The SoftIPT application turns any laptop or PC into a fully functioning Internet Protocol (IP) phone, allowing calls to be made, received and handled by using the laptop’s built-in microphone and speakers, or by using a Bluetooth headset. This means that teachers can use the laptop to be contactable whenever they are connected to the network, either in classrooms, staff room, exam rooms or even at home.
By having their own phone, teachers do not need to wait for a shared phone and can easily place confidential calls from their classroom between lessons. Having the SoftIPT installed on a laptop also means that teachers have a phone available in exam environments, which is now a requirement for schools.
“Toshiba has strong solutions for the education market across the product range,” says Tim Webb, general manager of Toshiba’s Business Communications Division (BCD). “Our telecommunications solutions can help increase efficiency across the educational establishment but, for teachers, they need a mobile solution that enables them to be contactable wherever they are, and without additional hardware to carry around.”
Toshiba’s SoftIPT provides 20 flexible buttons that can be configured for special functions, or speed dials that will also show the status of colleagues, to see who is available, on the phone or in class. The SoftIPT needs to be connected to a Toshiba Strata CIX system and can help improve contact between teachers, administration staff, students and parents, as well as increasing efficiency. At a Typical Purchase Price of £89 per licence, schools with around 35 teaching staff can save over £3,000.