Cloud Voice for Education
Unified calling & collaboration with Microsoft Teams & 8x8 Voice
The Challenge
A Sydney-based independent co-educational school offering Christian education from kindergarten to Year 12 approached Arrow to modernise their communications infrastructure. Their existing on-premise Avaya system had become a barrier to flexible working. With no support for remote access, limited scalability, and increasing maintenance overhead, staff were tethered to desk phones and unable to communicate effectively outside the school grounds or hours.
The school needed a cloud-first, secure communications platform that would:
- Support staff working flexibly or remotely
- Eliminate legacy PBX hardware and associated costs
- Integrate seamlessly with existing Microsoft 365 tools
- Provide centralised, easy-to-manage communications
Without a clear technology roadmap, the client needed a solution that would support its frontline staff, safeguard sensitive data, and scale easily across sites and services.
The Solution
Arrow conducted a detailed needs analysis and worked closely with the school to design a fit-for-purpose solution that aligned with their operational and educational objectives.
The recommended approach was to replace the on-premise Avaya PBX with 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams—a powerful, cloud-based telephony solution that integrates directly into the Microsoft Teams interface.
This modern setup allows staff to make and receive external calls through Teams while maintaining access to chat, video, voicemail, and collaboration tools in one familiar platform. Arrow also supplied modern Poly handsets and handled number porting, zero-touch deployment, and tailored staff training to ensure a seamless transition.
Key features of the solution include:
- 8×8 Voice for Teams: Enterprise-grade voice calling within Microsoft Teams
- Teams Direct Routing: Native call control with existing Teams identities and permissions
- 8×8 Front Desk: Streamlined reception and call handling for administration staff
- Modern Poly Handsets: Reliable devices for in-office use
- Zero-Touch Deployment: Fast, hands-off rollout
- Staff Training & Support: Ensuring confident uptake from day one
The Outcomes:
The school now benefits from a flexible, future-proof cloud communications platform that supports staff wherever they work—on campus or offsite. The new system has removed the need for dedicated PBX hardware and simplified day-to-day IT management, with moves, adds, and changes now completed in minutes via a simple web interface.
Highlights include:
- Unified Teams Experience: One app for chat, meetings, voicemail, and external calls
- Improved Security & Compliance: End-to-end encrypted communications via ISO 27001–certified Australian data centres
- Simplified Administration: No manual configuration or on-site equipment required
- Scalable & Cost Predictable: Easily accommodates enrolment growth with predictable monthly billing under Arrow’s Turn Key agreement
- Stronger Community Engagement: Advanced call routing and analytics support better communication with parents and stakeholders
With 24/7 support from Arrow’s Australian-based help desk and a dedicated Technical Account Manager, the school is fully supported today—and ready for tomorrow.
Procurement Specialists
Arrow Voice & Data is your trusted partner for cloud communications and managed services in education. We simplify technology procurement, deployment, and support under one roof—so your school can focus on delivering outstanding learning outcomes.