Case Study: St. Matthew’s Lutheran School achieves major phone cost savings and rapid service restoration with 8x8’s E‑Rate hosted VoIP

School Cuts Phone Costs with E-Rate Subsidy Program and Hosted VoIP Service from 8x8

St. Matthew’s Lutheran School in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (pre-K–8, 147 students) lost its aging, donated PBX to a lightning strike in June 2010 and urgently needed a replacement. On‑premises PBX quotes topped $10,000, a price the small school could not afford.

8x8 helped the school access federal E-rate discounts and deployed hosted VoIP (Virtual Office) within two weeks—installing 20+ extensions and 30 phones with just $1,600 in upfront costs—and enabled features like an Auto Attendant to handle calls. The hosted solution restored full phone service quickly, eliminated PBX maintenance overhead, and delivered ongoing cost savings that competitors have not been able to match.

St. Matthew's Lutheran School

George Zaferos

School Business Administrator