1. A new telephone solution, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has been acquired for Western Cape Education Department (WCED) Head Office buildings. VoIP is basically a telephone connection over the Internet. Data is sent digitally, using Internet Protocol (IP) instead of traditional analogue telephone lines.
2. We have now reached the implementation phase of the project, which necessitates the deployment of VoIP telephone instruments. A team consisting of Centre for eInnovation (CeI), Neotel and telecommunications officials will be installing new telephone instruments to all officials identified by responsibility managers stationed in the Grand Central Towers and Golden Acre Building.
3. The installation of telephone instruments will be done per floor and responsibility managers will be notified when the team will be installing instruments on their respective floor/s in advance. Responsibility managers must ensure that the team has access to all offices, workstations, boardrooms, etc. during the deployment of the instruments as the project team will be working under stringent timeframes.
4. Call privileges will be allocated as prescribed and any requests for deviations must be done in terms of Procurement Minute 0001/2014.
5. The Telecommunications Section is currently in the process of porting WCED telephone numbers from Telkom to Neotel. Officials are requested to make all outgoing calls via the new telephone instruments in order to test functionality and connectivity. Officials will only be able to receive incoming calls once the WCED’s telephone numbers are ported to Neotel.
6. Any faults or problems with the new telephone instruments can be reported to the Telecommunications Helpdesk at education.pabx@westerncape.gov.za. Under NO circumstances may officials unplug instruments as this will lead to the corruption of the device and/or Internet programming.
7. Once administrators have been trained by the service provider, training on the use of the VoIP telephone instruments will be made available on request.
8. All queries in respect of the above can be directed to the following officials:

Ms R Daniels
Ms S Nduna
Ms S Esau
tel. no. 021 467 2792
tel. no. 021 467 2503
tel. no. 021 467 2794
9. Kindly bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all relevant staff.
10. Your cooperation in this regard will be appreciated.


SIGNED: E VELDMAN
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: FINANCE
DATE: 2016:10:12