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Anton, It is my understanding that ACCOLC (Access Overload Control) has not been implemented to date in a UK major incident for health. The risks of implementation, even for the emergency services, are considerable. John Black -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 03 January 2004 18:48 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Text messaging for Major Incident Callout Standard procedure at large major incidents is for the mobile telephone network(s) to be disabled bar numbers which are logged before-hand in conjunction with the police. This enables the emergency services to use the network without interference from the public overloading the masts. Anton Staffs In message <[log in to unmask]> Mick Molloy <[log in to unmask]> writes: > On 02/01/2004 12:30, "Andrew Hobart" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > Do any of the list members have any knowledge or experience of the use of= > text > > messaging systems to send a group message to mobile phones (not necessari= > ly on > > the same network)? > >=20 > > In the event of a major incident it is very time consuming to make indivi= > dual > > telephone calls to contact staff not on duty. > >=20 > > We currently have the facility to putout a group aircall message to pager= > s but > > most of us do not carry these if not actually on call. > >=20 > > However many people carry personal mobile phones all the time. > >=20 > > =20 > >=20 > > Any ideas? > >=20 > > =20 > >=20 > > Andrew Hobart > >=20 > > A&E Consultant East London > >=20 > > =20 > >=20 > > Andrew=20 > there are a number of commercial companies who offer this service. Most of > the main network providers can set this up for you from a database on your > own computer, the mobiles do not necessarily have to be on the same network= > . > There is obviously a set up cost and I was quoted from =E2=82=AC1500-=E2=82=AC5000 ( di= > vide > by 1.5 or so for sterling). > The EMS paging system could work out to be quite expensive to set up > > Alternatively if you want to do it without significant set up costs then > hooya.com is a company in finland which has run our service for a number of > years. You have to upload the list of names yourself to a section of their > database which is web based. You can then set up a number of lists for > individual sections of your total database. > > In a major disaster setting you would probably be contacting all staff with > a request to come to work and possibly section heads with messages specific > to tem and where they should report to. > > We have found it very good for the commercial setting we use it in, problem= > s > were generally rectified very quickly with a 24 hour contact person at thei= > r > end. > > Using the traditional phone system at the time of a major incident can be a > mess as it can become overloaded quickly resulting in calls not being put > through. Automated call systems will not get over this problem, they will > just keep redialling adding to the congestion on the network. > > For anyone who has worked at mass gatherings such as concerts the cellular > network can also get clogged up quite easily with large numbers of people > trying to dial at the same time, such as ringing home when their favourite > band comes on. > > The bonus of the SMS service is that if there is a problem with the network= > , > congestion or whatever, when this is even temporarily relieved the text wil= > l > get through and your cohort should be ready to spring into action. > > The only major problem we have found with the SMS service is that you canno= > t > be sure that=20 > > * the recipient has their phone turned on > * they are able to use the text service ( strange but many people never use > it) > * that even if the phone is on whether they have read the message or not. > > Some of those problems we could not crack, one work around was to put our > own numbers on the list then at least we knew when the message should have > been received. > > The cost of the hooya service for non-commercial use is 4 cent ( 2.4p) or s= > o > per message. For commercial use it is about 7 cent. You need a credit card > and to purchase credits in advance in blocks from 100 up > > > Alternatively there is a service available from cork, softtouch technologie= > s > who designed a secondary service for us. If you want more information > contact me off list. > > Hope all was well for christmas. > > Mick Molloy