Traditionally, municipalities have dealt with separate vendors for telephones and telecommunications, specialists for radio frequency technology, and network/data management firms for information handling and processing. Each of these vendors provides value, but different levels of connectivity.
Today, through the ubiquity of the Internet Protocol (IP) standard, many costs can be eliminated or reduced while simultaneously enabling work efficient work processes. Voice and data solutions have, in fact, converged such that they can use the same broadband connection eliminating redundant telecommunications charges. Voice mail, email and other systems can converge on mobile devices through what is called unified communications. Municipalities can grow with the right technology infrastructure.