Operator Obtains Affordable Compliance with FCC Mandate, Enhanced Safety and Security for its Subscribers

FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Interop Technologies, a provider of core wireless solutions for messaging, device management, and connectivity gateways, today announced that Bluegrass Cellular will deploy Interop’s hosted Commercial Mobile Service Provider (CMSP) Gateway. This solution enables Bluegrass to deliver Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) alert messages originating from the Federal Alert Gateway to its subscribers without deploying cost-prohibitive systems on its network.

Bluegrass Cellular, a leading regional wireless operator, is known for delivering cutting-edge solutions and outstanding customer service to wireless subscribers in Central Kentucky. The company plans to deploy the solution upon completion of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) testing as required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC and FEMA are implementing CMAS, known commercially as the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN), as a result of the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act passed in 2008.

The Interop Technologies hosted CMSP Gateway ensures Bluegrass subscribers will have the protection and security of receiving CMAS notifications, including Presidential, Imminent Threat, and AMBER Alerts issued by public safety and governmental agencies. These alerts help inform the populace of public safety and weather emergencies, helping to increase response time and save lives and property.

By utilizing the Interop hosted solution, Bluegrass significantly reduces the investment and staff resources needed to deploy an on-network CMAS system. In addition, the Interop solution has negligible impact on the Bluegrass CDMA network, which is connected to the Interop hosted CMAS Gateway by a standardized TCP/IP interface (3GPP or 3GPP2). This interface supports delivery of text-based alerts over the operator’s cellular broadcast network directly to subscribers with CMAS-compatible handsets.

Wireless network operators who choose to participate in the voluntary CMAS program must meet the FCC’s implementation deadline of April 2012. To date, all four leading U.S. operators have announced plans to offer CMAS capabilities to their customers, and nearly all operators are ultimately expected to join them. With Interop’s hosted solution, Bluegrass ensures that its subscribers will begin to receive alerts at the same time as customers of leading national operators.

"We are very pleased with Interop’s ability to provide a cost-effective CMAS solution that provides the fastest way to market with a minimal impact on our network,” said Scott McCloud, Vice President of Network Operations, Bluegrass Cellular. “We view CMAS as an important customer care initiative and are excited to work with Interop to provide these alerts to our subscribers.”

“Interop’s hosted CMAS solution minimizes the investment Bluegrass Cellular must make to comply with this new government mandate,” said Damian Sazama, Vice President of Corporate and Product Marketing, Interop Technologies. "We are pleased to support Bluegrass in its efforts to enhance subscriber safety in Central Kentucky."

About Interop Technologies

Interop Technologies (www.interoptechnologies.com) provides core wireless solutions for messaging, device management, and connectivity gateways. All of Interop’s solutions, including the world’s fastest SMSC, deliver high performance in mixed-generation technology environments. The company’s unmatched deployment flexibility enables operators of all sizes to compete immediately, and its modular architecture makes migration to next-generation technology simple. With a lengthy history in the wireless service provider business, Interop is a trusted partner to wireless and broadband operators worldwide. Interop Technologies is based in Fort Myers, FL, with a network operations center and offices in Dallas, TX.

About Bluegrass Cellular

Headquartered in Elizabethtown, KY, Bluegrass Cellular has been operating in Kentucky for over 19 years with 21 company owned retail locations and over 30 authorized agent locations. A pioneer in the wireless field in the state’s rural areas, Bluegrass was the first to offer digital cellular service to Central Kentucky in 1998. For more information on Bluegrass Cellular and for local store hours and information, visit bluegrasscellular.com or call 1-800-928-CELL. Follow Bluegrass Cellular on Twitter at twitter.com/bluegrasscell or http://www.twitter.com/BCI_Android.

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KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Florida  Kentucky

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