Archived decisions
Contact: Jos Creese, Head of IT, 01962 847436 ([email protected])
3.1 The following decision is sought:
To approve the purchase and the installation of a new IP telephony system to replace the old telephone system known as BTEX located in the Castle buildings. Approval is sought to spend up to £1.125 million.
4. Reasons
4.1 The current phone system which supports the main Castle Complex buildings for both incoming and outgoing calls is now obsolete, dating as it does from the 1980s. It is becoming unsupportable as spare parts become scarce, posing a risk to County Council services.
4.2 Because of the increased dependence on telephone services since the original design of the telephone switch, it is proposed to design the replacement system with resilient components in separate locations, to provide an automatic `fail-over' to alternative systems on the Hampshire Public Services Network (HPSN).
4.3 Additionally the replacement will provide new and essential features to support flexible working. This will be particularly important for the Ashburton Court refurbishment project, as well as the Contact Centre Programme - `Hantsdirect'.
4.4 The proposed technology meets industry standards, and is designed to be flexible, scalable and adaptable to future needs. It will allow seamless integration of data and systems to telephony services to support flexible working and for Hantsdirect.
5. Other Options Considered and Rejected
5.1 Do nothing:
The County Council has delayed the replacement of the central telephone facilities for several years as a result of other major programmes of work, but the demands of the organisation and the risk failure of a critical business system, require this project to be undertaken now. This option is therefore rejected.
5.2 An alternative and simpler digital telephony system could be put in place, but analysis has shown this would be likely to be a short term solution with little savings in investment. It would have few of the benefits of modern telephone services necessary to support new ways of working, and lower levels of resilience. It is therefore likely that the County Council would need to make a major upgrade in the not too distant future, making this option a false economy.
This option is also therefore rejected.
6. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision-maker or other Executive Member consulted
N/A
7. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee
N/A
8. Reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent
N/A
Approved by .................................... Date: 31 October 2006
Councillor T K Thornber, CBE
Executive Member for Policy and Resources