Alteva Taps Hosted VoIP for Education via E-Rate

Enterprise hosted VoIP provider Alteva has joined the Universal Service Administrative Co.’s Schools and Libraries Program’s E-Rate program. Institutions can now use government funding to purchase Alteva’s services.

E-Rate discounts are provided to assist most schools and libraries in the U.S. obtain affordable telecommunication service, Internet access and phone hardware. Discounts up to 90 percent of the costs of eligible services are given, depending on economic need and location.

Through E-Rate, a participating school or library is responsible for providing additional resources such as end user equipment (computers, telephones, etc.), software, professional development and other elements necessary to realize the objectives of that connectivity. Four service categories are funded: telecommunications services, Internet access, internal connections – other than basic maintenance – and basic maintenance of internal connections.

“By expanding our presence in the education market, we’re able to offer a feature-rich hosted telephony solution to the educational community, bringing innovative communications right into the classroom, while at the same time offering dramatic discounts for authorized services through the E-Rate program,” said Louis Hayner, vice president of sales at Alteva. “Alteva’s hosted solution is now a preferred choice for nonprofit private schools, public schools and libraries who are allotted only a certain amount of spending per month on telecommunications.”

Alteva’s IP phone service provides hosted IP PBX and calling functionality over a single IP network interface.