The two way communications channel using both voice and data that is established when the SOS button is pressed allows emergency responders to accurately locate an injured worker and maintain a dialogue to assist with the rescue operation.
The Iridium Extreme – the first satellite handset in the world to feature a dedicated two-way emergency SOS button – has been launched in Australia by Iridium and Australian satellite telecommunications provider Pivotel.
The Iridium Extreme is packed full of features including GPS, tracking, SMS and data services. It has been designed to military standards to withstand the extremely tough environmental conditions dished up by the Australian outback. It is also the first satellite phone designed from the ground up to interoperate with advanced tracking and exception management systems such as Pivotel’s TracerTrak system.
Peter Bolger, managing director of Pivotel, said the handset is expected to shake up Australia’s satellite telecommunications market.
“The Iridium Extreme is the handset that Australia’s been waiting for,” he said. “Built for incredibly tough conditions with the ability to pinpoint users anywhere on the surface of the planet, this handset takes remote communications and personal safety to a whole new level. When the Iridium Extreme is paired up with TracerTrak, the level of personal safety offered to remote workers is unparalleled.”
The handset is the first to incorporate two-way data transfer to allow the most coordinated and effective response to an emergency, which according to Bolger, is an absolute breakthrough in the provision of emergency responses for remote areas.
“The two way communications channel using both voice and data that is established when the SOS button is pressed allows emergency responders to accurately locate an injured worker and maintain a dialogue to assist with the rescue operation,” he said. “The Iridium Extreme and TracerTrak significantly improve the management of the emergency response to better ensure a coordinated and efficient emergency response effort.
“For example, if a lone worker has suffered a serious medical problem, the emergency response team can gather further information about the injury and ensure appropriate medical resources are brought by the recovery team directly to the injured worker’s pinpointed location.”
Pivotel is the only service provider in Australia able to integrate the new handset with TracerTrak, one of Australia’s leading tracking exception management services that allows companies to track personnel and manage valuable assets in remote areas.
Managed from a central hub, Bolger believes that TracerTrak, in combination with the Iridium Extreme, makes for the most powerful remote safety monitoring system ever seen in Australia.
“TracerTrak goes much further than assisting with the management of an SOS emergency,” he said. “One very popular feature is its ability to monitor staff ‘skeds’ and remind staff who may have forgotten to check-in. It takes out a lot of the costs and time associated with remote personnel management, which is extremely important to modern workplace health and safety.”
The handset will be sold at $899 until the end of October 2011, $600 off the recommended retail price range.
For further information about Pivotel’s Iridium satellite services and products, please visit www.pivotel.com.au
Add Comment