Colchester switching to Internet phone system

In the news: Colchester is preparing to move its telephone system for town facilities over to Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, Facilities Director Greg Plunkett said Friday.

What it is:VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) uses the Internet instead of traditional phone lines to send and receive calls. Popular commercial VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services include Skype and Vonage.

Benefits:The main benefit to the move would be financial. Colchester spends about $34,000 in this year’s budget on telephone service. Some of that money would be spent to set up the VoIP system. “The savings would be put toward a reduction in the operating budget,” Plunkett said.

Keeping some lines: The town would keep some traditional phone lines, Plunkett said. These include lines for fire alarms, security and elevators. As well, the VoIP lines would have a contingency to remain usable in case of a power failure, he said.