BayCom modernises NZ district council comms with Access4

New Zealand's Kawerau District Council has successfully upgraded its legacy telephony system to a cloud-based voice platform, thanks to a collaboration between ICT services provider BayCom and Melbourne unified communications as a service (UCaaS) company Access4.

The modernisation project, which had been a priority since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, faced initial challenges due to the area's ageing copper-based telecommunications infrastructure and inconsistent mobile coverage.

However, the recent migration to fibre-based connections and the introduction of Starlink services for remote locations paved the way for this significant upgrade.

Andrew Bluett, Information Services Manager at Kawerau District Council, highlighted the urgency of the upgrade.

He cited recent high-rainfall events in 2022 and 2023 in the area, that demonstrated the critical need for reliable communication in civil defence emergency management.

Following an evaluation of various options, the council decided to deploy Access4's cloud-based voice platform in March 2024.

BayCom, the council's long-term technology partner, ensured a seamless transition by pre-configuring the system and providing onsite support during the switch-over.

The new system now supports 90 council staff across 21 locations, offering improved flexibility for remote work.

"Our staff can simply unplug their desk phone, take it home or to another location, plug it into an Internet router, and continue their calls," Bluett explained.

The migration to a cloud-based platform has also resulted in reduced equipment requirements and anticipated cost savings.

Additionally, the council now benefits from Access4's integration with iCall Suite Call Reporting and live analytics, providing valuable insights into call volumes and resource allocation.

Serving approximately 2,700 residential and 250 commercial and industrial ratepayers in the North Island's Bay of Plenty region, Kawerau District Council's communication upgrade marks a significant step towards improved efficiency and reliability in local government services.