Case Study: Ashford Borough Council’s migration to Gamma SIP and Microsoft Teams Voice with 3rd Party Call Recording
This case study showcases how Trustmarque helped Ashford Borough Council modernise its communication infrastructure, achieving their goals of simplification, cost savings, and improved collaboration through Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and related services.
Challenge
Ashford Borough Council is a local government authority responsible for providing services to residents and businesses in the Ashford area. The organisation planned to switch from Skype for Business and an on-premise Mitel platform to Microsoft Teams, aiming to utilise Teams for voice services for their back-office staff. The primary objective was to simplify their services, achieve commercial benefits and streamline communication channels.
“We chose Trustmarque as our partner due to the commercial benefits of buying through the Capita/KPSN contract, the benefits of their technical solution, and the flexible and responsive approach they took, even when last-minute additions were necessary.”
– Robin Jones, Head of IT & Digital, Ashford Council
Solution
Trustmarque provided Microsoft Teams Direct Routing (MSDR), Gamma SIP, and Geomant call recording services for 550 users, along with professional services to project manage and onboard the new solution.
The solution was chosen for its commercial benefits and the operational efficiencies gained from consolidating services, and aligning with Ashford Borough Council’s goals. After careful planning and detailed consultation, Trustmarque migrated the Council to Gamma SIP and Microsoft Teams Direct Routing with Geomant Call Recording Services, accomplished over a weekend.
“When faced with a migration like this, it’s crucial for companies to prioritise planning and choose partners who offer both technical expertise and implementation flexibility. We were pleased to have our competencies recognised by being selected for this project.”
– Howard Laban, Head of Voice Network Services at Trustmarque Solutions Ltd
Outcome
The solution provided cost savings, streamlined communication, and reduced operational complexities. This has resulted in all back-office staff being able to seamlessly use the Teams interface for both internal and external calling, enhancing efficiency and collaboration. Based on the success of this project, Ashford Borough Council may explore additional transformation initiatives in the future.
“The work with Trustmarque has driven our connectivity and networking solutions forward, and we hope to partner with them for future transformation projects.”
– Robin Jones, Head of IT & Digital, Ashford Council
