The answers to several frequently asked questions regarding the LGfL VoIP system are below. If you need additional information, or would like to discuss anything with a member of the team, please do not hesitate to get in contact.
The LGfL VoIP (Voice over IP) telephony service is available to all schools using the LGfL network. It has been uniquely designed to provide a cost effective, centrally managed and fully supported telephony system. This competitively-priced service offers long term cost savings with no line rental, free calls to other LGfL VoIP establishments, low-cost calls, as well as extensive accounts information and reports.
Unlike conventional systems, IP telephony (aka VoIP - Voice over IP) offers greater flexibility in the number of lines it can accommodate and the features you can select. Your system can easily be scaled up at any time simply by adding more handsets, with each new handset having the potential to make and receive external calls. The only limit comes from the number of available handsets and the way in which those are configured.
To enhance the physical service, a dedicated website offers an information resource as well as management and configuration capabilities to school staff. Every staff member can access the site securely, via a USO login, to find a number of phone directories. These contain the details of other staff members, parent contact numbers (obtained via a secure link to the school MIS) as well as personal contacts and school-specific numbers which can be configured as needed.
All numbers contained in the phone directories in the VoIP website are further integrated into a 'Click-to-dial' functionality that enables users to dial a number with just the click of a mouse. When using 'Click-to-dial' via the online phone directories to call another school using the LGfL VoIP service, the call will automatically be routed to the internal, free number of that school.
In addition to the directories, users can configure some of the functions on their own handsets such as how they access voicemail and set useful speed dials, where this is supported.
Technical staff have access to configuration settings that define functionality and speed dials across the entire school while those in a financial role can use the extensive reporting section to view a history of calls made and the associated charges.
Free call recording is available as an integral part of the system. The Head Teacher makes the decision as to whether this service should be used. Where this is enabled, all staff will be able to search for and listen to their own phone calls. The ability to listen to calls made by others is available only to the Head Teacher.
The core of the LGfL network contains two Cisco Unified Communications Managers ("call managers") used for routing calls across the entire LGfL estate in a resilient manner. This hardware represents the bulk of the costs normally associated with a new VoIP system which would be purchased by individual establishments who would then need the requisite technical expertise to configure them.
However, in LGfL this infrastructure is already in place, with all technical support and management provided by AdEPT Education. It is accessible to all schools with an LGfL subscription, requiring only the purchase of compatible handsets, licenses, managed network switching, and set up, to deploy a fully functional VoIP service that has been configured to meet your specification.
Schools can choose from a selection of phones, service levels and system features to suit their requirements. A consultation with AdEPT Education can provide any assistance your school might need in creating an appropriate specification.
Once you have decided on your phones and functions, your system features will be configured and handsets will be sent to your school, ready for installation. It is recommended that all equipment is installed by an AdEPT Education engineer, but schools with the appropriate technical staff may choose to do this themselves.
Once everything is correctly set up and the phones are plugged in, they automatically contact the central Cisco call manager and become usable straight away. New phones and lines can be added at any point, making the system scalable over time. A school system administrator will be able to add new phones to the system themselves by using the management website to specify the functions and capabilities of each new handset.
Please note that in order for VoIP telephony to be set up in your school, you will need the required number of handsets and at least one PoE (Power over Ethernet) managed switch to run them. It can be possible to use existing managed switching and we can provide assistance/consultancy to ensure this is configured and set up correctly.
There is a range of Cisco handsets to choose from, each offering a different degree of functionality. You will need to select which phones, and how many of each one, best suit your school's requirements and then match an appropriate licence to each phone.
If your school already has a number of Cisco VoIP handsets and wishes to move to this service, migration may be possible and the possibility of integrating existing phones may be investigated at your request. Additional consultancy fees may apply.
The licence type you select will determine the functionality available to each handset. A licence forms part of the initial phone purchase and represents a one-off charge. If you decide to upgrade the service level available to a handset while part way through a contract, a new licence would need to be obtained. If you wish to downgrade the service, the existing licence would continue to be valid.
Each phone is individually licensed and the functionality allowed under each licence is then equated to a service level. These are charged on a quarterly basis and enable the specified phone to support the required functionality. However, it is essential to ensure that the selected phone is capable of supporting the service level chosen for it. When putting your school’s quotation together, our team will advise you on the best possible combinations.
Four service levels are available:
"The bottom line was that we were able to implement a school-wide VoIP system for less than £3,000 - a smaller school close to us recently spent £9k installing an alternative VoIP system!! We have also significantly undercut our existing call charges."
Deputy Head Teacher, Croydon
"LGfL VoIP has given us a fantastic school-wide phone system that gives us bundles of control and functionality via the easy-to-use VoIP management site. Compared to other systems we looked at it was clearly the best out there and we highly recommend it to all LGfL connected schools."
New Woodlands School, Lewisham
"The reporting functionality of the VoIP Management Site with its ability to split groups of phones into departments is fantastic and unlike reporting on other systems we have, such as mobile phones and printing. It is exactly what you want: accurate and responsive and most importantly tells you what you want to know! It makes such a difference."
Graham Pragnell, Head of Education ICT, Newham Partnership Working
For added convenience, and with your existing service provider's agreement, the service may be capable of supporting the migration of your school's existing phone number into the new VoIP deployment at no additional cost. Number migration is dependent on your original service provider allowing you to take your existing number with you. In the vast majority of cases this can be arranged successfully.
A Call Handler is the automated greeting message that will greet callers phoning your school's main telephone number, this is sometimes referred to as an 'Auto Attendant'. The greeting message can be recorded by the school using one of the VoIP handsets before, during or after the installation. The Call Handler itself is configured by AdEPT Education to match the options listed in the recorded message, e.g. "press one for reception, two to leave an absence message..."
Schools can offer parents a simple way of informing the school of a child's absence. They can ring and leave a voicemail message in a designated voice mailbox. After a message is received, it is typically sent as an email attachment to a specified email address, either to a named person or a shared mailbox if more than one person handles reported absence.
The system can be set to play a greeting message out of school hours while an alternate greeting can be recorded and used during holiday periods. These messages can be programmed so that they are played automatically between certain time periods (for example, an out of hours message can be set to which calls are automatically diverted at weekends and between 5pm and 8am during the week.) System administrators are able to log into the system remotely whenever needed to record a new message or change the message currently in use.
A variety of ringing patterns can be selected for groups of phones called Hunt groups. The extensions in hunt groups can be configured to ring in a specific order relevant to the affected group of individuals.
For example, a hunt group can allow all phones to ring at the same time and stop ringing after a specified period, after which the system goes to voicemail. Alternatively hunt groups can ring each phone in turn until the call is answered or, failing that, the call can be passed on to another hunt group or redirected to voicemail.
Following initial setup, these settings are configurable by the school’s VoIP administrators via the website expressly designed for this purpose. Only individuals with the correct permissions will be able to carry out such actions.
Each phone has a set of buttons that can be used as speed dials. A system administrator can configure all phones in the school to have the same speed dials attached to the same buttons (as far as possible given the different phone models in use). All such configuration is done through the VoIP website.
Each user's individual phone can be further customised so that global settings can be over-written if necessary. Personal speed dials and caller identification details can also be added. The individual to whom that phone is registered can do this by logging in to a simple interface in the VoIP website.
Where voicemail is supported by the phone's service level, all voicemail messages can either be listened to via the user's handset or be sent as audio attachments in an email. This allows the user to access and listen to messages directly from their computer rather than the phone.
Where voicemail messages are left on single dedicated number, such as a number for reporting absences, and may need to be accessed by a number of people, those messages can be emailed as audio attachments to a shared mailbox where any user with the relevant permissions can listen to them and take action.
A phone that is used by a single member of staff (e.g. office-based staff such as the Head Teacher) can be registered to the individual. This person can then log into the VoIP website, find a phone number via the available directories and dial the number by simply clicking a button in the website. Their physical phone will automatically begin dialling the selected number. This not only makes dialling simpler and quicker but also eliminates the possibility of accidentally dialling the number incorrectly when the call needs to be made urgently.
Having all configuration and call routing taking place via the call managers in the core of the LGfL network makes this VoIP system especially useful for schools with multiple sites. Regardless of proximity, schools can operate a single phone system across multiple locations so that all calls between the sites are free. The system can be configured to use internal extensions for all phones, as if they were located in the same building.
Make and receive phone calls on a computer (Windows or Mac) or mobile device (Android or ioS) through your LGfL VoIP system.
An electronic fax service that does not require a fax machine to either send or receive faxes can be purchased as an additional option. The service allows a user to access the VoIP website to write a quick covering message, upload an attachment, enter the destination fax number and click a button to send the fax.
Received faxes will come in an email format to a specified number dedicated to faxes. The number will be associated with a personal or shared email mailbox in your school to which messages will be delivered. A history of all faxes sent and received is available via the VoIP site for appropriately authorised staff. The faxing service is also available as a separate service without a full VoIP subscription and will save your school the expensive printing, line rental and hardware costs associated with running a physical fax machine.
Call recordings can be switched on by the Head Teacher only. This is done via the VoIP website where the Head Teacher is asked to agree to the terms and conditions befor enabling this service. Once enabled, all phones in the school that support this functionality will start recording calls. The Head Teacher then has the ability to opt phones in and out of call recording via an easy to use interface on the VoIP web site.
Although all staff who have registered their phone to their USO account can listen to their own calls, the Headteacher is the only person who can listen to all calls made to and from any phone.
The LGfL VoIP Public Address System allows for school-wide announcements to be made via an LGfL VoIP service. Authorised staff members will be able to call a dedicated phone number from an LGfL VoIP phone, which then connects through to the school PA system allowing for either live audio (spoken from the user's own handset), or one of up to eight pre-configured audio files such as spoken announcements or music, to be output. Pre-recorded files are triggered by dialling a specific extension on the users phone handset and selecting the appropriate option, including one that creates a 'straight-through' connection to the PA system enabling, for instance, an impromptu Head Teacher's announcement to be initiated from their own desk phone.
The physical interface comprises a small, unobtrusive server than can be installed next to a PA system or other amplifier. The server outputs a mono analogue audio signal on a 3.5mm jack, so will typically integrate with any such school PA or audio system with an appropriate audio input.
A management webpage gives school's the ability to configure and control their own settings from within the school. Installation can be provided by AdEPT Education during an initial VoIP system install, or as a later addition (POA), or the server device can be installed by school or third party technicians. Support is thereafter included under the school's prevailing VoIP contract.
For more information on the VoIP PA feature please call AdEPT Education on 01689 814700 or email voip@lgfl.org.uk.
A dedicated management website has been specially designed to enhance this service. The site is protected by USO login and offers each user a tailored view based on their account type and any permissions that have been granted to them.
In the VoIP website, permissions can be granted by the Head Teacher in a section created especially for that purpose. In this section, they can specify who should be a technical system administrator, an accounts administrator, who has access to secure data such as parent contact numbers, and who can view all faxes sent into and out of the school's system.
Each individual who has a phone assigned to them will be able to configure personal phone settings such as speed dials and soft key functions as well as how they receive their voicemail, where applicable. This is done by logging into the VoIP website using their USO account credentials.
They can also view their own call history online including a list of all their calls, both made and received, with full details about the call. Lastly, they will be able to listen to any recorded call via their computer if the recording functionality has been enabled in your school.
The VoIP website offers school finance staff the ability to view call charges and monitor costs on a near real-time basis. The user with accounting rights will be able to access a list of all calls made to and from the school and view the charge associated with each one. A log of all faxes will also be visible along with the associated charges. An online billing system issues quarterly invoices to the relevant person and a history of all invoices will be stored online for easy reference. Users with accounting rights are also able to set an alert that emails them every time a phone call is made that goes above a specified cost.
The VoIP website allows technical administrators to exercise a large degree of control over configuring the school's phone system. Such an administrator can configure global settings for all phones (such as global speed dials) or configure settings on individual phones.
An administrator may also set restrictions on specific phones, such as blocking them from making any external calls at all, or just block international calls, mobile calls or premium rate calls.
Hunt groups can also be configured by your school's administrator, who can decide which phones make up which groups and then specify the ringing and pickup behaviour of each group.
The website offers users a set of directories to make it easy to find contact numbers. Different types of contacts can all be found in one place.
The site offers all staff members an internal directory of all the extensions in the school. These internal extension numbers can also be named so that they are easily identifiable when searching for a particular user's extension, e.g. Head, Bursar, etc. Everyone also has access to a school-specific directory that contains useful numbers for the school such as a plumber or electrician who is contracted to carry out repairs.
Additionally, every member of staff can create their own personal phone directory of any numbers they wish to save and this will be visible only to them.
Users with extra security permissions, can have access to the personal mobile numbers of all school staff within the website. Individuals with this permission level can also use the website to access parents' phone numbers by simply searching for the child’s details using either the child's name, year group or class.
The numbers in the directories will be shown exactly as they have been entered into the school's MIS since they are being exported directly from there and securely updated on a daily basis through the use of USO-AutoUpdate.
To make the process of contacting parents as easy as possible the order of contact priority is also displayed. Once the number has been found, you will be able to use the Click-to-dial function to make your phone immediately begin dialling the selected number.
Two more phone directories exist that provide users with quick and convenient methods for contacting other schools as well as colleagues based in other LGfL VoIP schools at the click of a button.
LGfL schools directory - This directory provides users with a list of schools across the entire London-wide LGfL estate. Listed by Local Authority (LA) users are able to search from the list view of schools in the LA selected or type a specific school name into a search bar that will automatically filter the results. Once the desired school is found the user can simply click on the 'Click-to-dial' button to call either schools main line number or if another LGfL VoIP subscribing school their 'VoIP number' which will be a free phone call!
VoIP user directory - The VoIP user directory is a growing list of all VoIP users (i.e. users with their own dedicated handset registered against their USO) across all schools subscribing to the LGfL VoIP service. It enables users to search and find specific members of staff in a different VoIP school and make a free call direct to them at the click of a button. All users are included in the VoIP User Directory by default however do have the ability to opt out and become 'ex-directory' should they want to.
For the current offers available please be sure to get in touch with a member of the team. We offer best value for money with our VoIP system, and can also often provide very low finance agreements to spread the cost.
For more information, or to get a quote, please call us on 01689 814700 or email voip@lgfl.org.uk.