Phone Systems for Schools, Colleges & Universities
Transform communication with the best VoIP phone system for schools, colleges & universities. Upgrade your telephone system for modern education.
Why Schools Choose Titus
Cost Control
Reduce line rental and call charges with a VoIP system that fits your budget. Pay only for what you use and scale easily as your school grows.
Flexible and Secure
Stay connected across sites with safe call routing, voicemail, and call recording. Protect sensitive contact details and manage calls even during a lockdown.
Easy to Manage
Simple setup, training, and support keep your school’s phone system running smoothly. Make changes quickly without waiting on a technician.
Need Help Choosing the Right Telecom Solution?
Use the form below to tell us what you need help with. Whether you’re setting up business telecoms for the first time or reviewing your current setup, we’ll give you a clear, useful answer to help you make the right decision.
How One School Improved Daily Calls
The Challenge:
A local primary school was fed up with dropped calls and rising line rental bills on their old analogue phone system. Office staff wasted time managing contact details across different buildings, and there was no proper voicemail or option to pick up calls away from the desk.
What Titus Did:
Titus upgraded them to a simple VoIP phone system covering classrooms and offices. Staff now enjoy clear call quality, easy call routing, and voicemail that works every time. Calls can be answered on handsets or mobiles, so nothing gets missed. The school cut costs and now has a system that works, day in, day out.
See What Our Clients Are Saying
Schools & Education Telecom solutions
Reliable telecom solutions covering broadband, VoIP, phone systems, mobile, and IoT – built to support how you work.
Best Phone System for Schools: Choosing a Reliable VoIP Solution
A reliable phone system for schools isn’t just about taking calls at reception.
Good VoIP telephone systems for schools keep your whole community connected, from safeguarding students to keeping parents up to date.
This guide explains what a modern VoIP phone system can do for the education sector, how it works, and what to consider before you upgrade.
1. Why Upgrade to a VoIP Phone System for Schools?
Many schools still rely on a traditional phone system that ties them to old PSTN lines. But the UK’s PSTN and ISDN networks are shutting down soon, making a modern VoIP system the obvious choice.
Unlike an analogue phone system, VoIP uses your internet connection to handle calls, messages, and even video calls.
Switching brings clear benefits:
Lower running costs with no expensive line rental.
Easy upgrades and expansion without major hardware changes.
Secure features like call recording and voicemail.
Unified communications that support staff working across multiple sites or from home.
For schools that need to contact parents quickly during an emergency situation, or keep lines open during a lockdown, having a resilient, cloud-based system matters.
2. How Does VoIP Work in Schools?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It turns your voice into digital packets that travel over your broadband. There’s no need for old copper lines. Your VoIP phones connect through your network to a cloud-based service, giving you flexibility.
In practice, this means:
Office staff can answer calls on a desk handset, mobile, or laptop.
Teachers working remotely can pick up messages or join meetings.
Calls can be diverted if a school office is shut unexpectedly.
You can add new extensions without waiting for an engineer to install extra lines.
Many educational institutions appreciate how a VoIP phone system makes daily communication more efficient. By using modern VoIP technology, schools and colleges can respond faster to parents, local authorities, or other sites.
3. Key Features of a Good School Phone System
A reliable school phone system should be practical and easy to manage, with features that help day-to-day work run smoothly. When comparing options, check for:
Call quality that stays clear, even on busy days.
Call management tools, like hunt groups, auto-attendants, and voicemail.
Safeguard features, such as call logs for security and compliance.
Flexible routing to mobiles or other sites in an emergency.
Compatibility with your existing IT infrastructure.
For schools managing multiple buildings or sites, being able to share one phone system across all locations is a big plus.
4. How VoIP Supports Safeguarding in Schools
Safeguarding is a major concern for any school telephone system. With VoIP solutions, it’s easier to monitor, review, and protect calls. Call logs and call recording can provide useful evidence if needed.
For example, if a safeguarding concern is raised, you have a clear record of all relevant calls and messages.
VoIP’s flexibility also means you can update messages quickly – for instance, changing your on-hold message to notify parents during a snow day or local issue. Many schools find this level of control reassuring.
5. Cost Savings of Switching to VoIP
Budgets in the education sector are tight. Schools need a phone solution that saves money without cutting corners. VoIP removes expensive line rental fees and makes it simple to manage costs. You only pay for the extensions you actually use.
A VoIP phone system for schools can bring significant cost savings each year compared to maintaining an old analogue phone system. There’s less hardware to maintain and future upgrades are straightforward.
Some schools report savings of up to 40% on their annual phone bills once they switch to voice over internet protocol.
6. What Hardware Do You Need for VoIP?
One of the biggest myths about VoIP for schools is that you’ll need brand new phones everywhere. In fact, many VoIP phone systems work with a mix of new VoIP phones, desktop softphone apps, and mobile devices.
You could:
Use dedicated desk handsets for reception and admin staff.
Provide wireless headsets for teachers who move around a lot.
Set up mobile apps for senior staff who travel between sites.
Connect classroom phones for internal calls and safeguarding.
This flexibility makes it easier to scale up or down without replacing every handset at once.
7. Cloud-Based or On-Premises?
Choosing a cloud-based phone system means your setup stays simple. All your data, extensions, and call routing run through a secure remote server, removing the need for bulky equipment. Schools with more complex needs may prefer a hybrid approach.
A cloud-based system often works best for:
Multi-site schools or academies.
Schools with flexible working policies.
Colleges or universities needing unified communications.
It’s also a good way to keep your telephony future-proof as the telecoms network evolves.
8. How VoIP Helps in an Emergency
If there’s an emergency situation or unexpected closure, your VoIP system can redirect calls instantly. Staff can answer calls on their mobile device, update your main greeting message, or forward calls to a different site.
Having these options helps schools stay operational during power cuts, snow days, or building repairs. Many schools now see this resilience as essential, not optional.
9. Common Questions About School VoIP
Q: Will I lose my existing numbers?
No. A good provider will port your numbers, so parents and staff don’t need to remember new contact details.
Q: Is VoIP reliable?
Yes, provided you have a stable internet connection. You can add backup broadband or 4G failover for extra peace of mind.
Q: How secure is it?
Modern VoIP technology uses strong encryption to keep calls and contact details safe.
10. Making the Switch: What to Look For
When you’re ready to upgrade, find a partner who understands schools. They should:
Provide clear advice on VoIP options for the education sector.
Offer training and support so staff feel confident.
Be able to install and maintain the system with minimal disruption.
Support your safeguarding policies.
Check your current service provider for any notice periods or exit charges. A trusted provider will guide you through the switch and test the system thoroughly.
11. VoIP for Schools and Colleges: Real Example
A large secondary school in Yorkshire moved from a traditional phone setup to a full VoIP school phone system. They kept their main number, replaced outdated handsets, and added a softphone app for teachers. Call routing now lets reception direct calls quickly to the right department.
During a recent power cut, calls were instantly rerouted to senior staff mobiles, ensuring parents received updates. The school reduced annual phone bills by a third, helping protect their budget for other resources.
12. Why Schools Trust Titus Telecom
Titus Telecom provides flexible, cost-effective phone systems for education. We understand that every school, college, or university is different. Whether you need to replace a single analogue line or deploy VoIP and SIP across multiple campuses, we’ll make sure your telephony is simple to run and built to last.
