
Is an open-source communications as a service (CaaS) solution all you need?
The UK Government Communication Service (GCS) prioritizes digital communication to enhance public service delivery, economic growth, and national security.
Their 2024/25 communication plan focuses on streamlining cross-government messaging, strengthening cybersecurity initiatives, and modernizing emergency alert systems.
However, this requires a well-integrated CaaS solution. They offer reliable, secure, scalable, and compliant solutions that adapt to evolving security needs.
In this guide, let’s explore the key benefits.
Why government and enterprises must adopt communications as a service
Communications as a service includes Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), covering all cloud-based communication solutions.
While UCaaS focuses on internal communication and collaboration, CCaaS is designed for customer-facing interactions. Together, they enable seamless communication across organizations.
The global unified communications as a service market size reached $76.7 Billion in 2024. According to IMARC Group, it is expected to grow to $360.5 Billion by 2033.

This rapid growth reflects the need for cost-effective communication solutions across industries. Here’s why adopting CaaS is essential:
1. Cost-effectiveness
Managing high-quality communication services is challenging with shrinking budgets. Cloud telephony is cost-effective, reducing upfront investments and ongoing maintenance costs. It’s an ideal alternative to traditional on-premises communication systems.
- No need for expensive hardware or complex maintenance
- Upgrade or downgrade based on demand, avoiding unnecessary expenses
For example, the National Audit Office reports that departments face constant budget pressures, especially in digital investments.
Home Office and Defra departments struggled to secure adequate funding for long-term digital transformation projects. With limited resources, they’ve had to rely on existing budgets to improve legacy systems.
In such cases, communications as a service solutions provide cost-efficient ways for public sector organizations to maintain modern communication infrastructure without additional financial strain.
Why governments choose CaaS
The local UK Government shifted to cloud telephony to optimize communication and improve operational efficiency.
For example, Trustmarque used Gamma’s services to upgrade a regional council’s telephony for 7,000 users with Microsoft Teams Voice, improving citizen engagement and streamlining internal communications.
With CaaS, you can deploy enterprise-grade communication at a fraction of traditional costs.
2. Scalability and flexibility
Communications as a service tools are flexible to handle sudden communication surges across multiple locations.
For example, during the 2023 filing season, the IRS scaled its cloud-based communication system to handle a massive increase in taxpayer interactions:
- 6.5 million calls answered
- Phone wait times reduced from 27 minutes to 4 minutes
- 92% of Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) reopened
IRS improved customer service without system failures.
Do you want to deploy AI-driven call routing systems and digital self-service portals rapidly? Cloud-based communication tools are the answer.
Also, you can scale communications without infrastructure limitations if you're overseeing multiple offices.
3. Enhanced collaboration and productivity
Collaboration has evolved into a system where a communications app becomes the center of every relevant thing you do daily. Now, you can work efficiently with:
- Cloud-based PBX systems: Reduces reliance on traditional telephony.
- Collaboration hubs: Integrates communication tools with existing business applications for streamlined workflows.
- Web real-time communication (WebRTC): Enables seamless, secure video calls and voice communication directly within browsers and applications.
The global UCaaS market is projected to reach $68.39 billion by 2028, driven by the need for integrated communication solutions.

With UCaaS, internal communications occur on a single cloud-based platform instead of scattered tools.
UCaaS is a key component of CaaS. Adopting communications as a service allows you to unify essential tools and enhance collaboration across departments, locations, and devices in real time.
4. Improved security and compliance
End-to-end encrypted tools are the norm in government and critical infrastructure, and communications as a service tools do not disappoint. You need not worry about unauthorized access or risk of data interception.
Secondly, maintaining compliance with industry regulations is crucial, and CaaS providers do not fall short.
In July 2024, the UK restructured its border security operations, replacing the Illegal Migration Operational Command with the new Border Security Command.
This reflects a stronger emphasis on border security, cybercrime, and compliance, reinforcing advanced security frameworks in government.
Moreover, previous research showed that businesses saved an average of $2.86 million with regular compliance audits. With CaaS tools, you can:
- Automate compliance tracking
- Streamline audit processes
- Reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining regulatory adherence
Compared to traditional legacy on-premises systems, cloud-based communication as a service solutions continuously adapt to evolving threats, offering stronger security and compliance.
5. Easy integration and continuous innovation
Communication as a service integrates with essential business applications, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
Did you know the global ERP market size was valued at $16.3 billion in 2023? It’s projected to reach $40.6 billion by 2033. This reflects the need for connected, automated business processes.
By integrating CaaS with ERP systems, you can share data in real-time, and improve cross-functional collaboration.
With open-source CaaS platforms, you can integrate emerging technologies, such as AI-driven analytics and IoT solutions, ensuring continuous innovation without expensive infrastructure upgrades.
Adopting an API-first approach further enhances your digital capabilities, allowing for seamless connection of various tools, from CRM to AI-powered chatbots.
In fact, 83% of companies now follow API-first strategies to improve operational efficiency and scalability.
Why Rocket.Chat is the ideal CaaS solution
Choosing the right CaaS platform isn’t just about communication when you manage classified data across global teams.
Let’s break down why Rocket.Chat is built for secure, high-performance communication.
Open-source flexibility
Rocket.Chat is built on an open-source framework. It provides unmatched customization and integration capabilities, so you can:
- Modify features to align with internal workflows
- White-label the platform to maintain brand consistency
- Integrate with project management, DevSecOps, and analytics tools
- Maintain control over your data and extend functionalities for your specific needs
Proven security
With robust security measures perfect for government agencies and enterprises, mission-critical communication is not a problem. Here’s why:
- Secure messaging with advanced end-to-end encryption
- Ensure compliance with industry standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2
- Restrict access with 180+ granular permissions for precise user control
- Deploy in air-gapped or on-premises environments to maintain data sovereignty in classified networks like NIPRNet
Rocket.Chat enables secure collaboration in highly regulated industries and organizations, such as the US Department of Defense and the US Navy.
Scalable architecture
Support thousands of users across departments while maintaining high performance:
- Multi-level security for the DevSecOps team
- Private network deployment on AWS, DigitalOcean, or on-premises
- Federated communication across agencies via Matrix protocol
Powering public safety communications
Secure communication is a necessity in the public safety sector. That’s why Bridge 4 Public Safety (Bridge4PS) leverages Rocket.Chat to build a secure platform across desktop and mobile environments.
Instead of relying on consumer-grade apps like WhatsApp and Signal, Rocket.Chat enables thousands of first responders across 400+ agencies to collaborate seamlessly.
By deploying the platform in AWS GovCloud, Bridge4PS ensures compliance with federal security standards while maintaining control over sensitive data.
Final note
Mission-critical communication needs require a cost-effective, scalable, and highly secure solution. Communications as a service solutions like Rocket.Chat are built for compliance-driven, large-scale deployments. Here’s why:
- Lower costs: The affordable Pro plan starts at $4/user/month, while the Enterprise plan is cost-efficient and helps you scale for large deployments.
- Scalability: Manage thousands of users via private cloud, on-premises, or cloud-based deployments.
- Collaboration: Streamline communication across organizations with federated chat, multi-org directories, and real-time messaging.
- Enterprise-grade security: Secure data with advanced end-to-end encryption, 180+ granular permissions, and be compliant with regulations like ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
- Deep integrations: Directly connect with 50 industry-leading tools, including Jira, Salesforce, MS Teams, and Google Workspace.
Rocket.Chat is more than a CaaS platform – it's an adaptable solution trusted by governments and enterprises worldwide.
Contact our sales team to discuss your organization's needs.
Frequently asked questions about <anything>
- Digital sovereignty
- Federation capabilities
- Scalable and white-labeled
- Highly scalable and secure
- Full patient conversation history
- HIPAA-ready
- Secure data governance and digital sovereignty
- Trusted by State, Local, and Federal agencies across the world
- Matrix federation capabilities for cross-agency communication
- Open source code
- Highly secure and scalable
- Unmatched flexibility
- End-to-end encryption
- Cloud or on-prem deployment
- Supports compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more
- Supports compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more
- Highly secure and flexible
- On-prem or cloud deployment