School districts need a phone system that’s just like their teachers- quick, dynamic, and always willing to go the extra mile. Though traditional analog PBX setups still get the job done, let’s take a look at all of the ways VoIP gives you much, much more bang for noticeably fewer bucks.

Basic Math

As budgets continue to decrease year after year, schools and other educational institutions are increasingly on the lookout for new ways to save money. Rather than finding those cuts in the essentials- teacher salaries, textbooks, classroom supplies- why not switch to an updated VoIP phone system and watch the savings compound over time? On average, VoIP costs 40% less per month than an analog setup. That’s regular, consistent savings on technology that is still improving rather than money thrown away on PBX systems that cost more and more to maintain as they age. Additionally, calls between FluentStream devices are free and unlimited; an element that really adds up when you consider how many calls are made within a school district on the average day. Better yet, FluentStream offers up to 90% off retail prices for schools.

Functionality

VoIP systems such as FluentStream aren’t just a good replacement for a schools' phone system, they actually provide far more functionality. Busy teachers can check voicemail boxes any time from either their email or smartphone. Text messages can be sent directly to staff from any computer using an internal SMS service. Efax dramatically cuts down paper waste and (you guessed it!) can be sent or viewed from your email or computer. Plus, teachers will never have to give out their personal phone numbers with our easy forwarding settings. Having all that functionality under the same system allows teachers to focus on what they do best- teaching and assisting students.

Speed

Setting up extensions takes just a minute or two, and if you want to keep your current extension, just unplug the phone and take it with you. Because FluentStream information is stored in the cloud, any device can be plugged into the network from anywhere and still function normally.

Have a question? Our support team is primed and ready to answer emails (within 30 minutes), chats (within 20 seconds), and phone calls (within 10 seconds) whenever they arise. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If a traditional analog PBX goes down, it usually takes at least a few days for those repairs to be scheduled, identified, and addressed. With FluentStream VoIP, all the infrastructure is managed remotely, meaning that any service issues can be immediately and directly fixed on our end. Even if the problem is with the local network, router maintenance takes a fraction of the time for a fraction of the cost it takes to keep analog systems chugging along.

Reliability

Redundancy is the key to reliability when it comes to finicky tech. Phone calls require a stable moment-to-moment connection to keep the audio sounding clear, and that’s why our entire system is built from the ground up to overlap and confirm processes as much as possible. Everything from the servers located across the country (and even internationally) to the individual time conditions on each route ensure that every call gets where it needs to be, when it needs to be there, and stays focused until you hang up.

Safety & Security

Speaking of servers… every FluentStream account has a dedicated failover server in addition to their primary, meaning that if the entire local network goes down, or even if there is an issue on our end, those phones will keep ringing and those notifications will keep going through.

Other FluentStream features such as e911 services, emergency SMS messaging, and overhead paging ensure that your school is equipped to handle any type of emergency.

Keep What Works

Already have a favorite phone brand? Don’t want to invest in replacing them? The good news is that most major phone providers have VoIP support built into their recent models. The great news is that nearly all of those same models already have a provisioning profile set up on the FluentStream system for seamless transitioning.

The mission of any education system is to prepare students for the future. Shouldn’t that same mentality apply to the schools themselves? Switching to VoIP is an investment in the future of your schools finances, safety, and communication.