Armstrong Atlantic State University to Serve Five Educational Institutions through an Integrated Avaya IP Telephony Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Armstrong Atlantic State University will deliver broad new telecommunications capabilities to four sister institutions in the University System of Georgia.

Based on an Internet protocol (IP) telephony infrastructure from Avaya Inc. , a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, the new network will serve an estimated 2,000 faculty and staff members at seven geographically dispersed sites, including: Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah and Hinesville; Waycross College in Waycross; South Georgia College in Douglas; Coastal Georgia Community College in Brunswick and Camden; and East Georgia College in Swainsboro.

"We believe this is the first IP telephony network in the nation to be shared by multiple educational institutions," said John McGuthry, CIO of Armstrong Atlantic State University, who led the planning effort. "With this shared services approach, we're able to lower our cost structure, access more features and allow each campus to maintain local control."

Armstrong Atlantic State University will serve as the hub for the Avaya software and servers that will power the shared infrastructure. Voice traffic will be routed over PeachNet, a high-speed computer network connecting the state's 36 public colleges and universities.

"We're moving to a voice network that is light years away from where we've been," McGuthry said. "In the past, each site has relied on CENTREX services. That means we haven't had access to caller ID or many other features that others take for granted. With the new network in place, we not only will be able to serve our communities more effectively, but we're expecting our communication costs to drop by a third."

Avaya Communication Manager IP Telephony software is hosted on redundant Avaya S8720 servers, which provide automatic backup for maximum reliability and uptime. In addition, survivable Avaya gateways at each remote campus will enable users to make and receive calls, even if network connectivity is lost. Voice calls will be encrypted by Avaya's software and will be isolated from other PeachNet traffic by a virtual private network.

Though they share a central network, each local campus will select its own Avaya IP phones, control moves, adds and changes, and make decisions about how voice technology will be used. For example, Armstrong Atlantic has decided to enhance campus safety by adding new IP phones in each classroom.

"We plan to set them up to accept calls from campus security only," McGuthry said. "That means if the phone rings, instructors and students know they should stop what they're doing and answer the call."

Above all, the new shared network will provide each school with a platform for the future.

"Though we're planning to begin with just the basics, as our users become more familiar with the network and with what communications can do for them, we'll be ready to roll out more advanced features," McGuthry said.

Installation of the network is now underway and is expected to be completed by the calendar year.

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R), use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers and Communications-Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com/.

About Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong Atlantic State University, part of the University System of Georgia, was founded in 1935. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health Professions and the School of Computing. Armstrong Atlantic serves more than 6,700 students. While 43 percent are from the Savannah-Chatham County area, the diverse student population comes from nearly all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 70 countries. Visit http://www.armstrong.edu/ for more information.