Communications and Interoperability

REPRINT

SquareLoop and Sprint deploy targeted mobile alert service

Written by PSIT Staff

The service, offering advanced, geographically targeted public safety alerts to mobile phones, will be available across Sprint’s two networks, enabling officials to send messages to subscribers based on the subscriber’s actual location.

“Sprint is excited to be the first wireless carrier to offer its customers the full capabilities of the SquareLoop technology,” said Chris Hackett, the vice president of Public Sector Sales Programs at Sprint. “This partnership reflects Sprint’s commitment to improve the customer experience by optimizing the delivery path for critical public safety text alerts to Sprint customers, allowing them to reliably receive these alerts when and where they are most needed.”

SquareLoop’s LBS technology lets public and private sector officials send geographically targeted messages to subscribers based on their actual location as they travel. Unlike other commercial LBS applications, which track a user’s location in real-time, SquareLoop’s Mobile Alert Network puts the intelligence in the handset to maintain subscriber location privacy. Other features include special alert tones and vibrating cadences, support for multiple languages, message groups, and a text-to-speech version that allows delivery of a message as an audio file.

“SquareLoop’s geographically targeted alert system increases the relevancy of every mobile alert sent and the chances of that message being acted upon,” said Tom Stroup, CEO of SquareLoop. “We are pleased to work with Sprint to implement a new standard for emergency messaging that enables location-based delivery of messages without the need for tracking wireless subscribers.” Contra

Costa County, CA, is the first jurisdiction to offer SquareLoop’s mobile text alert service to its residents. County officials will use this solution to send alerts about critical events that carry significant risk to the public. For example, officials can send messages to people who are in the vicinity of an emergency or natural disaster.

The county is a blend of heavily and sparsely populated areas and is home to a number of chemical plants, is prone to earthquakes and is close to ports and major highways. The addition of the new mobile alert system enhances Contra Costa County’s existing community warning system and better equips officials to effectively communicate with citizens. Residents in the county who are not Sprint customers will receive alerts via the more traditional SMS delivery method. However, SquareLoop anticipates that it will deploy its technology with other wireless carriers serving that area.

“Contra Costa County offers one of the finest public warning systems in the country, and the addition of SquareLoop’s capabilities is the next big step to ensure the safety of our residents,” said Art Botterell, Community Warning System manager for the Office of the Sheriff of Contra Costa County. “We now have even greater ability to communicate with specific information and in specific locations, without compromising the privacy of our citizens.”

SquareLoop offers its subscribers a range of emergency notifications, including severe alerts about events that pose significant danger and AMBER alerts. This solution meets recommendations proposed by the Federal Communications Commit-tee’s (FCC) Cellular Messaging Alert System (CMAS) Committee, including the ability to geographically target the alerts and to differentiate the alert tones and vibrating cadences.

The Mobile Alert Network will be available for federal, state, and local governments in other parts of the nation that sign up to have SquareLoop deliver emergency messages with participating wireless carriers in their area.

Jurisdictions can contract directly with SquareLoop to deliver geographically targeted emergency alerts. As an opt-in service, SquareLoop then delivers the messages to citizens who register via a Web site and have mobile services through a participating wireless carrier. Individuals are not required to pay for the alerts, though other fees may apply based on the service plan they have with their wireless carrier. For more information, visit www.squareloop.com.