Communication is a must for the City of Ripon given that the police dispatch center handles emergency calls that also include Escalon and Lathrop.

For that, a phone system upgrade was recently approved by the Ripon City Council, with the purchase of a new phone system – 8x8 cloud – and infrastructure to “not to exceed” $23,550.

The cost will be covered mostly by the General Fund (85 percent) along with the Water Fund (8 percent), Sewer Fund (6 percent) and the Garbage Fund (1 percent).

Chief Daniel Sauer of the Ripon Police Department noted in his June 10 staff report that the city currently operates an on-premises Private Branch Exchange system manufactured by Avaya.

This is a system that manages incoming phone lines from the City of Ripon’s current providers, Frontier Communications and TelePacific Communications, while directing calls to the appropriate phone.

The problem is that Avaya PBX system – originally installed in the early 2000s by the phone service contractor NWN Carousel – consisted of Avaya ceasing sales of parts for the system in 2009 and ending official support in 2016.

“As a result, any support required for the system is now provided by NWN Carousel on a time and materials basis,” Sauer said.

Meanwhile, the City owns the PBX system but does not have a contract with NWN Carousel, meaning the City’s primary expenses for the existing system are limited to phone line costs estimated at $55,800 per year.

“Because of the lack of parts and support available for the outdated PBX system, there would be no immediate solution if this system failed, potentially leaving the city without phone service for days or even weeks,” the police chief pointed out.

Staff reached out to multiple vendors in search of potential solutions, upgrades and possible replacements for the current system – 8x8 internet-based hosted PBX system was recommended.

The 8x8 system, for starters, is rated in the top 10 business VoIP providers for 2025, and comes with built in features at no cost.

Ric Small of WayPoint Network Solutions was among those who recommended the 8x8 system, having worked with 8x8 for several years – he found the platform to be both user friendly and customer service helpful.

And while the transition from the current on-premises PBX system to an internet-based system will require a coordinated effort – included would be the in-house I.T., phone service providers, and the 911 support team – 8x8 managed to provide the clearest explanation and the most helpful assistance regarding the transition process among the vendors that were evaluated.

Sauer pointed out that once 8x8 system is operational, the City, in turn, will be able to cancel the current phone line contract, eliminating the current annual expense of $55,800.

 “Additionally, the new system will modernize the City’s phone capabilities, enabling features such as auto-attendants, call screening, mobile app support, voice and video conferencing, call analytics, and a wide range of other advanced functionalities,” he said.