What can the Bold MediaGateway do for your business?
The Bold MediaGateway is a flexible hardware and software solution that works in conjunction with the Manitou Alarm Automation package to provide a Unified Communications Platform for central stations. It flexibility allows the MediaGateway to enhance your current business process, dramatically improve efficiency in call and alarm handling as well as providing a range of new services and offerings to your customers.
What is different about the MediaGateway compared to other products?
The MediaGateway is ten different products that work together to provide unique solutions to the business problems of your Central Station. Unlike other products there is no hard and fast way that it works, the MediaGateway is completely flexible so that it can fit your exact business requirements.
What functional areas does the MediaGateway address?
1. TwoWayVoice: This is a fully integrated two-way voice solution with call-follow technology ensuring alarms and voice calls are tied together and routed to the correct operator.
2. InstantConnect: This is an alternative two-way voice product, that can be used with any phone device that provides caller ID or can be tracked using DNIS. This also uses call follow technology and is Ideal for elevator alarms, PERS devices, GPS devices or concierge services.
3. SoloProtect: This is one-way voice surveillance with the delivery of voice clips to the operator. This is used for hardware devices like Identicom lone worker protection unit.
4. SmsAlert: Allows alarms to be received via SMS text messages.
5. OpenVoice (Outbound): Allows outbound interactive and automated voice calls, driven by Manitou action patterns and a fully user definable scripting language (HAL - Hierarchical Application Language).
6. OpenVoice (Inbound): Allows inbound calls to an IVR (interactive voice response) system. It can handle technician level functions, guard level functions, check-ins, or customer requests. It is driven by a fully user definable scripting language (HAL).
7. AutoText: Provides both inbound and outbound interactive SMS text messaging. Scripting that is written for OpenVoice can also be used within AutoText to provide multiple communication mechanisms for the central station.
8. LineCheck: This module can dial the central stations receivers and pass a contact ID signal to test the line is good. Failures are sent directly into Manitou as Alarms, eliminating the requirement to wait for a test timer.
9. PBXAssistant (NEW): Works with OpenVoice to provide full call control with integrated IVR and routing using ACD (Automatic Call Distribution). This allows the most appropriate agent to be located by communicating with the Manitou system. It also ensures agents do not receive unrelated calls when they are dealing with alarms.
10. ChannelBank (NEW): Connect your PRI/T1 directly into the MediaGateway ChannelBank. Receivers can be connected directly to the station ports of the MediaGateway. Passes DNIS/Caller ID, can detect conditions such as no answer and send an alarm into Manitou in combination with automatically busying out the line.
PBX Compatibility
The MediaGateway is compatible with ANY PBX system. Using standard analog lines, digital T1 lines, and digital ISDN PRI lines universal compatibility is achieved. In essence the MediaGateway becomes a specialized switch which works alongside your existing PBX.
Real World Examples
TwoWayVoice: When an operator handles a two-way voice alarm, the two-way voice call is automatically transferred to the operator’s phone extension.
This is how it works, a call arrives from the panel into the MediaGateway, without answering the call it is connected to the receiver. Manitou is told to expect a two-way call from a certain caller ID. When the receiver is finished with the call the MediaGateway takes back over the call and waits for further instructions, during this time keep-alives are sent to the panel to keep it online. When the alarm is handled by an operator in Manitou the MediaGateway is told what extension to transfer the call to. Once the receiver sends the alarm into Manitou, the call can be transferred to the operator’s extension the instant they pick up the alarm.
InstantConnect: A cell phone calls into the central station, raises an alarm, the alarm is handled by an operator and the call is transferred to the operator’s extension within two or three rings.
InstantConnect: An elevator phone calls into the central station, raises an alarm, the alarm is handled by an operator and the call is transferred to the operator’s extension within two or three rings.
The cell or elevator phone is programmed with a speed dial to the central station. When pressed the MediaGateway captures the caller ID and then raises an alarm within Manitou using the caller ID as the transmitter ID. The call is then held by the MediaGateway until the operator picks up the alarm, at which point it gets transferred. If the alarm is picked up immediately this process all takes place in two to three rings on the customer’s cell phone.
SoloProtect: A nurse providing at home health examinations for a major insurance company is about to enter a patient’s home. The nurse carries an Identicom unit (left), the devices looks like an identity badge but is actually a cellular device with built in GPS Before entering the home, she follows the insurance company safety practice and presses the “Yellow Alert” button on the back of her Identicom badge to records a short voice clip with information regarding the home she is entering. This information is sent into Manitou. While in the home, the nurse is threatened by a patient; she covertly presses the “Red Alert” button on that back of the Identicom unit which sends a panic alarm into Manitou. An operator in the central station receives the alarm and can dispatch the Police using the location provided by an associated GPS signal or by listening to a previous “Yellow Alert” signal message recorded by the nurse before she entered the patient’s home.
When the red or yellow alert button is pressed the MediaGateway captures the caller ID and then raises an alarm within Manitou using the caller ID as the transmitter ID. The call audio is then recorded by the MediaGateway and sent into the system as audio signals, the length and quantity of the clips can be setup by the central station.
SMSAlert: A dealer has to provide security in a remote location and decides to use a GSM devices with SMS technology, the coverage is not good enough for a solid alarm transmission, but SMS messages seem reliable. The device is programmed to send in a simple signal within a text message. The MediaGateway receives the SMSAlerts and translates them into Alarms/Signals within Manitou. The device is able to be armed/disarmed by receiving text messages, which is also accomplished using Manitou reverse channel commands and SMSAlert.
OpenVoice (Outbound): A shop owner is working late within a few minutes he receives a call from the MediaGateway, the alarm is announced to him and he is asked if he wishes to extend the schedule. The owner enters his user ID and password and extends the schedule 30 minutes. The alarm is closed down without any operator intervention.
A late to close alarm is raised within Manitou because the close signal was not received. The first action pattern line of the alarm is a request to contact a key-holder using the OpenVoice system. The key-holder is then contacted and the system informs them that a late-to-close alarm has been received and would they like to speak to an operator or extend the open time. If the option to extend the open time is chosen, the customer will enter their ID and password and then the number of minutes to extend the schedule. The alarm is then closed automatically by the system.
OpenVoice (Inbound): A technician calls into the MediaGateway, he identifies himself using his user ID, password and caller ID. The customer he is working on has been identified in the Sedona Office system and a service ticket has been provided, he enters the service ticket into the system and the time interval he wants the customer on-test for. He is asked if he wants to register for SMS notification and accepts. He arms the system and walks through the zones to test each one. The technician receives the details of the signals sent via AutoText to his cell phone. When he is finished he calls back into the system to take the system off test.
OpenVoice (Inbound): A guard is required to check in every 60 minutes, he calls in to the MediaGateway, the system request he provide an ID/password. The MediaGateway then sends in a signal into Manitou and thanks the Guard and hangs-up the call. Later, the guard forgets to check in and a late-to-check-in alarm is raised at the central station.
Using OpenVoice the user experience is completely customizable even down to the specific user, using DNIS or Caller ID, different scripts can be played back to the user, and even multiple languages can be supported. The system uses text-to-speech technology so that customers names and addresses can be read back, as well as industry specific phrases. Because, the technologies all work together in the Guard example above the OpenVoice(Outbound) could take care of the late-to-check-in alarm and call the guard, should he still not respond then the alarm could be automatically escalated to a live operator
AutoText (Inbound): A subscriber leaves the office having armed area 1 and then wonders if all the other areas have been armed. They send in a text message into the central station. The format would look something like this “$ARMST.RAC.1234.#” (Command.ID.Password)
The MediaGateway responds and sends a text back with
· Area 1 is disarmed. It was disarmed at 5/21/2009 9:01:02 AM
· Area 2 is armed. It was armed at 5/21/2009 5:50:22 PM
The subscriber is able to see that area 1 is still disarmed and can act accordingly.
AutoText (Inbound): A technician arrives on site and wants to place the customer on test. He sends in a simple text message using his cell phone and the account is placed on test. All subsequent signals, while the customer is on test, are sent to the technician’s cell phone.
AutoText(Outbound): The OpenVoice(Outbound) example above can also be implemented using the AutoText module.
The MediaGateway can send a text message to the customer informing them that the system should be closed, the customer can text back and extend their schedule. For example if their user id was 1234 and their password 5678 and they wanted to extend 30 minutes the reply would be simply “1234.5678.30.#”
LineCheck: A central station has 30 receiver lines that require constant supervision to ensure that they are all operating properly. They currently achieve this by an operator calling all 30 lines each hour to ensure the receiver is answering them. By using LineCheck a single account can be setup, with a call list of all the receivers’ phone numbers on. The MediaGatway will then call each line at the desired frequency (hourly) and an actual contact ID signal will be sent into the receiver, if the call fails then an alarm can be raised directly with the Manitou system so that the issue can be addressed immediately.
PBXAssistant: A customer accidentally sets off their alarm and then calls into the central station to cancel the alarm. The system asks whether they want “Customer Services” or to report an “Alarm”. They choose “Alarm” and the system identifies the customer by their caller ID, the customer is put into the Alarm Handing queue. There are four other customers in front the customer, every alarm handler is handling an alarm. The system sees that there is no operator free and keeps the callers on hold, informing them of their expected wait time. When an operator closes an alarm the first caller is routed to them. The next operator picks up the customers alarm, the system automatically prioritizes the customer over others in the queue and connects them to the relevant alarm handler
The MediaGateway can organize calls coming into the system into Queues, any operator or agent can be placed into any of the queues. The mechanism that calls are routed can be varied depending on the queue, one queue can be skill based another can be the “longest idle”.
The MediaGateway supports special Alarm Handling queues, in this case the system looks using caller ID to see if the customer calling in has any alarms allocated to an operator. If this is true then it would then transfer them to the operator handling the alarm. If there were no alarms in the system but the key-holder wanted to report one they can elect to transfer to an operator or leave pre-cancel information with the MediaGateway. The system simply requires authentication. They can also leave a voice mail that will be passed to an operator should an alarm actually arrive. The third option is if the alarm has already arrived but has not been touched by an operator. The system can be setup to allow them to cancel the alarm with valid credentials. Like all aspects of the MediaGateway it is completely flexible and many variations are possible.
ChannelBank: A receiver line cards has gone into a non-answering state, a call comes into the MediaGateway ChannelBank. The ChannelBank routes the call from the PRI to the analog station card, however, the receiver does not answer. The MediaGateway ChannelBank allows 15 seconds for the call to be answered, then it sets the channel to busy and sends a Line Fault alarm directly into Manitou. The next call coming into the line rings busy and the hunt group moves it automatically onto the next line. An operator receives the line fault alarm and a technician examines the receiver problem.
So, what can the Bold MediaGateway do for your business?
Call us at 1-800-255-BOLD or email us at btsales@boldgroup.com for more information!