‘We switched over at 8am with no complaints because everyone could just work as usual.’
—Andrew Bluett, Information Services Manager, Kawerau District Council
Background
Kawerau District Council is the smallest local government in New Zealand by land area, located in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island. The Council serves approximately 2,700 residential ratepayers, 250 commercial and industrial organisations, and several rural and lifestyle properties.
With around 90 full-time employees operating across multiple sites — including a head office, operations depot, information centre, aquatic centre, library, wastewater treatment plant, solid waste transfer station and accommodation lodge — the Council supports a diverse range of community services and critical infrastructure.
Changes in working patterns following the pandemic, alongside shifting customer expectations and service delivery requirements, prompted the Council to reassess how it communicated with both staff and the wider community.
We spoke with Andrew Bluett, Information Services Manager from Kawerau District Council, to get an understanding of how their relationship with BayCom helped them streamline communication.
The Challenge
Modernising communications had been a priority for the Council since the pandemic began. However, progress was limited by ageing copper-based infrastructure and inconsistent mobile coverage, particularly across rural and remote locations.
The need for reliable communications became even more urgent following a series of high-rainfall events in 2022 and 2023, which highlighted the importance of dependable systems for civil defence and emergency management.
A major turning point came with the upgrade of terrestrial services from copper to fibre, combined with the introduction of Starlink connectivity for remote sites. With the right connectivity in place, the Council was finally able to move forward with a modern, cloud-based communications approach.
The Access4 Partnership
BayCom, a long-term technology partner to the Council, was engaged in 2023 to assess and trial potential solutions. Trust and proximity were key considerations. ‘We wanted someone who, if everything stopped, would be close enough to assist us,’ Bluett explained.
While several options were explored, concerns remained around call quality in rural locations and the usability of app-only or PC-based calling solutions. ‘I’ve seen many councils struggle with moving from desktop phones to PC-based apps. Many users found it difficult to adjust,’ he noted.
BayCom recommended Access4’s SASBOSS® platform, which performed strongly during trials and addressed concerns around call quality, flexibility, and resilience. Bluett said the ability to route calls over the open internet aligned directly with the Council’s business continuity requirements. ‘Staff can simply unplug their desk phone, take it home or to another location, plug it into an Internet router, and continue their calls.’
Business Outcome
The transition to Access4 was carefully planned and executed, with BayCom pre-configuring the system and providing onsite support during the cutover. As Bluett explained, the switchover was seamless. ‘We switched over at 8am with no complaints because everyone could just work as usual. That’s huge. I’ve never had a telephony rollout like that. It’s normally a nightmare.’
Moving to a cloud-based platform also allowed the Council to decommission rack-mounted infrastructure. Bluett said this significantly reduced complexity and power consumption. ‘It resulted in a significant reduction of equipment required in the server room – we just pulled it out and will never need it again.’
While still early in the transition, the Council expects further operational and cost efficiencies as the platform continues to be embedded across services.
Staff Outcomes
Access4’s flexibility proved particularly valuable at remote sites, including the Council’s solid waste transfer station, previously constrained by a long copper connection. By deploying Starlink alongside an Access4-enabled desk phone, staff were able to make and receive calls seamlessly. ‘With Starlink on the roof and this telephony product, we’re in action, simple as that.’
Bluett said this ensured staff remained supported regardless of location, while meeting health and safety requirements. ‘It just works perfectly and means our staff are fully supported even at this more remote area – an essential requirement to meet our Council’s health and safety standards.’
Conclusion
A standout benefit of the Access4-powered solution has been the introduction of call reporting and live analytics through iCallSuite. Previously, the Council relied on expensive add-ons to gain even basic visibility into call performance.
Now, Bluett said, access to real-time data has transformed how the organisation understands demand and allocates resources. ‘Once you understand your business, you can ensure that resourcing is effective in the right areas and meets our customers’ needs.’
With clear visibility into call volumes, call duration and demand patterns, the Council can benchmark performance, plan future capacity, and improve customer service outcomes.
‘It’s proving a great investment. We can measure our current performance and plan for future needs of our organisation. It’s helping us effectively serve our community.’
