In any case with any provider, the local wireless representative will typically provide the same information about their company in a bid. Most customers are typically left with coverage maps and pricing for different device models and airtime. These bids and proposals often do not come with information pertaining to additional technology such as software for pagers and phones to enhance the way in which customer operations could run, any internal needs assessment of an underlying need to communicate within a department or across departments, and no real benchmarks to clearly differentiate themselves from their competition other than price and the personality of the wireless representative.
It is the responsibility of each organization to make the best purchasing decision they can when spending taxpayer dollars. Further, it is impossible for any person with purchasing power to become an expert in all technologies when making these decisions. This is expected to be even more challenging with new government money and new homeland security personnel. The same person or group of people state-by-state who will ultimately be responsible for wireless decisions will also be responsible for having expertise ranging from gas masks and electronic surveillance equipment to purchasing cars, trucks, and specialized vehicles.
Over the last ten years, Westlake and its management have witnessed significant mistakes made in wireless purchasing decisions by local and government agencies. In these cases, there was already little margin for error due to lack of additional funds. For any emergency service looking to expand its communication and wireless capabilities, we offer the following ten guidelines to help in making the best decision possible. You will find that portions of these guidelines can be used for any purchasing decision you may have, wireless or otherwise.