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U.S. Special Operations Forces Support Activity (SOFSA) Selects AtHoc IWSAlerts Integrated With Cisco IP Phones for Network-Centric Emergency Mass Notification
AtHoc's Innovative Mass Notification Technology Expands the Use of IP Telephony for Force Protection, Physical Security and Public Safety Purposes
| Source: AtHoc
SAN MATEO, CA--(Marketwire - November 2, 2009) - AtHoc, Inc., the pioneer and leader in
network-centric emergency mass
notification systems, today announced that the U.S. Special Operations
Forces Support Activity (SOFSA) has selected AtHoc IWSAlerts™
integrated with Cisco IP phones to fulfill its mass notification needs.
AtHoc is a Cisco Preferred Solution developer for the safety and security
market.
SOFSA, a unit of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM),
provides critical and rapid response for joint logistical support to
USSOCOM, focusing on Special Operations Forces (SOF) and SOF-unique
equipment.
With AtHoc, SOFSA is expanding the use of its core Cisco IP telephony
infrastructure for physical security and public safety purposes. The
solution will enable authorized operators to send emergency
notifications to targeted SOFSA personnel via audio visual alerts that
would appear on the phone displays and speakers. End-users will be able to
respond and acknowledge alert receipt using the IP Phone controls. AtHoc
IWSAlerts will track the responses and provide operators with a dashboard
that displays the real time status of personnel.
Additionally, SOFSA personnel will be able to trigger alerts from their IP
Phones via a "panic" button, which will be delivered via AtHoc in real time
to security personnel in SOFSA's operation center.
The deployment of AtHoc IWSAlerts by SOFSA further demonstrates the
adoption of 3rd generation net-centric mass notification technology for
military and homeland security purposes. Third-generation systems leverage
existing IP networks to: (a) communicate rapidly to all connected devices;
(b) integrate and unify disparate existing mass notification capabilities;
(c) provide bi-directional communication allowing collection of feedback
from all personnel; and (d) achieve enterprise-level scalability and
processes. The result is the most effective, enterprise-wide mass
notification capability with the best cost-to-benefit ratio.
"As part of the Special Operation Command, SOFSA has unique and stringent
requirements for force protection. The ability to deliver alerts to Cisco
IP phones extends AtHoc's already pervasive solution to yet another
effective channel that will ensure that targeted SOFSA personnel receive
the best possible protection in the event of an emergency," said Andy
Anderson, vice president of operations, defense sector for AtHoc. "The
integration with the VoIP phones gives SOFSA a powerful mass notification
system that leverages its existing infrastructure, saving money and
resources."
About AtHoc
AtHoc is the pioneer and recognized leader in providing enterprise-class,
network-centric emergency notification systems to military, government and
commercial organizations. AtHoc's products are used for physical security,
force protection, personnel accountability, recall and regulatory
compliance. Millions of end users worldwide, in organizations such as the
U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,
NASA, Microsoft, Boeing and PricewaterhouseCoopers rely on AtHoc's unified
management systems for their emergency alerting and critical communication
needs. AtHoc has partnered with market leaders including Microsoft, Cisco,
Dell, Harris, Siemens, MIR3, Avaya, Lockheed Martin and others to bring
these notification solutions to the public and commercial markets.
For more information on AtHoc, please visit http://www.athoc.com.