Campus safety is always a top priority, but for Whitworth University, managing emergency communications had become a complicated and costly challenge. The university had a 911 solution in place, but every small update—like integrating Microsoft Teams alongside Cisco UCM—came with additional fees and administrative hurdles. This made keeping the system current and compliant more difficult than it needed to be.
“Our previous provider wanted to charge us for every little change. We needed a solution that worked seamlessly with Teams and Cisco without breaking the budget,” said Omar Campos-Ertel, Systems Administrator at Whitworth University.
Searching for a Smarter Solution
Whitworth knew they needed a smarter, more flexible approach to 911. Reliability, compliance, and ease of use were non-negotiable. They turned to their trusted vendor, CompuNet, for guidance—and that’s when 9Line entered the picture. With a proven track record of seamless integration and strong customer support, 9Line offered exactly what Whitworth was looking for.
With 9Line, Whitworth could:
- Route 911 calls directly from Microsoft Teams and Cisco UCM without complex workarounds.
- Make updates and changes easily, without incurring surprise fees.
- Streamline compliance and internal testing with an intuitive, easy-to-use platform.
“The ability to easily point Teams and CUCM to 9Line for 911 calls—it works fantastic!” Omar shared.
A Smooth Transition
Implementation was surprisingly smooth. The 9Line team worked closely with Whitworth’s IT staff and CompuNet engineers to ensure a seamless transition. Training and support were provided every step of the way, giving the university staff the confidence to manage the system on their own.
“9Line was excellent at guiding us through setup, and we received all the support and training we needed,” Omar said.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Since switching to 9Line, Whitworth University has seen major improvements in how emergency communications are managed:
- Efficiency: IT staff can now handle emergency system updates quickly and easily.
- Reliability: 911 calls are routed accurately and consistently across both Teams and Cisco UCM.
- Compliance: Internal testing and audits are simpler and less stressful, ensuring the university stays fully compliant.
“I am very confident when folks make 911 calls now, more than I was with our previous provider. Compliance is very important as well,” Omar noted.
Although the campus hasn’t faced a major emergency since 9Line was implemented, rigorous testing shows that the system is ready to perform flawlessly whenever it’s needed.
Why Whitworth Recommends 9Line
For Omar, the decision to switch to 9Line was simple. He recommends the solution to other universities and institutions looking for a reliable, cost-effective 911 system:
“Go with 9Line. Their support is excellent, and the reliability and efficiency of the product is top-notch. Teams and Cisco are working perfectly with 9Line, and the notification options are outstanding. It’s the best 911 provider I have encountered.”
With 9Line, Whitworth University has turned a complex and costly challenge into a reliable, streamlined system that enhances safety across campus—showing how smart technology and strong support can make all the difference in emergency response.