FeatureTel Replaces City of Durham Phone System with Unified VoIP Phone Services Solution

New Service Provides Critical Redundancy and Business Continuation Capabilities,
New Features and Functionality
APEX, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
FeatureTel Telecommunications, North Carolina`s premier hosted VoIP telephone
services solutions company, recently completed the installation of phones and
related services for 1,815 users across the City of Durham operations, including
police and fire rescue. The $1.63 million contract includes network equipment
upgrades and a three-year service agreement.

"We had realized for some time our system was antiquated," said Michiyo Wagner,
director of Technology Solutions for the City of Durham, the state`s fourth
largest municipality, "but the cost to upgrade had been prohibitive." In 2008,
Wagner issued an RFP for a hosted VoIP solution within the department`s existing
budget.

Wagner explained: "We wanted a solution that would unify the City`s phone
operations, provide redundancy in the case of emergencies, support us in
disaster preparedness and business continuation, upgrade the network
infrastructure, provide new phones and improve service, features and
functionality -- all within our existing budget. With FeatureTel, we got it
all."

The City`s previous telephone system required 67 different key systems. Users
could only transfer calls, including citizen calls, to others on their system.

"Since the old system had been installed 20 years ago, we`ve seen the advent of
cell phones, e-mail and other tools that needed to be incorporated into an
Integrated Voice Data communications system," Wagner said. "We wanted to upgrade
our system to improve our overall service to citizens as well as within City
operations."

Working as a team with the City of Durham`s IT Department, FeatureTel upgraded
the City`s network infrastructure to support the new VoIP phone service
solution. Then began a four-phase installation of the VoIP service, conducted
across 31 departments. FeatureTel ported 237 different telephone numbers -- each
with numerous extensions -- from the previous carrier to the FeatureTel service.
As a result, the City was able to disconnect 752 lines used by the old system.

According to Wagner, one of the most important results of the VoIP installation
has been system redundancy and ensuring business continuation. If a network
connection is lost at any site, users simply plug in their phones at another
location, including their homes if need be, to continue operations. Phones also
can be forwarded to mobile phones, providing more options in emergency response
and business continuation.

The new VoIP system also provides call level monitoring so additional resources
can be allocated in high volume situations.

"With our new VoIP system from FeatureTel, users can now transfer calls to any
user across the network," Wagner explained, "as well as direct-dial call using a
five-digit extension and transfer voice mails -- an enormous benefit in ensuring
citizen calls are easily directed to the appropriate person."

The $60,000 annual contract for adds, moves and changes is no longer necessary.
The new phones are moved much like moving a computer, and changes are completed
using a software application.

"The project was a great success, but this was by no means a simple process,"
Wagner said. "It took a great deal of planning and teamwork on everyone`s part,
and FeatureTel was excellent throughout. They knew us, knew our systems and were
and are very responsive."

The project was a win for FeatureTel, too. "The City of Durham`s needs were a
perfect fit for our services," said FeatureTel Founder and CEO Paul Levering.
"We knew that we could be successful if given the opportunity."

FeatureTel is now working on the next phase of the project -- deploying the
service`s web portal, a web-based PC interface that enables access to a range of
advanced services, from providing access to company and personal directories to
allowing users to view and work with voice mails in a voice inbox.

About FeatureTel Telecommunications

Founded in 2003 in Apex, N.C., FeatureTel Telecommunications is a fully managed
and Hosted IP Telephony service solution company, providing businesses across
the Carolinas with a cost-effective, feature-rich alternative to the traditional
IP PBX and voice solutions and eliminating the need for investment in a
telephone system. www.featuretel.com

MSS Communications
Sandy Scherer, 919-795-1762
sandy@msscommunications.com

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