Many states have undertaken long-range strategic planning regarding their telecommunications infrastructure given the importance of the networks to the state and the rapid pace of technological changes in the field.
State medical centers facing exclusion from local managed care networks and reduced revenues and public support are looking to expand markets for their services regionally, nationally, and internationally.
States are developing integrated statewide networks to provide voice, data and video communications services to multiple end users including state agencies, local and county governments, public health-care facilities, public schools and public libraries.