Anacortes OKs switch to Verizon Frontline, city cites emergency priority and net savings

The Anacortes City Council authorized the mayor to sign a contract to transition the city's mobile service to Verizon Frontline on Jan. 26, approving purchase order/contract 26036ITS002.

Administrative Services Director Emily Hsu presented the recommendation, saying Verizon Frontline is available under the Washington State and NASPO contract and provides priority and preemption for first‑responder communications during emergencies. "It's a specialized advanced network and technology that is specifically for first responders and public safety agencies," Hsu said, describing frontline features including priority routing and vendor crisis responses such as temporary generators and backup infrastructure.

Hsu told council the city would receive credit and rebate offers that equate to approximately $90,000 in 2026 and that ongoing service costs are expected to be about $24,000 less per year than the current provider. She noted some variance in the net first‑year savings because rebates depend on resale values of exchanged devices. Hsu also said the implementation plan would preserve current phone numbers and that migration would begin as early as February if the council approved the contract.

Council Member Milton moved to authorize the mayor to sign the Verizon contract; after a second and a voice vote, council approved the contract award. The contract is expected to lower recurring monthly cell‑service costs and offer prioritized network access for city phones during critical incidents. The council did not add conditions to the authorization and asked no further questions beyond clarifications about the estimated annual savings.