Telecom Lead America: In order to support FEMA’s
nationwide Mass Evacuation Program, Sprint will be providing 2,000 Sprint
Direct Connect handsets equipped with an Actsoft GPS tracking and navigation
solution.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, a division of
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will also be using Sprint Direct
Connect, new gold standard in push to talk service.
In 2008, the telco helped FEMA with the evacuation
program. The new contract is given to upgrade FEMA’s fleet of push to talk
devices to Sprint Direct Connect.
Carolyn Rehling, vice president, Federal Programs at
Sprint said that Sprint Direct Connect service is an upgraded and dependable
service required for FEMA’s mission critical, mass emergency situations.
The push to talk service features roaming and 1xRTT
service and covers triple the square miles of the legacy Nextel National
Network.
Sprint Direct Connect also has international reach
and a portfolio of rugged devices with instant call set up times. The service
will be used by FEMA to send and receive critical information to first
responders in times of national emergencies.
FEMA personnel will utilize the ruggedized,
military-specification, Kyocera Duracore Plus equipped with the Actsoft Comet
Tracker Application.
The service provided by Sprint will serve a key role in
updating FEMA coordinators on events and engaging help at the nation’s most
critical times.
Sprint will provide integrated project management
services to FEMA.
Sprint plans to consolidate Sprint Direct Connect into
one seamless network with the goal of increasing efficiency and enhancing
network coverage, call quality and data speeds for customers.
Sprint invests $704 million into Network Vision alone in 2Q12
The company invested $704 million into its Network Vision
in the second quarter of 2012.
The Sprint Direct Connect service is a key component of
Sprint’s Network Vision upgrade, which is a nationwide network update.
editor@telecomlead.com