ClearlyIP as a scalable and adaptable solution for its communication needs.

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