New Release Features AtHoc Connect, Enhanced Enterprise Management Tools, Esri-based Geo-Location Functionality and Rich Media Integration for Greater Effectiveness in Times of Crisis
AtHoc has announced a major product update available immediately to all customers using the AtHoc Cloud and for customers using AtHoc on premise.
The update includes several major enhancements:
- Geographically based alert targeting using Esri maps
- Enhanced management tools for multi-location, multi-division enterprises
- New file and media sharing capabilities
- Our most significant addition – AtHoc Connect, which enables communication and collaboration across organizations in times of crisis
On July 21, 2015 BlackBerry announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AtHoc.
The new features are designed to provide AtHoc customers increased ease of use, expanded reach, greater control, and greater situational awareness in times of crisis.
AtHoc Connect is a capability that enables organizations to build their own crisis communication network. An organization can “invite†others to join its “network,†similar to the way invitations are made on social networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Invitations to “connect†can be sent to any organization, whether they are an existing AtHoc customer or not.
All connected members can securely use the AtHoc platform to exchange alerts, share multi-media content, and geographically based information with any other connected member. The result – a secure network of organizations that can communicate and collaborate with each other during a crisis.
The product’s new Esri-based geo-location features enable operators to use detailed maps to target people and organizations based on their location, track the position of users, and analyze spatial data to help define the boundaries of an emergency area in real time. Geo-location targeting provides operators with greater control to reach the right people at the right time. Esri support provides ability to integrate with existing customers’ Esri geographic information systems (GIS) – the leading GIS in the market.
New enterprise-level management tools have been introduced into the product. Customers with multiple locations or divisions can control communication at an enterprise level while at the same time maintaining autonomy for alerting at individual locations or divisions.
Enabling even greater situational awareness in both times of crisis as well as during normal operations, customers now can attach rich media – including documents, video, photos – to alerts and share with their audience. Effectively allowing sharing procedures, checklists, evacuation maps or instructional videos.
More than 2000 Federal, State, Local and Commercial organizations have received the release and many are already using the new features.
“AtHoc enables us to partner with first responders and other organizations in ways we couldn’t before, ultimately helping us more effectively communicate during incidents,” said Heather Tiernan, Community Warning System Manager for Contra Costa County, California.
“The ability to use maps and a variety of communication channels to target our citizens regardless of their location or device gives us greater efficiency and control.”
Oded Shekel, AtHoc Vice President of Product Management said:
“We are excited by the enthusiasm of our Federal, State, Local and Commercial customers that begun to adopt our new release,”
“These new capabilities reflect continuous innovation towards making the world safer by providing a state-of-the-art platform for networked crisis communication.”
