Peotone Approves New Phone System, Expects to Save Up to $750 Monthly

Village of Peotone Meeting | October 27, 2025

Article Summary: The Peotone Village Board has approved a new, modern phone system and related network hardware, a move that is expected to generate monthly savings of between $500 and $750. The village will enter a five-year agreement with Mokena-based Rival5 Technologies Corporation for the new VoIP phone service.

New Phone System Key Points:

• The board unanimously approved a 60-month contract with Rival5 Technologies.

• A related purchase of three Meraki ethernet switches and licenses for $5,505 was also approved.

• Village Administrator Nick Palmer projects the combined changes will save the village $500 to $750 per month.

• The new system offers modern features and more flexible line usage compared to the current, more expensive service.

The Peotone Village Board on Monday, October 27, 2025, unanimously approved a switch to a new phone system that promises both better technology and significant cost savings. The board authorized a five-year contract with Rival5 Technologies for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system.

In a related move, the board also approved the purchase of necessary network hardware, spending $5,505 for Meraki ethernet switches and licenses from Leading IT.

Village Administrator Nick Palmer, who conducted several months of research into different providers, told the board the current phone system, installed around 2020, is significantly overpriced compared to current market options. He projected that the new system, combined with other internet and fax service changes, will save the village between $500 and $750 per month.

“My goal… is savings but also good quality products with savings,” Palmer said.

The new system from Rival5, a Mokena-based company that serves several local school districts including Peotone, will provide modern features like voicemail-to-email. It also utilizes a more efficient “bursting” system for phone lines. Palmer explained that instead of paying for 16 dedicated lines for 16 phones, the village will pay for five lines that can be shared, with the ability to “burst” to accommodate up to 10 simultaneous calls without a busy signal, saving money on unused capacity.