Parallel Technologies, Inc.
800.837.9777

support@paralleltech.com

sales@paralleltech.com

  • Why Parallel
    • Overview
    • Executive Team
    • Sales Team
    • Our Partners
    • Our Customers
    • Awards
  • Products & Services
    • Unified Communications
    • VoIP
    • Hosted VoIP
    • SD-WAN
    • Carrier Services
    • Network Audits
    • LAN & WAN Services
    • Structured Cabling
  • Knowledge Center
    • Blog
    • News & Events
    • Resources
  • Contact
  • Perigee Business Technologies
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Home1 / Blog2 / Blog3 / How Zoom Phone Helps Schools Overcome 3 Big Telephony Challenges

How Zoom Phone Helps Schools Overcome 3 Big Telephony Challenges

September 22, 2021

Originally published February 23, 20214 min read

Even as schools embrace digital methods of teaching, learning, and communicating, telephony remains an important part of campus communications. Teachers, administrators, and parents are more likely to pick up the phone than send an email when it comes to an urgent student issue or time-sensitive conversation.

But the legacy digital phone system posed a number of issues for Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), which provides services, support, and programs to districts throughout Solano County, California. Steven Ramos, director of information services and technology at SCOE, shares why switching to a modern cloud VoIP phone system like Zoom Phone solved their telephony challenges.

Challenge #1: An ‘antiquated, difficult to maintain’ phone system

“Our old [on-premises] digital phone system was becoming obsolete,” Ramos said. “It was antiquated, costly, and difficult to maintain from a technical standpoint. We had to have a network engineer install new phones.”

Not only that, the legacy phone system just wasn’t user-friendly. “People couldn’t figure out how to forward a phone call. People didn’t know how to check their voicemail unless they were in the office,” Ramos added.

‘It didn’t take a huge army of technicians’

After a trial with the technology department, Ramos’ team of three deployed Zoom Phone to 250 users at SCOE’s headquarters and three school campuses. “It didn’t take a huge army of technicians,” Ramos said. “It went really smoothly. We don’t need an engineer to run our phone system now, which is great for schools.”

Challenge #2: ‘Mobility was a big issue’

When teachers moved to new classrooms and administrators moved offices, there was no easy way to reprogram phones so staff could keep their existing phone numbers.

“The phone number didn’t follow the person,” Ramos said. “Mobility was a big issue. When a person moved to a different location, we had to change their phone number, reprint business cards and directories.”

‘One phone number does everything’

“With Zoom Phone, once an employee’s phone number is issued, it’s their phone number,” Ramos said.

Not only did this address logistical issues related to business cards and directories, it also allowed SCOE employees to easily reach each other while working remotely during the pandemic.

“We don’t have to remember where people are or ask ‘What number should I use?’ There’s just one number to call,” Ramos said. “One phone number does everything. Any time, any place, any device.”

Challenge #3: No privacy for educators

Once SCOE switched to remote instruction, educators no longer had access to their school phones to contact parents and students.

“That was a big issue in schools [during COVID],” Ramos said. “What phone do they use? When they’re not on campus, they have to make calls from a personal cell. This creates issues around accountability. You don’t always want students and families to have their teacher’s private number.”

‘Your work number is your work number’

“[Zoom Phone] gives employees a solution to the issue of using a personal cellphone to conduct government business,” Ramos said. “It’s hugely important for schools and public entities. With Zoom Phone, your work number is your work number. It’s your office number, your SMS text number, and your mobile number.”

More Zoom Phone features SCOE faculty & staff rely on

According to Ramos, these Zoom Phone features are particularly valuable for helping faculty and staff communicate and do their jobs remotely:

Call queues — “We set up a support line for parents that rings six people in a call queue to make sure they reach a human being. We couldn’t have done that with our old phone system.”

Outbound caller ID — “You don’t need to disclose your personal cell to anyone.”

SMS messaging — “When teachers use their personal cell for SMS communication for work, that makes their entire collection of text messages potentially discoverable. We tell staff, all messaging to and from families and students should go through the Zoom channel.”

Softphone — “We can get by with having one-fourth as many desk phones. It makes more sense to have a phone conversation using the softphone on your computer.”

Zoom directory — “I don’t need to go looking for a directory. I pick up my phone and go to the Zoom directory, type in a name, and connect.”

Call delegation — “Before, we would need a network engineer to program our digital phone system. Call delegation is one of those under-the-hood features that works extraordinarily well.”

Elevate to meeting — “Being able to convert a phone call into a meeting so I can do screen sharing is big.”

Contact us at sales@paralleltech.com to learn more about how Zoom Phone can improve your school communications with enhanced safety features, operational efficiency, and ease of use.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://www.paralleltech.com/wp-content/uploads/Woman-on-phone-1820x1213-1.jpg 1213 1820 lsalvato https://www.paralleltech.com/wp-content/uploads/Parallel-Technologies-Logo-Navy-BPT-Larger-300x98.png lsalvato2021-09-22 16:44:272021-09-22 16:44:27How Zoom Phone Helps Schools Overcome 3 Big Telephony Challenges
You might also like
LAN infrastructure from Parallel and CBTS gives a boost to retail growth
Ensuring Your Phone System is a Business Enabler
Why Your Business Phone System Should Integrate with Your Applications
9 Hosted Phone Service Tools Business Owners Can’t Do Without
It’s Time! Migrate to the Cloud
5 Ways Zoom Phone Enables Mobility, Business Continuity

Archives

  • 2025
  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2010

Latest News & Blogs

Latest News & Blogs

  • The Future of Communication: Why Planning Your Transition from End-of-Life Systems is CrucialApril 25, 2025 - 2:03 pm

    As the business landscape continues to evolve, relying on phone systems reaching end of life status presents significant risks. While systems including NEC, Samsung, and Comdial, may not all be over 20 years old, their manufacturer support is limited or non-existent. This lack of support impacts the system’s reliability for future business needs. Understanding the […]

  • Is Your Infrastructure Ready for What’s Next? Now’s the Time to Take a Closer LookApril 25, 2025 - 12:46 pm

    Whether you’re planning a new location, expanding your existing office, or just trying to stay ahead of future growth, one thing is certain: your technology infrastructure—from cabling to paging systems—must be rock-solid. With the recent merger of BSB Communications and Parallel Technologies, we’ve expanded our capabilities to better serve businesses like yours. We now offer complete infrastructure and overhead […]

  • Parallel Technologies and BSB Communications Join Forces to Become Mitel’s Second-Largest U.S. PartnerApril 1, 2025 - 9:47 am

    Strategic relationship enhances service offerings, delivering greater value to customers nationwide Dublin, OH and Sterling Heights, MI – March 31, 2025 – Parallel Technologies and BSB Communications today announced a new strategic partnership. Effective immediately, Michigan-based BSB will operate as a division of Parallel Technologies, continuing to use its brand in specific contexts. This partnership […]

  • Parallel Technologies Earns CBTS Regional Channel Partner of the YearJanuary 29, 2024 - 2:56 pm

      This post originally appeared on www.cbts.com. View the original post here. CBTS is thrilled to award Parallel Technologies powered by Bridgepointe the Regional Channel Partner of the Year for 2023, for a record four years in a row. This recognition further solidifies the partnership between the two entities and their mutual commitment to providing […]

Contact Us

Contact Us

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This contact form is deactivated because you refused to accept Google reCaptcha service which is necessary to validate any messages sent by the form.
Sign Up for News & Updates

Dublin
614.798.9700

Cincinnati
513.769.8777

Dayton
937.222.8777

© 2025 Parallel Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Employee Login
5 Ways Zoom Phone Enables Mobility, Business ContinuityParallel Technologies, Inc. Kicks Off Employee Ownership (EO) Month
Scroll to top