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An acceptable Mass notification system should provide the following features:
- Can alert occupants and personnel within seconds during emergency situations
- Uses live and pre-recorded voice messaging and visual alerts to instruct people what to do
- Can notify all people during an emergency situation, including public areas and non-listed occupants
- Able to initiate different alerts to different buildings/zones
- Keeps owners in full control of the system management and operation
- Uses reliable communication lines that are not prone to fail during emergencies
- Can initiate mass E-mail and Phone messaging during non-emergency situations
- Backed by a company with large customer base and many years in the wireless paging market
The best way to determine whether the AlertWave is the best solution for Emergency Warning and Mass Notification applications is by comparing it with all other existing technologies and solutions, one parameter at a time:
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1. Capable of warning people within seconds using voice prompts,telling them what happened, how to react and able to repeat the alert until a clear signal is issued
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Email Text Messaging
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No Voice ability! Email communication is quick for pre-programmed text messages, the time to reach each subscriber is unknown as is based on email sever queue and how often a subscriber is checking his/her E-mail that can take from minutes to hours! Useless during class or night time.
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Phone Voice Massage Distribution
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Time consuming due to its sequential dialing to each subscriber and the need to wait for answer/feedback. Server queue to reach thousand can take hours - non-practical for most emergency situations. Not reliable during class or night time when phones are off or muted.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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2. Able to initiate different instruction to each area/building. For example, evacuation instructions for one building are different than for other buildings(exits/ floor plan are different).
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Email Text Messaging
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Insufficient as the system can't tell where each subscriber is located and at what building or zone. Not reliable during class or night time.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Insufficient as the system can't tell where each subscriber is located and at what building or zone. Not reliable during class or night time when phones are off or muted.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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3. Gives the system owner full control over the system during emergency situations, with full ability to initiate 'live messages' and change instruction within seconds.
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Email Text Messaging
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Owner is fully dependent upon third party services and reports (unless it is an in-house system).
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Owner is fully dependent upon third party services and reports (unless it is an in-house system).
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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4. Overall system and installation cost
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Email Text Messaging
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Relatively low cost solution utilizing third party services.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Relatively low cost solution utilizing third party services.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Very expensive equipment and installation cost.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Moderate equipment and installation cost.
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5. The flexibility to add or expand the system as needed after the initial installation
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Email Text Messaging
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Easy. Subscribers can be added easily.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Easy. Subscribers can be added easily.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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More Wireless Remote Devices can be added as needed to improve or expand coverage.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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More Wireless Remote Devices can be added as needed to improve or expand coverage.
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6. The ability to use one high power transmitter to cover any sized area. An option for a remote 'Hot Standby' backup system in case the main system is down.
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Email Text Messaging
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N.A.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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N.A.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Using low power RF repeaters in a "Daisy Chain" configuration (where each repeater) is fully dependent upon one another to receive and re-transmit the signal). Presents a significant problem when one area/building is "down" during an emergency situation or technical problem, the communication link to all other areas is disabled. Another disadvantage is the need for daily maintenance of many transmitters instead of one adding significant cost
and labor. No option for a backup system.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Uses one central high-power RF transmitter to cover any sized area. Provides an option for a 'Hot Standby' backup transmitter if the main system is down.
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7. Uses secure reliable communication lines during emergency situations, client dedicated FCC frequency and not sensitive to RF interference.
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Email Text Messaging
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Uses Ethernet lines, if local network is down there is no other way to communicate. When using third party services, internet lines are prone to malfunction during emergencies, nature disaster or servers overload.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Uses phone and internet communication. Phone and internet lines are prone to malfunction during emergencies, nature disaster or lines/servers overload.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Using 'Public' low-power RF band, sensitive to outside interference, no client dedicated FCC licence.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Uses dedicated FCC approved frequency for each client, utilizing a proven voice and data paging RF band. Includes user controlled secure activation modes.
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8. Able to combine all of the Emergency Alert Technologies into one in-house system (including live and pre- recorded voice messaging, alarm and event monitoring, mass e-mail text and phone list messaging.
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Email Text Messaging
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E-mail only.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Phone messaging only. Outside service in most cases
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Can't provide E-mail and phone messaging
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Provides 'live' and pre-recorded voice messaging, visual and text messaging, alarm and event monitoring, mass E-mail text and phone list messaging.
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9. Ability to integrate with in-house systems (Public Address system, Fire Alarm, Security systems, Access control, etc).
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Email Text Messaging
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N.A.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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N.A..
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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10. Provide a mobile control device to enable security patrol to use the remote device wireless infrastructure, to notify specific zones/building/floors with emergency or non-emergency situations.
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Email Text Messaging
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N.A.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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N.A.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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11. The ability to be used during non- emergency situation to provide public address, phone and text messaging announcement to improve overall communication and better return on investment.
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Email Text Messaging
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Capable.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Limited. Depends on subscriber cooperation.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Capable.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Capable.
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12. Able to provide remote units testing throughout, supervision and full documented report for every emergency and non-emergency activation.
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Email Text Messaging
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Limited. Depends on subscriber cooperation. Reports are generated by outside third party.
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Phone Voice Message Distribution
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Limited. Depends on subscriber cooperation. Reports are generated by outside third party.
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'Frequency Hopping' Wireless Technology
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Offers remote units testing and supervision, instant reports can be generated at any time with full owner control.
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Wireless AlertWave System
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Offers remote unit 'silent' routine testing procedure and detailed reports for each system emergency and non-emergency daily activities.
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