SouthernLINC - Press Releases
New phones, Push to Talk and iTRAK GPS tracking solution give Florida transportation service tools to increase safety, security for elderly, disabled
ATLANTA – Sept. 17, 2008 – SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), today announced that it has been selected to provide service and phones equipped with GPS tracking capabilities to Tri County Community Council in Bonifay, Fla. The Council is a private, government-funded agency that offers public transportation to elderly, indigent and mentally or physically challenged residents to address their medical and immediate personal needs.
SouthernLINC Wireless is supplying 143 highly durable Motorola i335 phones equipped with the company’s premier Push to Talk two-way radio feature to Tri County Community Council’s drivers, dispatchers and administrative staff. Sixty-eight of the handsets include iTRAKjava™, a business-grade GPS tracking application for commercial fleets. Used in conjunction with the iTRAKjava-enabled phones, Web-based iTRAK Fleet Manager™ provides dispatchers with real-time location and route tracking of the Council’s fleet.
“We needed a technology that would improve our communications and enable us to immediately respond to urgent transportation requests,” said Joel Paul, executive director of Tri County Community Council. “The SouthernLINC Wireless network and phones with Push to Talk two-way radio service, coupled with GPS tracking solutions from iTRAK, allow our drivers and dispatchers to immediately connect at the touch of a button while staying focused on safely serving the community – resulting in more efficient routes and effective customer care.”
Residents of Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties depend on Tri County Community Council to transport those who otherwise would not have a way to get to medical appointments or to the store for personal needs. SouthernLINC Wireless benefits Tri County Community Council and the northwest Florida region by providing iTRAK and Push to Talk technology that enables dispatchers to monitor vehicle locations via GPS tracking and immediately communicate with drivers. This ensures that the driver closest to a client’s location responds – facilitating efficient transport and cost savings to the Council.
“Tri County Community Council is a very forward-thinking agency; it is the first of its kind in Florida to have GPS tracking capabilities via wireless phones,” said Michael Smith, public sector general manager, SouthernLINC Wireless. “The rest of the state should look to them as a model for implementing innovative wireless communications.”
Tri County Community Council employees have been using SouthernLINC Wireless phones since April.
About SouthernLINC Wireless
SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier covering the major metro and rural areas in Alabama, Georgia, southeastern Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless bundles multiple communication options into one phone including push to talk, cellular service, text messaging, wireless Internet access and wireless data. More information about SouthernLINC Wireless can be obtained by calling 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visiting the SouthernLINC Wireless Web site at www.southernlinc.com.
About Southern Company
With nearly 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast, one of America’s fastest-growing regions. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are significantly below the national average. Southern Company has been listed the top ranking U.S. electric service provider in customer satisfaction for nine consecutive years by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.
About Tri County Community Council
Tri County Community Council is a nonprofit Community Action Agency serving Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties in Northwest Florida providing services for elderly, indigent and mentally or physically challenged residents. Community services, Head Start and transportation are the largest program areas "Helping People Help Themselves."
About iTRAK Corporation
iTRAK Corporation (formerly Data Burst Technologies) was founded in 1995 as a developer of GPS-based wireless tracking systems. iTRAK Fleet Manager is used by thousands of fleet managers throughout North America. The solution has been embraced by decision-makers in diverse markets such as construction services, plumbing/HVAC, trucking, school transportation, landscaping, towing and recovery, electrical contracting, waste disposal and public safety. The company’s principal offices and network operations center are located in Woodland Park, Colo. For more information, visit www.itrak.com.
(iTRAK is a registered trademark and iTRAK Fleet Manager and iTRAK Messenger are trademarks of iTRAK Corporation.)
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