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Using call list management products, such as Dialogic Communications Corporation's (DCC) The Communicator™ and Reciprix™, or Innovatia's hosted Civic Notification application, public officials identify the specific telephone numbers the alert data messages are to be transmitted to, and define the message(s) to be transmitted. The addition of Bradshaw Consulting Services (BCS) geographic information system tools, GeoNotify™ and GeoStorm™, gives authorities the opportunity to narrow their alert to event specific locations. Many Message Create applicatons will also include inbound and outbound voice messaging, email, paging and fax capabilities.
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Alert data messages, created to the requirements specified in Telcordia Technologies Technical Memorandum TM-26023, A Proposed Signal and Data Protocol and CPE Compatibility Considerations for Transmission and Reception of Public Safety-Related Alerting and Information Messages Using GR-30-CORE Voice Band Data Transmission, are rapidly transmitted over specific telephone lines. In some standalone systems the Message Send application will be located with the Message Create application, in others it will be located in or near a carriers central office, and in the case of some wide area hosted service networks, the application may be located hundreds or thousands of miles away. System capacity considerations are engineered into the Message Send application.
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Central office switches serving the lines to be notified require a feature that allows the
Message Create application to make suppressed ring calls. The interface between the
Telephone Network and the Message Create application is one or more trunks provisioned
for suppressed ring calls.
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 Inexpensive notification appliances simply plug into a standard telephone jack and electrical
outlet (have battery back up). They then continuously watch for, detect, and respond to alert data messages with an audible alert, visual alert, and a time stamped text message, which is stored and displayed for all present to read first hand. Notification devices featuring ClassCo's VoiceAnnounce® actually speak out alert messages (E.g. "Tornado Alert" - see demonstration). The addition of an interface with X-10 and CeBus products, allows for remote lights, alarms, or other appliances to be activated to meet special needs. Specific product feature requirements and considerations are defined in the Telcordia Technologies Technical Memorandum TM-26023.
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Systems can scale from a single station and single central office switch to a wide area network that can serve an entire state or province. Hosted services, such as the Innovatia web accessed Civic Notification application, offer the opportunity of providing secured access to a number of authorities, including industry safety officers or various levels of government, from the convenience of their own remote locations.
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Some telephone companies are taking the service lead, and others will simply sell network access and telephone number data. A few of the many service options for carriers include:
1. End-to-End Application Service Provider (ASP): Carrier will host the Message Create and Message Send applications. The customer buys service and does not need to purchase or maintain any software applications.
2. Data Transmission: Customers purchase their own Message Create solutions, and have them interface with the carriers Message Send applications.
3. Network Access: The carrier simply sells trunks provisioned for making suppressed ring calls through their central office switch. The customer
purchases their own Message Create and Message Send applications.
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In cooperation with industry leaders Telcordia Technologies, Inc., Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC), Bradshaw Consulting Services, Inc., ClassCo Inc., Cybiotronics Ltd., SAIC Canada, BellSouth, NB Tel an Aliant Company, NB Hydro, and numerous federal, state, provincial and municipal public safety officials, the Allport Methodology has been tested in U.S. and Canadian public trial sites.
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© Copyright Allport Group Inc. 2001, www.AllportGroup.com
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