Supervisors approve plan to modernize county communications, projecting $7 million annual savings

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 28 to accelerate the county’s transition away from legacy communications systems — including desk phones and fax machines — toward modern, software‑based tools. The board said the move could capture about $7 million in annual recurring savings while retaining reliability and public access.

Supporters argued modernization is a practical efficiency step following years of remote and hybrid work that already rely on software tools. Vice Chair Montgomery Stapp and other sponsors asked the county administrative office to develop an e‑recycling plan for retired devices to ensure proper disposal and asset management.

Public commenters raised cybersecurity and redundancy questions, urging careful planning for backups and contingency communications. One caller asked whether the county will maintain redundant desk‑phone service for resilience; another recommended testing for privacy and cloud‑security implications before a full migration.

The board approved the motion and directed the CAO and relevant departments to proceed with implementation planning, procurement and an asset disposition plan. The approved direction requires staff to preserve public‑access channels during transition and report back on implementation and savings.