Utility, Inc. Becomes Part of MultiSpeak Initiative
Company's Rocket and AVaiL Products Will Be Integrated Into Technology Systems for Utilities
ATLANTA - (Mar. 28, 2011) - Utility, Inc., a provider of technology and services that allow first responders and utilities to more effectively command, control and support mobile field operations, announced today that it has joined the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) MultiSpeak Initiative® as a vendor member.
The MultiSpeak Initiative is a collaboration of the NRECA, leading software vendors supplying the utility market, and utilities. The Initiative has developed and continues to expand a specification that defines standardized interfaces among software applications commonly used by electric utilities. The MultiSpeak specification thus helps vendors and utilities develop interfaces so that software products from different suppliers can interoperate without requiring the development of extensive custom interfaces. The MultiSpeak specification defines what data need to be exchanged between software applications in order to support the business processes commonly applied at utilities.
"This industry-standard protocol minimizes the time and effort involved with proof-of-concept trials and implementations, while ensuring backward compatibility with future versions of any applications," said Robert McKeeman, Chairman and co-founder of Utility Inc. "Being part of the MultiSpeak Initiative reinforces our commitment to help utilities address mobile resource management in practical, cost-effective ways. Utilities are being asked to do more with less so we want to ensure they realize the full value of their new technology right away and not be distracted by implementation, interface and connectivity issues."
For Utility, this means its Rocket, a vehicle communications gateway, can be quickly integrated into existing systems because prospective customers will know that this equipment has been fully tested and approved by industry experts. Additionally, data from the company's AVaiL, a comprehensive command-and-control mapping system, can be seamlessly integrated into related applications such as outage management, work management and geographical information systems (GIS).
Utility's solutions are already being used by rural electric cooperatives across the country. Organizations such as Coastal Electric Cooperative, Farmers Electric Cooperative, Hendricks Power Cooperative, North Georgia EMC, Sawnee EMC, Snapping Shoals EMC, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, and Wake Electric use Utility's communications hardware and software to see where their utility crews are and provide them with the real-time information they need to work safely and effectively.
About Utility, Inc.
Utility, Inc. develops and manufactures communications hardware and services that allow first responder organizations and utilities to effectively command, control and support mobile field operations. The company's solutions deliver real-time access to virtually any mobile asset, providing a unified operating picture for safely locating, tracking and managing all aspects of mobile field operations. Unlike other tools that provide one facet of mobile asset management, Utility brings it all together in one cost-effective, enterprise view, showing the location and status of everything from tools to vehicles and personnel.
Utility's MIL-STD 810F certified communications hardware is manufactured in the United States at its Tucker, Ga., manufacturing facility. All software development and support is provided by U.S. citizens from the company's Georgia office. Customers including Atlanta Gas Light, Allegheny Energy, Bangor Hydro Electric Company, Con Edison, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, City of San Antonio Police and Fire, Conyers Police Department, Deptford Police Department, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, Fort Myers Fire Department, Gainesville Fire Department, Marietta Police and Fire, Spring Hill Fire & Rescue, NuStar Energy, Palm Beach Sheriff's Office, Trenton Police Department, TVA, Village of Oak Lawn, and Westar Energy are all enjoying the benefits of greater situational awareness, increased safety and improved operational efficiency with Utility. For more information, visit www.utility.com.
About MultiSpeak
The MultiSpeak® Specification is an industry-wide software standard that facilitates interoperability of diverse business and automation applications used in electric utilities. It has been developed and maintained by a collaboration of NRECA and the 50 software vendors and consultants that are member of the MultiSpeak Initiative. To learn more, visit www.multispeak.org.
Jan Sisko
Account Director
Carabiner Communications
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O: 678.461.7438
M: 678.591.2022
jsisko@carabinerpr.com
