The use of pollable remote access units enable integration of phone systems with telecommunications management, plus system-wide access, monitoring and alarm notification that includes unmanned remote sites. Few telephone networks connect a user base that is involved in such a multitude of vital services as local governments.

In Pierce County, WA, that includes a plethora of departments and agencies: Emergency Management, Sheriff’s Department, the jail, courts, public works, parks, Assessor-Treasurer, Auditor, Health Department, even a portion of the 911 call center. Because of its vital importance, the modern Pierce County phone system has enough redundancy, or backup built into the system to enable routing around problems that would cause outages.