When Communication Becomes a Cost Burden
Like many schools, this one faced a familiar challenge: outdated phone lines that were expensive to maintain and lacked flexibility. Each building had its own system, and adding or moving lines required technician visits and new hardware. With increasing staff numbers and growing parent communication demands, the school’s monthly telecom bill kept climbing.
The leadership team decided it was time to modernise, but without adding complexity or long-term contracts. That’s when they partnered with YCG to explore cloud-based VoIP.
The Switch to Smarter Communication
After a quick assessment, YCG recommended replacing the legacy landline setup with VoIP Solutions. Instead of relying on physical lines, calls now run securely over the school’s broadband connection using the internet.
This change eliminated hardware costs and made the system fully scalable. New extensions could be added instantly through an online dashboard. Staff could also make and receive calls through laptops or smartphones, perfect for teachers working remotely or in different departments.
Because the system is hosted in the cloud, there’s no need for maintenance contracts or replacement equipment. The savings were immediate and significant.
40% Cost Reduction in the First Quarter
Within three months of implementation, the school saw a 40% reduction in telecom spending. What used to be fragmented billing across multiple lines became one transparent invoice, managed through YCG’s Billing Platform.
The finance team gained full visibility into costs by department and could easily track usage patterns. With fixed monthly pricing, budgeting became simpler, and unexpected charges were gone for good.
Better Call Quality and Flexibility
Beyond the savings, staff noticed an instant improvement in call quality and ease of use. Parents could reach departments directly through automated menus, and voicemails were delivered instantly via email.
During busy admissions periods, temporary lines were added in minutes without needing engineer visits. This flexibility made the system not just cheaper but smarter. The technology worked around the school’s needs, not the other way around.
Security and Compliance Built In
Data protection and reliability are top priorities in education. The new VoIP setup included encryption and failover routing through YCG’s Advanced Threat Security framework, ensuring all communication met GDPR and safeguarding requirements.
IT staff could also monitor performance remotely, ensuring uptime across all sites — a key factor for the school’s leadership and governors.
Transforming How Schools Communicate
This success story shows how simple upgrades can have a major impact. What started as a cost-saving exercise turned into a complete communication overhaul. The school now enjoys lower bills, better flexibility, and happier staff and parents, all powered by YCG’s expertise in education telecom.
📩 Interested in reducing telecom costs at your school? Contact [email protected] or explore VoIP Solutions and Broadband for Education to see what’s possible.
