How High Country Workplace Technologies helped a Texas public utility transition from legacy Cisco communications to enterprise cloud telephony and advanced customer engagement technology.
Industry: Public Utilities / Government
Customer: Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB), Brownsville, Texas
Technology: RingCentral RingEX and RingCentral Contact Center powered by NICE CXone
Implementation Partner: High Country Workplace Technologies (HCWT)
Project Scope: Approximately 600 users across 8 locations, plus an advanced customer contact center solution
The Challenge: Modernizing Communications for a Public Utility
Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) provides essential utility services to the Brownsville, Texas community. Reliable communications are critical to coordinating internal operations, supporting employees across multiple facilities, and helping customers access utility services.
BPUB was operating a legacy Cisco premises-based telephone system and call center infrastructure. As the organization evaluated its future communications requirements, it sought a modern cloud-based solution that could replace its aging infrastructure while providing greater flexibility, scalability, and customer service capabilities.
Through its competitive procurement process, RFP P066-24, BPUB sought a comprehensive solution that addressed both employee communications and customer contact center operations.
The requirements included:
- Replacing the existing Cisco premises-based telephone system.
- Supporting approximately 600 employees across eight locations.
- Providing enterprise cloud telephony with mobile and desktop applications.
- Modernizing the customer contact center with advanced call routing and interactive voice response (IVR).
- Supporting English- and Spanish-language customer interactions.
- Providing contact center reporting, supervisor tools, and workforce management capabilities.
- Supporting customer communications through multiple channels, including voice and digital interactions.
- Providing a scalable architecture capable of accommodating future growth.
- Ensuring experienced implementation, training, and ongoing support.
BPUB needed more than a replacement phone system. It needed an integrated communications strategy that would support both its employees and the customers who depend on its utility services.
The Solution: RingCentral RingEX and NICE CXone Contact Center
Following the competitive RFP process, Brownsville Public Utilities Board selected RingCentral and High Country Workplace Technologies to deliver its communications modernization initiative.
The selected solution incorporated two complementary cloud platforms.
RingCentral RingEX: Enterprise Communications Across Eight Locations
RingCentral RingEX was selected to replace BPUB's traditional Cisco telephone infrastructure with a modern, cloud-based unified communications platform.
The implementation scope included approximately 600 users across eight facilities.
RingCentral RingEX provides a centralized communications environment with capabilities including:
- Enterprise cloud-based telephone service.
- Desktop and mobile calling applications.
- Automated attendants and customizable call routing.
- Voicemail and business messaging.
- Audio and video collaboration.
- Centralized user and device administration.
- Support for remote and mobile employees.
- Enhanced 911 capabilities.
Moving to RingCentral RingEX provides BPUB with a communications foundation that is easier to administer and scale than a traditional premises-based PBX environment.
NICE CXone: Advanced Customer Contact Center Technology
In addition to RingEX, BPUB selected RingCentral Contact Center, powered by NICE CXone, to address its customer service requirements.
This was a significant component of the overall modernization project.
Public utilities manage a wide range of customer interactions, including billing questions, service requests, account inquiries, and outage-related communications. Their contact centers must be able to handle fluctuating call volumes while helping customers reach the appropriate resources.
The NICE CXone solution was selected to provide an advanced contact center platform with capabilities such as:
Intelligent Call Routing and Multilingual IVR
Advanced automatic call distribution (ACD), skills-based routing, and interactive voice response support more effective handling of customer inquiries, including English- and Spanish-language call flows.
Queue Management and Callback Capabilities
Virtual queue and callback functionality provide options for managing customer wait times during periods of elevated call volume.
Omnichannel Customer Engagement
The proposed contact center architecture included digital communication channels such as email, chat, and SMS, supporting a broader customer engagement strategy beyond traditional voice calls.
Supervisor Visibility and Performance Reporting
Advanced reporting and supervisor tools provide insight into contact center activity, call handling, agent performance, and customer interactions.
Workforce Management and Quality Management
The proposed NICE CXone capabilities included workforce forecasting, scheduling, quality evaluations, and performance management tools to support contact center operations.
Utility Application Integration Capabilities
The project proposal also addressed potential integration with BPUB's existing utility applications, including the Milsoft outage management system and Cayenta customer information system.
These integrations were identified as requiring additional discovery and implementation planning.
Together, RingCentral RingEX and NICE CXone established a modernization strategy addressing both internal communications and customer-facing utility operations.
High Country's Role: Implementation and Migration Expertise
High Country Workplace Technologies served as RingCentral's certified supplemental implementation partner for the BPUB project.
A migration of this size requires more than provisioning telephone licenses. It involves understanding existing communications infrastructure, coordinating multiple locations, configuring cloud services, supporting user adoption, and planning the transition from legacy systems.
High Country's RingEX implementation responsibilities included:
Discovery and Solution Design
Working with BPUB stakeholders to understand organizational requirements, user configurations, existing call flows, and deployment needs. RingCentral and HCWT achieved the following scope.
Enterprise RingEX Configuration
Building and configuring the RingCentral environment to support approximately 600 users across eight locations, including user accounts, extensions, devices, and organizational call flows.
Migration from Cisco
Coordinating the transition from BPUB's existing Cisco premises-based communications infrastructure to RingCentral's cloud-based platform.
Multi-Site Deployment
Providing remote and onsite implementation services to support a coordinated rollout across BPUB facilities.
User and Administrator Training
Helping BPUB employees and administrators become familiar with RingCentral's communications tools and management capabilities.
Collaboration with RingCentral Professional Services
Working within a broader delivery team that included RingCentral professional services for the NICE CXone contact center component.
This combined approach brought together High Country's enterprise telephony implementation expertise and RingCentral's advanced contact center professional services resources.
The Results: A Modern Communications Foundation
The RingCentral and High Country solution was implemented, marking an important milestone in BPUB's communications modernization initiative.
The project delivered a modern cloud communications environment designed around the operational needs of a multi-location public utility.
Key Project Highlights
600 users
Enterprise communications deployment sized for approximately 600 employees.
8 locations
A cloud communications architecture supporting BPUB facilities across its operating environment.
Two complementary platforms
RingCentral RingEX for enterprise unified communications and NICE CXone-powered RingCentral Contact Center for advanced customer engagement.
Legacy Cisco modernization
A transition away from traditional premises-based telephone infrastructure.
Public utility-focused solution
A communications strategy designed to support employee collaboration and customer-facing utility services.
Experienced implementation partner
Deployment services from High Country Workplace Technologies, a RingCentral Certified Delivery Partner.
The modernization gives BPUB a scalable foundation for adapting its communications and customer engagement capabilities as organizational needs evolve.
Frequently asked questions
What communications platform did Brownsville Public Utilities Board select?
Brownsville Public Utilities Board selected RingCentral RingEX for enterprise unified communications and RingCentral Contact Center powered by NICE CXone for advanced customer contact center capabilities.
Who implemented RingCentral for Brownsville Public Utilities Board?
High Country Workplace Technologies, a RingCentral Certified Delivery Partner, provided implementation services for the RingEX deployment and worked alongside RingCentral's professional services organization on the overall solution.
When was the Brownsville Public Utilities Board RingCentral solution implemented?
The solution was implemented in June 2025.
How large was the Brownsville Public Utilities Board communications migration?
The RingEX implementation was scoped for approximately 600 users across eight locations, with a separate advanced contact center solution included in the overall project.
What telephone system did Brownsville Public Utilities Board replace?
BPUB migrated from an existing Cisco premises-based telephone system to RingCentral's cloud-based communications platform.
Why did BPUB select NICE CXone contact center technology?
The selected NICE CXone-powered solution addressed BPUB's requirements for advanced customer call routing, multilingual IVR, contact center reporting, workforce management, and customer engagement capabilities.
Can High Country help other public utilities migrate from Cisco, Avaya, or Mitel?
Yes. High Country Workplace Technologies provides legacy PBX migration planning, RingCentral implementation services, multi-site deployment, user training, and ongoing communications support for public utilities and government organizations.
Why Public Utilities Choose High Country Workplace Technologies
Public utilities and government organizations often operate complex communications environments with requirements that extend well beyond basic telephone service.
These organizations may need to support multiple buildings, customer service departments, mobile employees, emergency communications, and integration with specialized operational applications.
High Country Workplace Technologies brings decades of experience implementing and supporting enterprise communications systems, including Cisco, Avaya, Mitel, and modern cloud communications platforms.
As a RingCentral Certified Delivery Partner, High Country helps public-sector organizations navigate the complete modernization process, including:
- Legacy PBX assessments and migration planning.
- RingCentral RingEX deployment and configuration.
- Coordination of advanced cloud contact center solutions.
- Multi-site implementation and user training.
- Cloud communications integration and ongoing technical support.
The Brownsville Public Utilities Board project demonstrates how High Country works with RingCentral to support large-scale communications modernization initiatives for public utilities.
Planning a Public Utility or Government Communications Migration?
Is your organization considering replacing a legacy Cisco, Avaya, Mitel, or other premises-based telephone system?
High Country Workplace Technologies helps municipalities, public utilities, school districts, counties, and other public-sector organizations evaluate and implement modern cloud communications solutions.
Whether your project involves hundreds of employees, multiple locations, an advanced customer contact center, or specialized integration requirements, High Country can help develop and execute a practical migration strategy.
Contact HCWT to discuss your organization's communications modernization needs.
Website: https://www.hcwt.com