One of the Largest US Public School Districts Saves Over $10 Million During Communication Modernization

Public School District Deploys Over 20,000 Mitel IP Phones Across 200 Sites Without High Costs, Complexity, or Disruption 

3-minute read time 

Summary 

• One of the largest US public school districts needed to modernize its outdated analog phone systems but faced significant budget and infrastructure challenges. 

• The school district was not willing to rip and replace existing and proven voice infrastructure due to traditional switch reach and cable type limitations. 

• The reseller partner, C1, recommended the NVT Phybridge PoLRE switch innovation to enable over 20,000 new Mitel IP phones in more than 200 buildings using existing voice infrastructure.

• The district achieved over $10 million in savings, minimized deployment complexity, and completed the project faster than initially expected. 

• By leveraging existing infrastructure, the district reduced waste and aligned the project with its environmental goals. 

Problem 

One of the largest US public school districts, operating over 300 schools and serving over 190,000 students, wanted to modernize its aging telephony systems with a new Mitel IP solution across all locations. The goal was to provide better connectivity and more reliable communications for administrative offices and classrooms. However, most of the school buildings were several decades old, which meant construction and building modifications were expensive and complex. 

The school district felt trapped, thinking they needed to accept the high costs, complexity, and disruption of a network overhaul due to the reach and cable type limitations of traditional switches. This would have also significantly increased the planning and deployment timelines, likely making the project unfeasible. Additionally, the older facilities posed additional risks, such as potential asbestos exposure during construction. 

Solution 

The school district was unwilling to accept traditional rip-and-replace network requirements and did not want to compromise the upgrade by accepting a non-IP technology. The district looked for an innovative solution to overcome its challenges and achieve its goal of a complete IP-based solution. 

The reseller partner, C1, recommended NVT Phybridge PoLRE network innovations to overcome these challenges. The PoLRE Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch innovation eliminates the cable type and distance limitations of traditional PoE switches, delivering power and data over a single pair of wire with over 1,200ft (365m) reach. Thanks to C1’s recommendation, the school district adopted network innovations to achieve incredible results: 

• Transformed the existing CAT3 infrastructure into a robust PoE backbone for the new IP devices. 

• Avoided the need for expensive and disruptive rip-and-replace requirements due to traditional PoE switch reach and cable type limitations. 

• Deployed over 20,000 Mitel IP endpoints seamlessly across all schools while maintaining a reliable and secure network infrastructure. 

• Leveraged a cost-effective, scalable solution that simplified installation and minimized risk. 

• The PoLRE’s managed switch capabilities allow the customer to remotely manage their new IP solution, improving security, response time, and reliability while reducing network complexity and day two management costs. 

The deployment process was fast and straightforward. The existing voice infrastructure had a standard point-to-point topology across all locations, allowing for a repeatable, predictable, and scalable implementation process. The ability to reuse existing voice infrastructure reduced costs, complexity, and disruption while accelerating the upgrade from the aging and less reliable phone system to a robust IP solution. 

Results 

NVT Phybridge networking innovations eliminated the need for costly rip and replace of existing infrastructure, mitigating construction-related risks, such as asbestos exposure. The district successfully migrated to IP telephony, saving over $10 million in network readiness costs while deploying over 20,000 new Mitel IP phones in record time. 

These savings allowed the school district to invest in ROI-driving technologies without exceeding its budget. Deployment was completed much faster than anticipated, ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations. “The network innovation eliminated all of the district’s concerns and allowed us to accelerate the adoption of new IP capabilities to improve operations and create safer environments.” – Lisa Morrison, C1 

Sustainability 

The team at the school district demonstrated commitment to their environmentally sustainable practices by adopting innovative network thinking and modern PoE innovations. The district prevented over 66 tons of electronic waste, creating greener schools while maintaining healthy and welcoming learning environments for all students and staff. 

About C1 

C1, the global technology solution provider elevating connected human experiences, is transforming the industry by creating connected experiences that make a lasting impact on customers, our teams, and our communities. More than 6,000 customers use C1 every day to help them build meaningful connections through innovative and secure experiences. 

About NVT Phybridge 

Our mission is to help organizations maximize their IP migration return on investment by providing high-quality network solutions that are robust, secure, simple to implement, and environmentally responsible. NVT Phybridge is a global leader in PoE network innovations that eliminate the reach and cable type limitations of traditional PoE switches. Our diverse and award-winning portfolio of long-reach PoE switches and extenders help organizations deploy the latest IP technologies over any new or existing single-pair UTP, coax, multi-pair UTP, or 2-wire infrastructure without high costs, complexity, business disruption, or security concerns.