Eton College case study

Advanced telecommunications for a 15th century school

 

As it became clear that their out-dated telephone system had become too unstable to rely on, Eton College decided that a fresh approach was required. Now, the world-famous public school uses a sophisticated and competitive call solution - implemented in just one half term break.  

 

Staff at the boarding school wanted a completely new system that would offer reliability, advanced calling functions and easy communication, both internally and externally. Replacing the existing complex telephone arrangements with a streamlined, more capable service was the outcome that Eton College was looking for. A robust and adaptable telephone system from ntl:Telewest Business provided just the solution. And with no hardware to buy or manage, cost savings on this future-proof system are set to be substantial.

 

Connecting the College intelligently

Founded in 1440, Eton College is home to some 1,300 boys aged 13 to 18. As well as the high number of part time staff, the College has approximately 150 masters and a large Governing Body. Our telephony solution enables these vital school figures to communicate easily – both externally and with one other across Eton College’s large campus.

 

The solution to simplify

Managing a telephone system that had developed over a number of years was proving a problem to the school. Four different suppliers were responsible for a series of systems and circuits that was struggling to cope – often malfunctioning and even crashing during thunder storms. The problem was compounded by the long hours a fifth supplier usually took to fix it again.

 

Looking to find a single supplier for the whole solution, Eton College researched the market, and turned to us - as Eton College’s Buildings Bursar, Ian Mellor, explains, “We had worked with ntl:Telewest Business for a number of years, were happy with their work and they had the infrastructure in place. After investigating the competition, no other company could provide us with a voice solution with the same advantages.”

 

Creating efficiencies through technology

Timing was critical to the project, so our consultants worked closely with Eton College to make sure our cabling and technology was installed across the 300 school buildings during half term – just in time for the pupils’ return to school.

 

Improved call handling and dialling efficiency – from voicemail to direct dial and remote call answering, is exactly the result that Eton College was looking for. The robust, straightforward yet flexible solution even allows staff to adapt the system as required, with just a phone call. The response from staff has been positive too, as Ian says. “When the ntl:Telewest Business solution was installed we had comments from users saying that it was good to have features – even something as basic as 1471.”

 

Flexible, adaptable and meeting your needs

Ian is delighted by the wide-ranging improvements our telephone system is delivering. “ntl:Telewest Business was the most competitive on paper, and in reality we are making savings. The system does exactly what ntl:Telewest Business said it would do.”

 

Our solution was designed to make few demands on Eton College’s resources, yet suit their changing needs to perfection. Fully managed on our highly reliable network exchange, our consultants have made it possible for lines to be simply added or removed – another very useful function for the school.

 

What it has made possible

Instead of the frequent frustration caused by dealing with an out of order telephone system, staff at Eton College can now devote more time to their core tasks. Even producing the bills for their private telephone users is done automatically and individually – making for a much more efficient operation. Happy with our on-going account management, Ian explains, “The solution offers a virtual exchange and our own voice network, something that’s necessary for a large boarding school. We have a good working relationship with ntl:Telewest Business, a local provider that invests time in meeting regularly with us.” Communication at the campus is now effective, reliable, and with the full support of our consultants – something that can be taken for granted at Eton College.

 

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