Neighbors and other callers for city needs likely didn’t notice the complete overhaul of our telephone system this summer – and that was one of the city IT Department’s project goals.
Working with CTS Telecom Inc., a fiber optic and telecommunications company based in Galesburg, the 12-member IT Department replaced 343 phones across the city organization, started in the summer of 2016. The new system went live on Aug. 28.
A nearly 20-year-old phone system, the need to comply with Enhanced 911 (e911) requirements by 2019, and to better protect the city communications system drove the project.
New, and helpful to internal operations, all city employees are on one, unified phone system.
The quiet launch of the new system, both for employees and customers, was a great success.
“As a team, we successfully accomplished the set directive, and we want to thank everyone for their support and understanding,” said IT Director Charles Norton. “It was great to see our city colleagues, from every corner of the organization, come together, take ownership of their parts of the project, and see it all through to a successful launch.”
The city gives special thanks to team member Sarah McGinnis, in the Finance Department, who volunteered to record all new greetings for the phone system – she’s the voice of the city you hear on the line.
Despite the global movement to a more digital world, telecommunications still play an important role in how the city provides public services, and we are pleased to continue doing that on this new system.
By the numbers:
- Day 1 statistics (Aug. 28)
- 1,011 internal calls / 1,278 outgoing
- 1,308 incoming calls received
- 3,597 total
- Week 1 statistics (Aug. 28-Sept. 1)
- 3,672 internal calls / 5,724 outgoing
- 5,211 incoming calls received
- 14,607 total