When will it all happen?

Our original intention was that the project be completed in 2010.  However, a number of unforseen delays have pushed the roll out of phone instruments into 2011.

The roll-out will start with the deployment of two new PBX systems, one in each of the Struben building and the Africa Media Matrix. Together these will form the core of the new telephone network and all the new telephones will connect to them. Initially these two new systems will run in conjunction with the old PBX. This was completed on schedule in October/November 2010.

Over a period of a few months we will then work our way through campus, one building at a time, replacing telephones. The exact order in which we do this will depend on a number of factors, not all of which have been determined at this stage. One important consideration, however, will be to reduce the number of rented lines as quickly as possible — this means areas with high concentrations of phones will probably take precedence over areas with low concentrations, and that existing IP telephone services are likely to be some of the last that we replace.

Detailed planning

Our initial detailed rollout plan fell by the wayside in December 2010, when a number of unanticipated problems stalled the rollout. Our project management team is now re-designing the roll out plan, and we'll start posting it on this site over the next few weeks.