Digital Transformation

Digital transformation describes the ongoing efforts of government agencies, organizations and educational institutions to modernize their operations with mission-critical technologies. It’s a big topic, and one that requires making some strategic choices. While much of this discussion focuses on digital transformation as a technical challenge, I see it through a more customer-centric lens. I think of digital transformation as an exciting opportunity to substantially improve the way these organizations serve their constituents. Here I take a closer look at the powerful catalyst that makes digital transformation happen—a strong, secure and agile wireless network.

At a very basic level, a reliable, fast and secure communication and IT network is a vital part of every public sector organization. It connects the whole organization, and enhances collaboration and productivity, improves service delivery and helps reduce fraud and waste. The network provides critical touchpoints for the communities and constituents that these organizations serve.

Ultimately, networks are about people. How can we serve people better, whether they’re young students or elderly residents? How can we deliver the services that they need? How can we connect more deeply with them and improve their experience? From transportation to education, these core questions remain valid and important. The answer? Choosing the right communication network, one that lets you move beyond the limitations of legacy infrastructure and achieve new levels of efficiency, effectiveness and innovation. All while staying secure from threats today— and ready to keep evolving far into the future.

Customization is a key to digital transformation success

One of the most important factors we take into account when helping to build out a digital transformation strategy is that no two public sector organizations are alike. They’re remarkably diverse, encompassing fire and police departments, utilities, transportation hubs, educational institutions and more—each with specific needs. Every solution we deliver has to help solve the unique challenges of our customers.

Mobility expands connectivity

We live in a mobile-first world, of course. People want to be connected where they work and relax, and when they need to travel—whether it’s a trip to the DMV, a doctor appointment or to catch a flight. As a result, network connectivity options have expanded significantly to include fixed wireless access, private wireless networks, neutral host networks, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and more. Each technology offers specific strengths that make it the right fit for specific use cases. Here are some examples of how government agencies, organizations and educational institutions are using these networks to meet the needs of their constituents.

Providing in-building wireless access

As you’ve probably experienced firsthand, large public buildings housing multiple agencies, state or district courthouses, hospitals and labs, university student centers and other facilities are often challenging spaces for mobile communication. Thick walls and interior rooms deep within a building can deflect Wi-Fi and cell signals, limiting or blocking wireless connectivity. Compounding these challenges, public buildings serve a wide range of visitors, using diverse network providers. A neutral host network can bring reliable, flexible and cost-effective wireless connectivity to these buildings, providing employees, constituents and all visitors with high-quality wireless network coverage. It serves as a single shareable wireless foundation for reliable, high-performance public network coverage. Constituents can text or call key personnel, complete online forms, access self-service applications and have a frictionless experience—no matter what carrier they use. And a neutral host network provides seamless integration with Private 5G networking, mobile edge computing (MEC) and other advanced technologies, supporting ongoing digital transformation by making it easy to add networking options.

Improving wireless availability with fixed wireless access

While U.S. cities may have ubiquitous online access, many rural communities still lag behind. According to the Pew Research Center, 25% of rural residents don’t have access to high speed internet service, compared with 15 percent in urban areas. Key services impacted by lack of access to broadband include healthcare (including telehealth), education, public safety, and more. Fixed wireless access is a “last-mile” technology that provides internet service in key areas (e.g., rural areas and downtown districts) by using wireless links between fixed points, such as cell towers and well-sited antennae. At Verizon, we’ve helped K-12 school districts, rural towns and thousands of customers take advantage of fixed wireless access, which is simple to deploy and reliable. And it enables communities—and the public sector groups that serve them—to take advantage of the faster speeds and other advanced capabilities of 5G network connectivity. Fixed wireless access can also serve as a critical secondary connectivity solution for sites that require the highest levels of reliability and availability.

Benefit from the flexibility of private wireless networks

The diversity of state organizations and structures—from a college campus to an airport or transportation hub—requires an extremely flexible, customizable network solution, one that ensures reliable connectivity. A private wireless network gives your organization a dedicated network for connecting your mobile devices. It separates your data from public traffic and provides a direct connection back to your internal network. A private 5G wireless network can bring ultrafast, low-latency wireless connectivity to even the most challenging environments, and can enable use of AI and other bandwidth-intensive technologies. Verizon helps public sector customers use private wireless networks to get the precise, pervasive coverage they need, all with built-in security and low latency. For example, we recently helped a major U.S. port modernize its site with a private 5G network that provides coverage for over 250 acres. We provided a reliable, next-generation infrastructure that combines private spectrum tailored to the port’s needs with a dedicated 5G network infrastructure. Now the port has the high-reliability, low-latency connectivity needed for AI-driven safety/surveillance drones, connected trucks and mobile cranes and other mission-critical applications.

Supporting the growth of IoT devices

We’re seeing more and more agencies and organizations using IoT wireless devices to gather key information and insights, such as smart video installation for security and intelligent traffic monitors to aid first responders rushing to accident scenes. These devices unlock new capabilities, but they also require dedicated wireless connectivity. We recognize the importance of IoT devices and provide the reliable, fast connectivity they demand. We believe, that’s why Gartner recently recognized Verizon as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide.³

Digital transformation is a journey, not a destnation

With so many networking options to choose from, it’s more important than ever for these critical organizations to work closely with their service providers to create and calibrate a network that meets their needs today, and that can scale smoothly in the future—adding new users, devices and capabilities. As public sector organizations venture further in their digital transformation journey, wireless connectivity will empower them to take on new initiatives, such as enhancing citizen self-service, community outreach, distance learning, public safety capabilities and other services.As central as the wireless network is to today’s public sector organizations, I’m confident that it will be even more important in the future. Agencies and organizations that can evolve their wireless network rapidly and smoothly will be able to meet the ever-escalating expectations of their communities and constituents. That’s the power of customer-centric digital transformation.

Explore the many connectivity options that can power your digital transformation. Learn more.