BC continues to upgrade the campus infrastructure, while decreasing operating costs, with the conversion of our telephone operating system from Centrex to PBX (Private Branch Exchange). After much laborious planning and preparation by ITS, Telecommunications and Facilities, the conversion, or “cut over”, was completed in about twenty-four hours and was 95% glitch free. Very few users reported problems and they were quickly resolved. The system is being implemented in stages and will take about a year and a half to complete. Thanks to scrupulous attention to detail and foresight, the system will be installed ahead of schedule.

PBX is a phone system purchased by and operated at a private or public company or institution. Our PBX is a product of the Nippon Electronic Corporation (NEC) and, installed by a combined team of our Tele-communications and NEC staff, it has all the bells and whistles. Now, every interoffice and external call is routed, or switched, on campus. The old system required an off-site, non-BC telephone office to route calls. Moreover, the new system has been set up with redundant power supplies and fail-safe measures to assure smooth service. We will be able to create many new numbers and accommodate many new extensions. This is sure to please users who have had to share too few phone lines with too many colleagues, and it will clearly enhance productivity.

The college converted to a PBX to take advantage of its fully digital, more efficient, more reliable technology, and to maintain system control on campus. The PBX is supported by our Telecommunications technical staff, which is receiving thorough training in the service and repair of the system. The elimination of calls to outside services dramatically speeds up the completion of repairs, a welcome benefit for a busy campus.

BC took on a tremendous project when it opted for a PBX and, explains Telecommunications Director Kelly Drayer, “It was truly a group effort. Telecommunications had to engineer the locations—we had to prepare all the necessary spaces into which all the equipment would go, including hardware and cable. That meant stress-testing floors and ceilings and building special accommodations. We also had to work with Verizon to change lines across the entire campus. We worked with NEC to determine parts and software. Mark Gold was involved in coordinating all aspects of the project and kept it moving forward. Facilities was really helpful, too—they built special load-bearing equipment for us. And the electricians did an amazing job.”

BC will save a substantial amount on each phone bill thanks to the PBX system, while the campus community enjoys the reliability and ease of the latest technology.