Telecoms Audit

Most schools are overspending on their telecoms—simply because they lack clear visibility of what “good” looks like. In our experience, 97% of schools we audit have opportunities to reduce costs and improve performance.

A telecoms audit from TGE Solutions provides a comprehensive review of your entire telecoms estate. We assess what you’re currently paying, the contracts you’re committed to, and—critically—how your phone system is actually being used. This includes analysing usage patterns, features in use (and those going unused), and overall system efficiency.

From this, we identify tangible cost savings, highlight areas for improvement, and ensure your solution is aligned with the needs of your school—both now and in the future. The process is straightforward, requires minimal input from your team, and the savings identified often exceed the cost of the audit itself.

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30 Years of Telecoms Experience

This is our foundation, not a bolt-on service. TGE Solutions was built on telecoms expertise developed over three decades. We understand what schools should and shouldn’t be paying for, and how to maximise the benefits of your phone system.
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No Products, No Bias

We have nothing to sell you - only clear, impartial advice. We don’t promote specific suppliers or solutions, and every recommendation in your audit report is based solely on what’s right for your school.
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Minimal Effort Required

We do the work - you provide the information. In most cases, schools simply share their current telecoms invoices and attend a short meeting to get started. From there, we carry out the analysis and return with a clear, jargon free report.
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The Problem

Why Schools Often Overpay for Telecoms

Telecoms bills rarely receive detailed scrutiny in most schools. They arrive, they’re paid, and that’s often where it ends. Contracts roll over, pricing remains static or gradually increases, and unused lines or services continue to be billed.

It’s not due to a lack of diligence; telecoms is a complex and often opaque market. Without specialist knowledge, it’s difficult to determine whether what you’re paying is competitive or appropriate.

In addition, many schools aren’t getting the most from their phone systems. Features go unused, configurations aren’t optimised, and systems aren’t aligned to how the school actually operates.

The most common issues we identify are overcharging on line rental and phone system costs, as well as payment for redundant services. These inefficiencies are rarely obvious without a detailed understanding of the market and how systems should be configured and utilised effectively.

The Service

What a Telecoms Audit Covers

The audit provides a full review of your school’s telecoms estate—covering everything you’re currently paying for, how services are being used, and where improvements can be made. This includes:

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Phone System Costs

Phone system rentals and leases, hardware charges, line rentals and maintenance contracts
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Unused Services

Lines or features still being charged for that you're no longer using
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Phone System Usage

Phone system configuration and the features you are using
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Contract Positions

When your current agreements end, and what options you'll have at renewal
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Expert Analysis

Advice on reducing costs and optimising your phone system to best suit your needs
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What You Receive

Your Audit Report

Your report is designed for clarity, not technical complexity. It’s written for school business leaders, setting out what we’ve identified, what it means, and the actions we recommend in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format.

Where savings are available, we clearly outline the opportunity and how to achieve it. Some actions can be implemented immediately, while others may align with contract end dates—in which case, we provide clear timelines to support forward planning.

If your current provision is already delivering good value, we’ll confirm that as well. In many cases, validation and reassurance are just as important as identifying savings.

Real Results

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

The savings schools find through a telecoms audit vary, but they are often significant, particularly given how tight school budgets currently are.

Here are some examples from schools we've worked with:

A small infant school

saved £1,879 per year, an 87% reduction on their previous costs.

A special school

found immediate savings of over £2,500

A primary school

identified savings of £4,000 per year

A cluster of primary schools

saved £16,000 over three years

A Multi-Academy Trust

covering eight schools saved more than £32,000 per year

Two large secondary schools

in a trust cut their annual costs by more than 50%

These aren't unusual results. They reflect what we consistently find when schools haven't had their telecoms independently reviewed.

What Schools Say

Trusted by Schools Across the UK

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The Investment

An Audit That Delivers Value

We recognise that budget pressures can make it difficult for schools to commit to additional spending—even where the potential for savings is clear.

In most cases, however, the savings we identify offset the cost of the audit, often multiple times over. While we can’t quantify this in advance without reviewing your current bills, our experience across hundreds of schools shows a strong likelihood of a positive return.

The audit is delivered on a fixed-price basis, with fees aligned to school type. We’re happy to confirm the cost upfront, so you have complete clarity before making any commitment.

After the Report

What Happens Next

The audit is a standalone piece of work. Once complete and your report has been delivered, the project is concluded.

If we identify that your school would benefit from a new phone system or a wider procurement exercise, we’ll outline the opportunity and what it would involve. Any next steps are entirely your decision—there’s no obligation to proceed further.

Where contracts are approaching renewal, we clearly highlight key dates so you can plan ahead and act at the right time, with all the information already in place.

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How It Works

What the Process Looks Like

Getting started is straightforward. Here's how it typically works:

Initial conversation

A short call or Teams meeting to understand your current setup and confirm what information we'll need from you.

You share your bills

We ask for your current invoices covering your telecoms costs. This is usually the extent of what we need from you.

We carry out the analysis

We review everything against current market rates, check your contract positions, and look for areas where savings are available.

You receive your report

A clear written report covering our findings, what they mean, and what we'd recommend you do next.

Follow-up

We'll follow up after the report to make sure everything is clear and answer any questions you have.
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For Multi-Academy Trusts

A Note for Multi-Academy Trusts

For trusts managing multiple schools, a telecoms audit provides significant strategic value. It’s common to see schools operating on different contracts, with different suppliers and pricing structures—even where services are broadly the same.

An audit across the trust gives you clear visibility of each school’s position, highlighting opportunities to standardise provision, consolidate suppliers, and achieve more competitive pricing.

We provide individual reports for each school, alongside a trust-wide overview—giving you both the granular detail and the strategic insight needed to make informed decisions across your estate.

Common Questions About Working with Us

Questions We're Often Asked

How much work does this involve for us?
Very little. In most cases, all we need is short meeting and copies of your current telecom invoices. You don’t need technical knowledge, and you don’t need to prepare anything beyond that. We do the rest.
How long does the audit take?

Once we have your invoices, we aim to turn around the report quickly. The exact timescale depends on the complexity of your setup, but for a single school it’s typically a matter of days rather than weeks.

What if we're already in a contract?
That’s fine, and it’s very common. Knowing where you stand contractually is part of what the audit tells you. If savings are available but you’re locked in for another year or two, we’ll set that out clearly so you can plan ahead and act when the time is right.
Do we have to do anything with the findings?

No. The report is yours to use as you see fit. There’s no obligation to take any further action, and there’s certainly no pressure from us to sign up for anything else. If you want to act on the findings, we can help with that. If you’d rather take it from there yourself, that’s absolutely fine.

What if the audit doesn't find any savings?

It does happen occasionally. If we find that you’re already getting good value for money, we’ll tell you that clearly. Either way, you’ll come away with a much better understanding of your telecoms position and your contract commitments, which is useful in itself.

How much does the audit cost?
We charge a fixed fee based on the type and size of school. We’re happy to give you a figure straight away, with no obligation. Just get in touch and we can confirm the cost for your school within the same conversation.
We've been with the same telecoms provider for years. Is it still worth doing?
Almost certainly yes. Schools that haven’t reviewed their telecoms costs for a while are often the ones where we find the most significant savings. Pricing in the telecoms market has changed considerably over the years, and long-standing contracts frequently don’t reflect what’s available today.
We're a small primary school. Will the savings justify the cost?
In most cases, yes. We work with schools of all sizes, and smaller schools often find meaningful savings even if the raw numbers are smaller. The audit fee for a primary reflects the scale of the work, and we wouldn’t encourage you to proceed if we didn’t think it was likely to be worthwhile. If you’re unsure, a quick conversation will usually give you a clear enough steer.

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