Sunny Ahn's WebLog

I just wanted to put up a quick note about our company’s recent marketing alliance with the Georgia State Firefighter’s Association.  Our product, ccAlert, will be the exclusive mass notification service for the association.  more information on our mass notification is below:

ccAlert is a mass notification service that offers emergency responders the ability to keep in touch with others via a single message. The service allows an individual to send a web-based message to an individual or a group of individuals via the devices that people have (e.g., mobile phone, pager, email). Messages can be mass alerts to notify members of an emergency such as a fire or a non-emergency note for an open shift change.

The solution:

• does not require any additional hardware or software
• provides secure, rapid communication
• allows communication across multiple departments
• sends messages based on levels of priority
• provides customized teams and groups
• allows multiple devices per individual
• enables security through CCL’s patented contextual database

Given the recent increase in natural disasters and emergency situations at our local city and schools, the rise of emergency notification services have increased.  All types of organizations are emerging with needs to notify a mass number of individuals immediately, irregardless of device.

Our company’s mass notification product, ccAlert, is now providing notification services to all types of devices, including mobile phone, fixed line phones (business/home), pagers and email.  Organizations can either use a web-based application that sends out text messages or send out voice messsages to thousands via their phones.  The tools is now being used by a number of fire departments, polices stations and schools throughout the US, in over 30 US states.  For those interested, please contact (info AT ccalert.net) for more details. 

Context Connect gets another US patent on private directory-based connectivity (US Patent #7,340,048 – A System and Method for Directory Services and eCommerce Across Multi-Provider Networks).  The patent allows for basic connectivity calls and ecommerce transactions to take place across multiple service providers, without revealing the individuals’ contact details or information.  Given all it privacy issues surrounding an individuals’ personal details, the patent is focused on protecting one’s privacy while allow basic transactions to take place – such as a simple call to another person – calling people based on names, rather than phone numbers.

Congrats to our firm, Context Connect, on getting another patent around the private directory and connectivity space – European Patent #EP1301887 – A System and Method for Directory Services and eCommerce Across Multi-Provider Networks.  The patent is focused on the ability to ‘find and connect’ individuals without requiring or needing the actual contact number (e.g., phone number) through a DNS-based contextual platform.  The patent extends to directory-based connectivity calls as well as electronic transactions or eCommerce via mobile devices.   

The patent describes methods for providing secure connectivity across disparate networks or service providers.  Contextual, DNS-based directory listings are created by consumers or groups, while connectivity to individuals is made without revealing valuable customer information and data – thus ensuring a more appropriate way of getting connected (self provisioned contextual listings) through a private-based platform (no phone numbers revealed).  The patent covers directory assistance/enquiry listings by consumers and merchants that do not reveal actual connectivity details like DNS-like registrar services.

For those interested in a private mass notification service, my company is beta testing our alert tool, ccAlert, that allows individuals to send communication messages to another individual or a group of individuals, via the communication devices they have (e.g., email, mobile phone).  Messages can be mass alerts to notify members of an emergency or a can be a simple notification of a change in meeting time.  if you interesting in trialing a mass notification and messaging service for free (whether your a business, community group , or a fire squad), one should visit www.ccalert.net.

The tragedy at Virginia Tech early this week continues to highlight a glaring problem at many of our school campuses and surrounding neighborhoods: we lack an effective directory service that provides real-time alerts and notifications to individuals within a given community.  Its been reported that there was a major 2 hour gap between the first shooting and an email that was finally sent by the administrators to students and members of the Virginia Tech community.  A simple message to the community immediately after such an event could possibly have saved some lives.  The power of information here would have save lives, I believe.

The structure of a directory needs to incorporate the appropriate communication devices that people have, not just an email address.  It also must be easy to use and real-time.  I worry that if we continue to ignore the lack of such a system, we will see more of these incidences, not just at our schools, but within our own communities.  If this can have in such a serene place like Virginia Tech, it can happen anywhere. 

As this topic has been my focus for the past seven years, for those interested, our company, Context Connect, actually provides a free mass alert and notification service to any community that needs instant connectivity, whether its a school or volunteer fire squad.  Please email me if you are interested – sunny@contextconnect.com

IBM announced it is donating a software product called “Identity Mixer” to the Higgins open-source project (focused on helping individuals manage their online identities).  The software allows individuals to purchase goods/services online while keeping their personal information hidden.  The software allows individuals to provide aliases or pseudonyms rather than your actual detail – very similar to the work we’re doing at Context Connect.  All about keeping individual information hidden, while allowing them to connect with others in a convenient and private way.  A more detailed article at News.com below.

http://news.com.com/IBM+donates+new+privacy+tool+to+open-source/2100-1029_3-6153625.html?tag=nefd.top