Screenshot of InformaCast Message Confirmation

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of InformaCast version 8.1.

The addition of new functionality for message confirmation and confirmation-statistics tracking tops the list of improvements. Message confirmation enables users to confirm the receipt of certain messages and escalate messages to new recipients if confirmation settings aren’t met. Statistics of messages configured with confirmation can show many different responses, including an overview of when a message was sent, how many confirmations have been received, and what response was chosen, among other statistics.

“InformaCast 8.1 with message confirmation allows someone to respond to a broadcast notification with an ‘I’ve got it!’” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “Organizations can use this to let people know when a guest or patient has arrived, when a room needs to be turned, or if response is needed for an emergency situation.”

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Conference Call plugin for InformaCast.

The Conference Call plugin allows a user to automatically initiate a conference call session with a pre-determined group of phones. For example, when an emergency is declared and an InformaCast broadcast is sent, all public safety managers are automatically called and placed into a conference call session to discuss the situation. Members of the conference call group also have the ability to listen to the broadcast message before accepting the conference call request.

“With the Conference Call Plugin, organizations can react much more quickly to an emergency situation,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “With one action, a security administrator can trigger an InformaCast broadcast and reach all managers, even if they’re off-site, to coordinate a response.”

The Conference Call plugin in available for a small fee to any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Click to watch a one-minute video on the InformaCast Call Conference plugin at http://www.singlewire.com/plugins.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

Joy Global / P&H Mining Implement InformaCast and CallAware to Improve Worker Safety

Singlewire Software, developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging, today announced the release and publication of the Joy Global/P&H Mining written and video case study on www.singlewire.com.

The case study features P&H Mining Equipment, a division of Joy Global Holding Company, and a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of underground and above-ground industrial mining equipment, including electric mining crushers, conveyor systems, and drag lines. Joy Global/P&H Mining uses Singlewire InformaCast for sending emergency and mass notification throughout the organization, covering more than 2,000 endpoints. Singlewire CallAware, a free add-on to InformaCast, is also used to monitor the phone system for specific numbers dialed, including 911.

Brad Parkel, director of marketing at Singlewire Software comments, “This case study shows how Joy Global is using notification to keep workers safe. Within weeks of InformaCast and CallAware being implemented, the system was triggered when a worker had a heart attack and an emergency call was made. Officials knew where the emergency was taking place and could direct first responders to the scene.”

InformaCast enables safety officials to easily send notification on a very granular level to phones, overhead speakers, and computer desktops. It also triggers emergency strobe lights located throughout the manufacturing plant where loud noise is an issue. If there’s an emergency in one building InformaCast can tell everyone inside to evacuate, while notifying workers in other buildings to stay away. It can also be used for sending notification during weather emergencies and other events.

The three-minute video case study is available as a YouTube video on the Singlewire website at www.singlewire.com/joy-global. A two-page written version of the case study can also be downloaded as a PDF from the same location. A video demonstration of emergency call monitoring can be viewed at http://www.singlewire.com/emergency-communication.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. Singlewire InformaCast can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire Software.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit http://www.singlewire.com.

Laguna Honda Hospital Implements InformaCast to Help Keep Patients Safe

Singlewire Software, developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging, today announced the release and publication of the “Laguna Honda Hospital Improves Patient Safety with InformaCast” case study on www.singlewire.com.

The case study features Laguna Honda Hospital, a 780-bed skilled nursing facility located in San Francisco, CA, serving a diverse population of residents since 1866. Laguna Honda uses Singlewire InformaCast along with their implementation of the AeroScout RFID tag system, Cisco IP data network, and an overhead paging system to send pre-recorded messages to wander-risk patients when they leave a supervised area.

Brad Parkel, director of marketing at Singlewire Software states, “This is an innovative example of how InformaCast can be used to improve patient safety while reducing staff workload in a clinical setting.”

The use of IP speakers at Laguna Honda allows InformaCast to send notification on a very granular level: to either an individual speaker, a group of speakers, or all the speakers on the entire floor. Broadcasts customized for each resident give staff the ability to send a specific message to trigger a desired response, such as encouraging the resident to return to a safer area. Messages are recorded in the native language for each resident, and in some cases, the voice of a loved one.

The three-minute video case study is available as a YouTube video on the Singlewire website at www.singlewire.com/laguna-honda. A two-page written version of the case study can also be downloaded as a PDF from the same location. In addition, a video demonstration of emergency call monitoring can be seen at www.singlewire.com/emergency-communication

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based, mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. Singlewire InformaCast can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire Software.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit http://www.singlewire.com.

RemotePhoneControl for iOS is available for purchase and download via the iTunes App Store

Singlewire Software, developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging, today announced the release of RemotePhoneControl for iOS, a software application for the latest generation of iPads, iPhones, and devices running iOS.

RemotePhoneControl for iOS is a support tool used for remotely troubleshooting or demonstrating features of Cisco IP phones—regardless of where they are located—through a network connection to the phone. In addition to seeing the phone’s display, you can interact with/control the phone, which allows you to confirm settings or explore issues that have been reported by users.

Ken Bywaters, executive vice president of product management at Singlewire Software states, “Organizations have long used RemotePhoneControl for testing and training on Cisco IP phones. With the new version on iOS, we’ve expanded the platform and devices engineers and trainers can use to do their work.”

RemotePhoneControl for iOS is available for purchase and download via the iTunes App Store.℠ The Windows version of RemotePhoneControl is available for purchase through registered partners of Singlewire Software.
Additional information and a two-minute demonstration video of RemotePhoneControl for iOS is available by visiting www.singlewire.com/remotephonecontrol-ios.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit http://www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire Digital Media Manager (DMM) plugin for InformaCast.
As a way of further expanding the number of people reached with InformaCast broadcasts, the DMM plugin allows you to send InformaCast broadcasts containing text to Cisco Digital Media Players (DMPs). With a correctly configured, active DMM server, you can configure InformaCast to treat Digital Media Player groups as a new device type that can be assigned to a recipient group just as you would a phone or speaker.

“A growing number of customers are using the Cisco Digital Media Manager and Players for displaying important, day-to-day information in their buildings,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice president of product development at Singlewire Software. “This plugin enables users to easily reach these Cisco monitor displays with a message in the event of an emergency and clear the message when the emergency passes.”

The Digital Media Manager plugin requires installation of InformaCast 8.0 or later and a fully configured Cisco DMM server and Cisco Digital Media Player(s). For additional information on supported models and firmware, visit http://www.singlewire.com/dmm.

The DMM plugin is an inexpensive addition for any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis. Click to watch a one-minute video about the plugin architecture by visiting http://www.singlewire.com/plugins.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit http://www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging, today announced the release of Singlewire InformaCast Virtual Appliance for deploying InformaCast in virtualized server environments.

InformaCast Virtual Appliance is an alternative way for deploying InformaCast within an organization. Making use of virtualized server environments, InformaCast Virtual Appliance can be installed by downloading a single file that contains the InformaCast application and an operating system. Engineers simply install and configure the virtual appliance in their virtual environment using standard deployment practices. InformaCast users can then access the application via a secure web portal in the same way they would if InformaCast was deployed on a physical server.

InformaCast Virtual Appliance provides a lower cost of ownership to customers because a traditional Windows server license and maintenance costs are no longer necessary. It also allows users to deploy InformaCast more quickly.

“We’ve seen a growing number of customers using virtual environments for their unified communications and other IT services,” states Jerry Steinhauer (CCIE #12504), Chief Technical Officer at Singlewire Software. “InformaCast Virtual Appliance gives organizations an easy way to deploy InformaCast.”

InformaCast Virtual Appliance supports VMware ESX server 4.0 or later. For additional information on requirements and to view a short, three-minute video, visit www.singlewire.com/ic-va.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. Singlewire InformaCast and InformaCast Virtual Appliance can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire Software.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the Script plugin for InformaCast.

As a way of further expanding the number of people reached with InformaCast broadcasts, the Script plugin allows Java and JavaScript programmers to build a custom integration script for sending an InformaCast broadcast. The integration can be deep—relaying audio associated with the broadcast—or simple, depending on how much code is written, and how much of the exposed interface is used.

“The Script plugin, is yet another tool organizations can use to customize InformaCast notifications with other systems on their network,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “Along with the M2M (machine-to-machine) plugin, Singlewire is providing managers more options for integrating text and audio notification to keep people and assets safe.”

The Script plugin requires installation of InformaCast 8.0 or later, knowledge of the Java and/or JavaScript programming languages, and any system that can be integrated via the network with an API capable of performing HTTP GET, and HTTP POST requests.

The Script plugin is a no-cost addition for any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis. Click to watch a one-minute video and learn more by visiting  www.singlewire.com/plugins.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida will conduct a test of its UFAlert emergency notification system between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Messages will be sent to students, faculty and staff via text messaging, mass email and a posting on the UF home page. Notes also will be posted to the UF Facebook page and Twitter accounts telling users to go to the home page for a message.

Most areas on campus with Cisco VoIP telephones should receive Wednesday’s audible message through the telephone’s speaker and as a text message on the phone’s screen. The audible message also will be broadcast on selected outdoor locations, including the Plaza of the Americas, the North Lawn at the Reitz Student Union, Turlington Plaza and Broward recreation area.

Wednesday’s test also will mark the first use of a new message-sending system. The university worked with vendor partner Singlewire to make it possible for the university to send and post notifications using only one interface. The goal is to make the emergency notification process as quick and efficient as possible. The integrated notifications sent under UFAlert include email, text messages, audible phone and loudspeaker messages, and postings on websites and social media. UFAlert also can be found on Twitter (twitter.com/ufalert) and Facebook (facebook.com/ufalert).

Read More

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire WordPress plugin for InformaCast 8.0.

With the InformaCast WordPress plugin, you can send text broadcasts from InformaCast to WordPress instances. Once you have created a WordPress instance, you can configure InformaCast to treat the destination WordPress instance as a new recipient that can be assigned to a recipient group just as you would a phone or a speaker.

Possible uses for the WordPress plugin include: sending organizational-wide announcements like weather statements, emergency communications, and event updates to a WordPress blog site where it can be viewed by individuals inside or outside the organization.

“When there’s an emergency at a school or within a business, it’s a challenge to get quick and accurate information to parents or family members,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “This WordPress plugin gives public safety officials one more way to communicate quickly and easily in the event of a crisis.” Click to watch a one-minute video on the Singlewire WordPress plugin at www.singlewire.com/plugins.

The WordPress plugin is available for no cost to any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. When configured with the plugin for WordPress, you can further expand the reach of an InformaCast broadcast.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the InformaCast Mobile Messenger application on the Cisco Developer Network Marketplace AppHQ.

The InformaCast Mobile Messenger is an application that allows you to remotely initiate an InformaCast broadcast from a Cisco Cius device. It allows you to select a recipient group in InformaCast for broadcast, override and edit the short and long text fields of a message, and send an InformaCast notification.
“The InformaCast Mobile Messenger application gives security officers, administrators and managers an important new tool for triggering notification remotely when away from their desks,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice president for product development at Singlewire Software.

The InformaCast Mobile Messenger application interfaces with a working installation of Singlewire InformaCast version 8.0 or later. InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. Visit www.singlewire.com/cius to learn more.

The InformaCast Mobile Messenger application for Cius is available at no-cost via the Cisco AppHQ. InformaCast can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire and is on the Cisco global pricelist.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire M2M (machine-to-machine) plugin for InformaCast.

“Machine to machine” refers to technologies that allow systems to interact with each other without human intervention. The M2M plugin allows you to send InformaCast broadcasts when a contact closure has been triggered (e.g. when a door is opened, an InformaCast broadcast message is sent.) Conversely, you may trigger a contact closure when a specific broadcast has been sent (e.g. when an emergency broadcast is sent, strobe lights are turned on and escalators are reversed.)

“With the M2M plugin, organizations can more fully integrate notification into the business-critical systems on their network to protect people, improve productivity, and manage facilities,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “Our new plugin architecture in InformaCast makes implementation of this plugin quick and easy.”

The M2M plugin requires installation of InformaCast 8.0 or later and fully configured contact closures from Perle, Barix, or other manufacturers. For additional information on supported models and firmware, visit www.singlewire.com/m2m.

The M2M plugin is an inexpensive addition for any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis. Click to watch a one-minute video and learn more by visiting  www.singlewire.com/plugins.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit www.singlewire.com/informacast.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire SchoolMessenger plugin for InformaCast 8.0.

The SchoolMessenger plugin allows you to include SchoolMessenger notifications as part of an InformaCast broadcast. Once you have an active account on the SchoolMessenger hosted service, you can configure InformaCast to treat SchoolMessenger contacts as new recipients that can be assigned to a recipient group just as you would a phone or a speaker.

“Tens of thousands of schools and universities use the SchoolMessenger service for sending SMS text, voice, and email notification,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “With this new plugin, we make it easy for officials and administrators to trigger and send SchoolMessenger notifications from inside InformaCast.”

“Singlewire has implemented portions of the SchoolMessenger API in a very innovative way that brings real value to our mutual customers,” said Howard Wood, CTO of SchoolMessenger.

The SchoolMessenger plugin is available for a small fee to any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Click to watch a one-minute video on the Singlewire SchoolMessenger plugin at www.singlewire.com/plugins.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. When configured with the SchoolMessenger plugin, you can expand the reach of an InformaCast broadcast.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, InformaCast SE, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.

About SchoolMessenger

SchoolMessenger is a leading provider of notification solutions for education. Thousands of school districts, public schools, colleges, universities, private schools and other educational facilities in all 50 states depend on the company’s innovative solutions to connect and effectively communicate with millions of parents, students and staff every day. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. For information, visit http://www.schoolmessenger.com or call 888.527.5225.

Singlewire Software, LLC, (www.singlewire.com) today announced the release of several free applications for use on most models of Cisco IP phones. These applications offer helpful answers to commonly asked questions such as currency conversion, local time, and local weather.

Users of Cisco IP phones can access the applications by simply pushing the Applications or Services button on their phone and choosing from a list of configured services. The phone keypad is used to enter specific request information like a zip code for current weather, or an area code number to display name of a city.

“These Cisco phone applications are a great way for organizations to provide additional real-time information and resources to employees,” states Jerry Steinhauer (CCIE #12504), Chief Technical Officer at Singlewire Software. “The applications are easy to implement, configure, and use.”

The list of current applications offered includes: local weather information, a stock ticker, area code look-up, a world clock, and a currency converter. Additional applications will be introduced in the future.

Phone administrators need to simply create a phone service with the provided URL and assign the service to their organization’s phones. Administration should be done by individuals familiar with configuring Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) or Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME).

Instructions can be downloaded from the Singlewire website at http://www.singlewire.com/free-xml-apps.html, and are offered on good faith to anyone who is interested in using them. There is no technical support offered for the free applications.

In addition to making these free applications available, Singlewire Software also creates and sells a host of voice applications for use with Cisco Unified Communications, including InformaCast. InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. InformaCast can also be used to send bell tones for passing bells in K-12 schools and shift changes in manufacturing environments.

Singlewire InformaCast can be ordered directly through Singlewire or through our registered partners.

Article by GEORGE HESSELBERG / Photograph by M.P. King

Click to Read Full Story on Wisconsin State Journal – Madison.com

When the object is to beat a disaster to its target, sometimes bells and whistles are necessary. Also, pop-ups, blinking lights, vibrations, sirens, buzzing, digital displays, pages, Facebook and Twitter tickles, beeping, calm voices, even reversing the escalator from up to down.

Two Madison-based companies, Singlewire and Weather Central, are working worldwide to provide advance notice — sometimes only seconds — of disasters and alerts of dangerous conditions.

“What we have,” said Ken Bywaters, vice president of Madison-based Singlewire Software, “is a software-based notification system that can alert people, very quickly, and on a very large scale.”

Think hurricane. Tsunami. Earthquake. Bomb scare. Sandstorm. Or tornadoes, which this season have turned traditional tornado alleys into natural disaster freeways.

Singlewire’s product, a “mass notification platform,” is called InformaCast, a flexible system that can even be used by government public safety agencies.

Click to read the full story on Wisconsin State Journal – Madison.com

Learn more about how you can connect your legacy paging system to Singlewire InformaCast with the Legacy Paging Interface. Watch our white board video to learn more.

Singlewire Software, LLC, (www.singlewire.com) today announced the release of the Paging Gateway, a solution designed to allow InformaCast’s® audio broadcasts across a network that does not/cannot support multicast traffic on the IP data network.

Large organizations with centralized and remote sites commonly have the problem of sending multicast traffic between locations on their WAN. In the event of an emergency, sending an audio notification broadcast efficiently and quickly across the network to all locations can be challenging. The Singlewire Paging Gateway solves this problem by converting the network traffic generated by an InformaCast audio broadcast into a unicast stream that can be received at a remote location and redistributed via multicast to IP phones, IP speakers, analog paging systems, computer desktops, and more.

The Paging Gateway is comprised of three components: the server, application, and plugin. The server, which hosts the application (typically at a remote location), can be a stand-alone hardware appliance available for purchase from Singlewire Software, a physical server, or a VMware virtual server. The Paging Gateway plugin integrates with the industry-leading InformaCast notification software, which is traditionally located at a central office or in a data center. Additionally, the Singlewire Paging Gateway stand-alone hardware appliance has audio line level out capability that enables direct connection to analog paging amplifiers.

“The Singlewire Paging Gateway provides organizations many more options for designing and deploying mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging systems when limited bandwidth is an issue,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice president for product development at Singlewire Software. “This delivers a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solution for large or geographically dispersed organizations using InformaCast.”

The Paging Gateway works in conjunction with Singlewire InformaCast version 8.0.1, a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system. InformaCast allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. It can also be used to send bell tones for passing bells in K-12 schools and shift changes in manufacturing environments.

Singlewire InformaCast and the Singlewire Paging Gateway, including the stand-alone hardware appliance, can be ordered directly through Singlewire or through registered partners. Additional information, along with a one-minute descriptive video of the Singlewire Paging Gateway, can be found at www.singlewire.com/paging-gateway.

About Singlewire

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, InformaCast SE, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl.

Singlewire Software, LLC, (www.singlewire.com), and Valcom (www.valcom.com) today announced the release of an InformaCast compatible analog clock/talkback speaker. The new analog clock/talkback speaker is a PoE (Power over Ethernet) device that provides audio and time synchronization via InformaCast and the IP data network. The clock-speaker pairing comes with a faceplate and options for recessed or surface wall mounting.

“K-12 customers have repeatedly asked us for this combination, because they want to blend the look of the traditional clock face with the IP speaker on the network. This approach still gives them the ability to connect to InformaCast, the industry-leading mass notification and bell scheduling solution” states Pat Scheckel, vice president of business development for Singlewire Software.

“We are pleased to be extending our offering of InformaCast compatible audio endpoints and answering the call we’ve heard from our customers for this analog clock and IP speaker product,” states John Mason, President of Valcom, Inc.

The analog clock/talkback speaker will sell under part number VIP-431-A-IC and will be available through Valcom’s major communication distributors or contact Valcom directly. Singlewire InformaCast can be ordered through registered partners or ordered direct.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. InformaCast can also be used to send bell tones for passing bells in K-12 schools and shift changes in manufacturing environments.

Valcom, the largest provider of telephone-integrated paging systems, manufactures an extensive line of IP-based, PoE (Powered over Ethernet) speakers utilizing Singlewire’s InformaCast-compliant protocols for delivering emergency notification, mass notification, and overhead paging.

About Valcom:

Since 1977, Valcom has been providing the highest quality loudspeaker paging and telecommunication system enhancement intercom products. For nearly 15 years, Valcom has supported IP loudspeaker paging to thousands of customers including large corporations, universities, State and Local governments, the military and smaller companies that have widely spread operations. Valcom IP Solution provides highly reliable IP communications, IP Intercom Systems and IP based Multimodal Mass Notification Systems. Valcom’s products are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities in Roanoke, Virginia USA and include an extensive line of IP and analog page control interfaces, gateways, ceiling/wall speakers, paging horns, clocks, background music, power supplies and door entry systems. To learn more, please visit www.valcom.com

About Singlewire Software:

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, InformaCast SE, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl.

Also See - Singlewire Software and Valcom partner to offer InformaCast®-compliant IP speaker endpoints and solutions for emergency and mass notification and overhead paging | Providing Your School a Solution for Bells, Clocks, Overhead Paging and Emergency Notification

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire Outbound Email plugin for InformaCast 8.0.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. When configured with the Outbound Email plugin, you can expand the reach of an InformaCast broadcast.

The InformaCast Outbound Email plugin is used for sending email notification from InformaCast to any email address or distribution list established within an organization. Text from the InformaCast message will appear in the subject and body of an email, and an audio file can be attached as well.

Possible uses include: relaying an emergency overhead page made to a building or campus automatically to anyone in a remote location, sending an email to all business leaders when an emergency is triggered, or immediately forwarding weather warnings or emergencies when they are issued. Click to watch a one-minute video on the Singlewire outbound email plugin at www.singlewire.com/plugins.

“This plugin gives organizations a tool for easily linking their mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system into email for distribution,” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “The flexibility that we’ve built into the system allows for customization and quick integration.”
The outbound email plugin is available for no cost to any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. InformaCast can also be used to send bell tones for passing bells in K-12 schools and shift changes in manufacturing environments.

Barix Exstreamer and Barionet devices allow integration and alarm triggers to and from real-world interfaces such as loudspeakers, PA systems, relays, horns, contact closures, push buttons, and displays. The devices are open-standards-compliant, intelligent IP I/O controllers that directly interface to common electrical interfaces, providing options for two-way audio support and tighter integration to loudspeakers.

“Barix has successfully performed proof-of-concept tests in conjunction with Singlewire in advance of bringing the full solution to market,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG.  “By supporting InformaCast solutions, Barix can further diversify its IP paging and public address systems, and deliver a more comprehensive solution to the professional security industry — while also bringing enhanced functionality to the InformaCast platform.”

“Barix has a great reputation in the industry for manufacturing high-quality products and providing scalable solutions to their customers,” said Ken Bywaters, executive vice president of product development at Singlewire.  “By making these systems compliant with Singlewire InformaCast, Barix customers will gain the value of industry-leading software tools to manage and deliver a host of next-generation notification solutions.”

Barix AG, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, specializes in the research and development of IP- based communication and control technology, providing product solutions for audio distribution, audio monitoring, communication, security, and automation.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/ 11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, including a one-minute video overview, and written documentation, visit www.singlewire.com/informacast.

Singlewire Software (http://www.singlewire.com), developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, today announced the release of the new Singlewire inbound email plugin for InformaCast 8.0.

Singlewire InformaCast is a full-featured, network-based mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging system that allows users to simultaneously send an audio and/or text message to a variety of endpoints including IP speakers, Cisco IP phones, overhead paging systems, computer desktops, digital signage, SMS text, social media sites, and more. When configured with the inbound email plugin, an InformaCast broadcast can further expand the number of people that can be reached.

The InformaCast inbound email plugin monitors email being sent from people or devices within an organization. When an alert is triggered and action is required, the email sent can trigger an InformaCast  broadcast to a pre-determined recipient group within the organization. The plugin can also be configured to monitor for specific text within an email, relay the text of the email in the InformaCast broadcast, and trigger specified audio and/or text message to be sent.

Possible uses for the inbound email plugin include; monitoring email alerts generated by temperature monitor devices, HVAC systems, security systems and more. Click to watch a one minute video on the Singlewire inbound plugin www.singlewire.com/inbound.

“Not all network systems have workable API’s for sending emergency notification to the entire organization, but can generate an email. With the InformaCast inbound email plugin, an email is all that is needed.” states Ken Bywaters, executive vice-president of product development at Singlewire Software. “It takes just minutes to install and greatly expands your options for triggering and sending notification.”

The inbound email plugin is available for no-cost to any user of InformaCast 8.0 with a valid Singlewire maintenance contract. Additional plugins will be released from Singlewire on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

The InformaCast platform for mass notification and emergency communication was developed in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks to evacuate federal buildings within 15 minutes. Over 3,000 organizations in 45 countries have implemented InformaCast as their notification and overhead paging system. It can be purchased through registered partners of Singlewire. For more information, visit www.singlewire.com/informacast.

About Singlewire Software

Singlewire, based in Madison, WI, develops and supports innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification capabilities. Our main offerings include: InformaCast, InformaCast SE, PushToTalk, and RemotePhoneControl. To learn more, please visit www.singlewire.com.