|
Newsletters
|
|
|
|
|
|
WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
British Army Embraces 'Everyday' Text Messaging With Soldiers
London 13th December 2006 - As of today, British soldiers, their
superiors and their families will all be able to communicate using a
technology most of us take for granted - SMS text messaging. The
two-way text messaging service will be run through ArmyNET, the Army's
secure web portal, (www.armynet.mod.uk) and is provided by PageOne, the
UK's foremost supplier of wireless SMS messaging technology and
services. The service is part of an ongoing trial involving many
elements of the Army, notably the Spearhead Lead Element Battalion, 3
Division HQ, 20 Brigade, and elements of the TA including the Civil
Contingency Reserve.
ArmyNET offers operational servicemen and woman a secure, web based
portal through which they can access a plethora of non classified
information anywhere they have internet access. Based on Open Source
technology, ArmyNET allows soldiers to view payslips, unit movement
orders or to communicate with colleagues and family using career
lifetime email and instant messaging accounts. PageOne's two-way
texting solution will enhance ArmyNET's existing communications channels
such as email, chat and bulletin boards by bringing the ease of use, and
familiarity of texting to its users.
"It's at this stage that PageOne's texting solution comes into play,"
said Major Adam Anderson of The Light Infantry, responsible for ArmyNET.
"For many years texting has been used unofficially by the Army to
communicate but never before has the facility been provided to send
texts in bulk so easily. Users log onto ArmyNET and access texting
accounts where texts can be quickly written and sent to hundreds of
mobile phones at the touch of a button. We now have the power to contact
a whole battalion, or any size of group down to an individual soldier.
The system will tell the user which texts have been delivered, which
have been viewed and allows the recipient to reply. Texts can be sent
from any internet enabled computer via ArmyNET and can even be sent
without the need of a computer via a mobile phone to pre-defined groups
through a help desk."
Texting offers so much more than just another way for the Army to engage
soldiers. Soldiers will be able to text each other and even their
friends and family while away from home. The Army's Families Office is
also looking at using the service from a welfare perspective, sending
out text messaging to keep family members informed in the event of a
Battalion being deployed on operations. The Families Office will then be
able to keep families informed of what is happening before they see it
on the news and so alleviate worry.
Chris Jones, Managing Director of PageOne said, "Cutting edge technology
is nothing new to the Army. What makes this project so exciting for all
of us at PageOne is seeing our technology having such a human affect.
ArmyNET's use of text messaging will have a real impact on the lives of
our soldiers and their families. With its ubiquitous presence in our
day to day lives, it is too easy to take texting for granted, forgetting
the amazing difference this technology has, and can still make."
PageOne has over 20 years' experience in delivering wide area paging and
mobile text messaging solutions to the MOD, NHS, emergency services and
local/central government. This trial further cements the strong,
ongoing relationship PageOne enjoys with the Public Sector.
About ArmyNET www.armynet.mod.uk
ArmyNET was launched in April 2004 by the Directorate Command and
Battlespace Management (Army) as part of its ongoing commitment to
examine how Internet technologies can be used in support of British
Army's activities. Traditionally, the Army's use of Web technology has
been either intranet based, or on the World Wide Web - via the Army
Website (www.army.mod.uk). The problem is that the former (whilst
secure) suffers from the fact that the majority of soldiers have limited
access to it (particularly away from barracks and in isolated
locations), while the latter has the worldwide reach - but no security.
ArmyNET was developed to fill the 'gap' - providing a protected area on
the Internet for soldiers and families to access all their information
needs that are not designed for the general public. The technology used
to safeguard the information is the same as currently used by the US
Army on their own Internet based knowledge management portal - Army
Knowledge Online (AKO) and more commonly the banking and commercial
sector for online transactions.
About PageOne. www.pageone.co.uk
PageOne has been providing award winning wireless messaging solutions
for nearly 20 years and has established a track record of leading the
field in the introduction of innovative products and services. PageOne
owns and operates a UK-wide paging network and provides business SMS
messaging solutions; PageOne Paging and PageOne Connect respectively.
All PageOne systems are powered by the company's own flexible platform
Oventus, developed to enable the seamless integration of mobile
messaging across different networks and technologies. These services
have consistently been designed to meet and exceed the demands of an
increasingly mobile environment, providing reliable and cost effective
communications to thousands of organisations across the government, NHS
and major corporate sectors.
|
|
|
