Burlington County will convert phones to digital

MOUNT HOLLY — Burlington County Freeholders gave the go-ahead to convert the county’s telephone system from an analog service to a “Voice over IP” digital system this week, which they say will save the County an estimated $390,000 a year.
    In addition, the switch will mean a more efficient phone network, bringing with it expanded voice mail capabilities, including the ability to route calls not only to desk phones, but also to cell phones and computers, according to the county.
    Officials said it will enhance the county’s capabilities to continue to receive and route calls during emergencies in which equipment may be damaged as a result of extreme weather or other circumstances.
    “This initiative addresses our ongoing effort to reduce costs and save taxpayers’ dollars wherever possible,” said Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton. “Not only that, at the end of the day we will have a more efficient phone system, and that benefits County staff and the public alike.”
    Director Nicholas Behmke of Information Technology said his department would begin phasing in the VOIP, or “Voice over Internet Protocol” system, beginning Jan. 1, 2009.
    Following a presentation of the system and its features, freeholders approved soliciting bids for phone services under the new system.
    Mr. Behmke said the initial capital outlay for new equipment would come to an estimated $1.2 million. However, over a five-year period the County would reap an estimated $815,000 in savings, and continue to net $390,000 a year thereafter.
    Key to the savings in the new system is the routing capabilities. The county will no longer pay the phone company for these services, but instead will route calls through its internal network.
    Moreover, VOIP will have built-in “multiple points of redundancies,” meaning should routing be interrupted as a result of damage to external hardware (example: telephone poles being taken down in a motor vehicle accident or as a result of a weather-related incident), calls may be rerouted through other access points in the system.
    “This system becomes particularly important during emergencies, such as this past weekend’s storm event,” Mr. Fenton noted. “It provides one more safeguard that our emergency communications network will continue to operate during extreme conditions.”