Webex | Public Sector | City of Del Mar

City in the Cloud: Searching for Superior Call Quality

The City of Del Mar, a small coastal municipality in northern San Diego County, is known for its pristine beaches, seaside charm, and essential municipal services like planning, utilities, fire protection, and parking enforcement. As a popular tourist destination, the City also relies on effective communication systems to serve both residents and visitors.

The Challenge

The City of Del Mar had been using a Cisco on-premise phone system since 2005, but it came with significant challenges:

• Frequent Hardware Replacements: The system required costly hardware upgrades every five years.
• Limited IT Resources: The small IT department relied on third-party consultants for upgrades, leading to delays and high costs.
• Outdated Technology: By 2014, the hardware was outdated, and the City was preparing to relocate to a new building.
• Concerns About Hosted Solutions: Based on feedback from other cities, the IT Manager, Emily Bernardo, was sceptical about whether a fully hosted solution could deliver the call quality and service they needed.

The Goal

The City of Del Mar set out to achieve three key objectives:

1. Reduce System Replacement Costs: Avoid the expense and hassle of frequent hardware upgrades.
2. Ensure Superior Call Quality: Maintain or improve the reliability of their current system.
3. Exceptional Support and Training: Partner with a provider that could offer ongoing support and training.

The Solution

Willing to explore a hosted communication platform, Ms. Bernardo partnered with Tredent Data Systems (TDS), the City’s IT consultant, to evaluate options. Tredent proposed a hosted Cisco solution that allowed the City to use its existing handsets, reducing costs. The City issued a Request for Proposals for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and selected CallTower based on their:

• Extensive experience.
• Competitive pricing.
• End-to-end Cisco solution.

Proof of Concept

To address concerns about call quality, Tredent and CallTower conducted a pilot programme with a small group of users. The results:

• No Degradation in Call Quality: The hosted solution matched the performance of the on-premise system.
• Enhanced Functionality: The hosted solution offered more features than the existing system.

“I sleep better at night knowing that we have a fully redundant phone system that is being monitored and managed by CallTower. CallTower has become an extension of the IT Department and has freed up our time to focus on projects that will further the City’s strategic goals.”
– Emily Bernardo, IT Manager, City of Del Mar

Implementation

After the successful pilot, Tredent and CallTower worked together to implement the City’s new fully hosted Cisco solution:

• Weekly Meetings: Tasks were planned and executed to meet an aggressive deployment timeline.
• Ahead of Schedule: The project was completed months earlier than expected.
• Managed Voice Continuity (MVC): CallTower implemented MVC to ensure the phone system is always available, including:
  • A dedicated MPLS circuit for redundancy.
  • Failover to the City’s primary internet circuit for added reliability.
  • 24/7 monitoring and management of the MPLS circuit by CallTower, eliminating the need for IT staff to manage PRI circuits or deal with Telco providers.

The Results

The City of Del Mar achieved its goals and more:

1. Cost Savings: The City no longer needs to endure costly and time-consuming hardware upgrades.
2. Superior Call Quality: The hosted solution delivered reliable, high-quality communication.
3. Future-Proof System: The City now has a modern, continuously updated phone system with new features and enhancements.
4. Streamlined IT Operations: CallTower’s 24/7 monitoring and management freed up the IT team to focus on strategic projects.
5. Exceptional Support: CallTower became an extension of the City’s IT department, providing ongoing support and training.

About CallTower

CallTower is your trusted partner for seamless, intelligent communication solutions. We specialise in:

• Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS).
• Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS).
• Conversational AI (CAI) technologies.
• End-to-end professional and managed services.

Our innovative and scalable solutions are designed to:

• Streamline workflows.
• Optimize IT infrastructure.
• Empower businesses to connect, collaborate, and grow with ease.

At CallTower, we redefine communication by combining innovation and expertise to drive meaningful connexions and lasting success.