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Local Control, Regional Reach Because talkgroups are set up by each system user to conform to the speafic requirements of the respective agency, local police, fire, EMS and other user entities retain full command and control of their internal communications. Procedures and practices can continue to be based on the unique desires and needs of each junsdiction. But when people from outside agencies and junsdictions need to reach out and talk together, a set of procedures and talkgroups have been created to make such communication easier than ever before. More Cast Effective Sharing the backbone has resulted in significant savings for local governments. When the new system was planned, most public safety two-radio systems in use in the Twin Cities area were antiquated, many dating badc to the 50's and 60's. Advances in technology had rendered them virtually obsolete. Population increases and the growth of the urban area urgently required new solutions. While the cost to build the new region-wide backbone was significant at some $32 million, if each participating entity had gone its own way and built independent new systems, costs would have climbed much higher. For example, Hennepin Courity estimates that upwards of $10 million was saved through the decision to share resources. Advanced Technology The new system is fully digital, built on the most advanced platform available. Utilization of the widely accepted Project 25 standard, an open architecture, ensures that portable and mobile radios will be marketed by a vanety of manufacturers.The availability of competitive models will allow users the flexibility of choosing from a wide range of features and pnces. The largely software-based system design also means that, as future technological enhancements are developed, the system can be upgraded at minimal cost. Expandable and Scalable Expandability and scalablility have been planned in the system design. As populations grow and as more local governments opt to fully participate, the backbone is built to accommodate the need for greater capaaty. Likewise, as the need for improved public safety communicatione�ends beyond the Metropolitan Area, the potential for an integrated statewide system can be realized. Improved Interoperability for all Agencies Even those local agenaes that are not yet participating fully will enjoy improved interoperability. Radios that communicate with the backbone are accessible to all dispatchers in the Metropolitan region and to many in surrounding counties. Conver�ional analog radios in use by non-participating users can be connected to first-phase participating users through their dispatch consoles.