About The Client
The client, a prominent university, was committed to modernising its operations to better support its evolving remote working needs. Facing significant challenges with outdated phone systems that restricted employees to their desks, the university sought to enhance the user experience for its increasingly mobile workforce. In addition to improving flexibility and accessibility, they aimed to reduce call costs and centralise the management of their telephony systems, enabling a more efficient and connected campus environment.
The Challenge
The client was using Microsoft Teams for video conferencing and chat but continued to use traditional handsets connected to PABX for PSTN voice calls. This was prohibiting them from increasing user mobility as they depended on physical handsets at a static desk location.
Our Solution
Leveraging the university’s existing Microsoft 365 academic licensing, we enhanced their Teams environment by introducing Teams Phone to modernise their telephony systems and provide a seamless, unified communication experience.
The solution included:
- Deploying Microsoft 365 Phone System, Route and Voice policies
- Direct routing to on premise SBC with media bypass and local media optimisation
- Migration of PABX IVR and their 3rd party Call Centre Solution to Auto Attendants and Call Queues.
Zetta delivered end-to-end project management, including technical planning and deployment, to ensure a smooth implementation. We also provided comprehensive training for the university’s IT administrators, equipping them with the skills to manage and monitor the solution effectively, as well as generate reports to drive ongoing improvements.
The Outcome
The integration of PSTN voice calls into Microsoft Teams transformed the university’s communication system, enabling users to work from anywhere. By eliminating reliance on desk-bound handsets, the solution enhanced mobility and flexibility, addressing a key limitation of the legacy system.
User experience improved with self-service options and configuration features within Microsoft Teams. These tools allowed users to customise their telephony settings, providing a level of flexibility and control unavailable with the previous PABX system.
Cost savings were achieved by replacing the traditional PABX with Microsoft Teams Phone, reducing call costs and licensing fees. The cloud-based solution also eliminated the need for costly on-premise infrastructure, improving financial efficiency.
The new system allowed IT administrators to manage telephony operations remotely, a capability lacking in the old PABX setup. This ensured quicker issue resolution and improved system reliability.
In summary, the solution modernised the university’s telephony, delivering increased mobility, reduced costs, enhanced user experience, and streamlined remote management.
