USA Mobility intros campus-based private messaging soln

ALEXANDRIA,USA: USA Mobility, Inc., a leading provider of wireless messaging and communications services, has announced the availability of a campus-based two-way messaging network, called I-LAND, which provides fast two-way messaging throughput within a campus area combined with the ability for users to roam onto the Company’s wide-area network when off campus.  

Initially targeted for larger hospital facilities and local governments, I-LAND eliminates the need for hospitals to use separate wireless networks, one for time-critical in-house messaging, such as code messages, and another for paging applications where broad coverage is more important. The I-LAND system is compliant with HIPAA regulations that ensure patient privacy.

Hospitals and local governments require fast throughput for much of their electronic communication so they can communicate quickly to first responders and other emergency personnel in cases of natural disasters, public safety issues and events affecting the public infrastructure. When using public wireless networks, these critical messages must compete with other public messaging traffic, often causing delays in transmission, especially in cases of emergency and disaster events that cause a spike in all forms of public messaging.

The I-LAND solution offers hospitals and local governments the advantages of a private dedicated messaging system to ensure fast throughput at all times. In addition, users are able to roam outside the boundaries of the private system onto USA Mobility’s wide-area network, which offers the largest geographical paging coverage in the United States.

Vincent D. Kelly, president and chief executive officer, said: "At a time when local governments are facing tight budget constraints, they are now able to implement a private messaging system covering their jurisdiction that will cost-effectively satisfy their need for fast emergency messaging. And, in doing so, they will be able to avoid the capital and operating expenses of building and managing an in-house paging capability.” Kelly added that USA Mobility plans to beta test I-LAND at a large hospital during the fourth quarter and to deploy the service nationwide in the first quarter of 2010.

Kelly said I-LAND combines the benefits of a private network with the advantages of an extensive nationwide network, including reliability, broad coverage, message delivery acknowledgement, high-quality service, and access to skilled technical support. “In addition,” Kelly noted, “USA Mobility’s comprehensive paging services offer the benefits of interconnectivity among many communications platforms and providers as well as the latest two-way devices and transmission equipment. Moreover, our interconnected network ensures that healthcare and public safety personnel can use their devices whenever they travel. Plus, unlike in-house paging systems of the past,” he added, “there is no longer a need to issue two devices for personnel who need to be contacted while away from their primary work facility.”

Thomas G. Saine, chief information officer, said the ability for users to roam onto USA Mobility’s wide area network is what sets I-LAND apart. “When a user is within the coverage area of the I-LAND network, their device will send and receive messages with the code-ready speeds and dependability only private messaging systems can provide,” he explained. “However, if a device should leave the campus coverage area, I-LAND hands the device off to the wide-area paging network for uninterrupted service. The assured message delivery function inherent in our ReFLEX network ensures that no messages will be dropped during the transition.” Saine said the I-LAND solution will include use of the Company’s exclusive ST902 battery-powered two-way pagers, which were introduced earlier this year.

Saine pointed out that I-LAND will require minimal on-premise equipment for customers. “The input, processing and output control infrastructure is actually located at our operations center in Plano, Texas. That means faster time to deployment and a more secure platform because I-LAND is a provider-hosted solution and thus free of the maintenance concerns normally associated with an in-house paging system.” He also noted that I-LAND can serve as the cornerstone of a customer’s emergency communications plan. “If hospitals or government agencies opt to tie the I-LAND transmission components to their existing backup power supply, communications won’t go down in the event of an external grid interruption.”