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By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga
When we think of extreme careers, we may not automatically think of utility work, but we should. Utility fieldwork is one of the most demanding jobs, and it can involve working in extreme conditions or following disasters. When anything goes wrong and utilities – like natural gas, water, sewage or refuse collection – go offline, the public needs utilities on as soon as possible. This is where effective communication is essential for field crews to stay in constant communication and respond to situations with ease.
Land Mobile Radios (LMR) have been the traditional communication solution used by field workers for many decades. However, these handheld radios were big, bulky and costly to carry around, making them cumbersome for everyday use. Push To Talk (PTT) radio coverage provided by LMR technology was also often limited to a short distance, usually covering one city or one county, and was prone to no coverage zones, where communication was unreliable.
The limitations of LMR technology have been a source of frustration for field workers, dispatchers and their command staff. A few years ago, some industries switched to smartphones to ensure constant communication, but even that has not panned out as expected. Smartphones have apps and capabilities that are not needed and can be a distraction for many workers, and many smartphones are less weather-resistant than other communication devices that are designed to endure extreme conditions.
The Public Utilities department from Lancaster, Ohio, recently selected Siyata Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: SYTA) (“Siyata”), a global developer and vendor of mission-critical Push To Talk (PTT) over Cellular handsets and accessories, as a communications solution. Utility workers there support the city’s natural gas, water, wastewater treatment, stormwater drainage and refuse collection. They will now be using Siyata’s SD7 mission-critical PTT handsets, which will replace previously used two-way radios that operated on their own radio network.
This department decided to switch to Siyata's handsets due to the cost savings and operational benefits they offer. Previously, the Public Utilities department would purchase two-way radios for approximately $2000 per unit. After conducting a Total Cost of Ownership analysis, the city concluded that moving to Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) using FirstNet Extended Primary PoC service would be more cost-effective. FirstNet is the perfect network to support communications needs when critical infrastructure needs to be fixed or installed. The Siyata SD7 Handset was deemed the ideal device choice for the city's Public Utilities staff. It is affordable through FirstNet since its price and the PTT service were spread over 24 months, and it is rugged and simple to use – similar to two-way radios – making it a good fit for staff who were already accustomed to using radios. Also, the SD7 handsets work seamlessly with Siyata’s VK7 Vehicle Kits used in their trucks.
Charlie Mullett, Traffic Control Supervisor from Lancaster’s Department of Transportation, commented, “We chose the Siyata SD7 unit along with the VK7 Vehicle Kit because we like the versatility of having the high performance PTT Communication as a mobile rugged handheld or as a docked unit in our transportation vehicles. We also chose them because of the FirstNet ready capability. They have worked well for our needs and we have received great customer service and support from the FirstNet Solutions Team.”
The SD7 handsets and VK7 Vehicle Kits have already been integrated into the crew's day-to-day operations. With a track record as a pioneer in the industry and with solutions catering to various uses in a wide variety of industries, Siyata has earned its reputation for reliability and versatility.
Featured photo courtesy of Knelson20 on Shutterstock.
Siyata Mobile Inc. is a B2B global vendor of next-generation Push-To-Talk over Cellular devices, cellular booster systems, and video monitoring solutions. Its portfolio of in-vehicle and rugged devices enables first responders and enterprise workers to instantly communicate, over a nationwide cellular network of choice, to increase situational awareness and save lives.Its portfolio of enterprise-grade and consumer cellular booster systems enables first responders and enterprise workers to amplify cellular signals in remote areas, inside structural buildings where signals are weak, and within vehicles for the maximum cellular signal strength possible.For its video monitoring system, Siyata integrates software that we license with off-the-shelf hardware providing our customers with an integrated advanced camera system for management and visual monitoring of their fleet vehicles.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Siyata's current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of Siyata could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Siyata's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Siyata undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites and social media have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites or social media is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
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