SpectraRep, a subsidiary of BIA Financial Network, said it's been chosen by the Association of Public Television Stations as a systems designer and integrator and project manager for the national Digital Emergency Alert System program, a wireless data delivery system for EAS.
APTS and the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency are combining their efforts on the program, tracked by FEMA's Office of National Security Coordination. Those involved say the DEAS system will deliver broadband multimedia consisting of audio, video and multiple file attachments, as well as distribute alerts by e-mail, cell phones, text messaging devices, digital signage and other systems.
As the systems integrator for DEAS, SpectraRep, part of BIAfn, will be responsible for overall systems engineering, software development and logistics management.
In 2004, FEMA signed an agreement with APTS to conduct a Digital Emergency Alert System--National Capital Region Pilot Project. The pilot was launched to demonstrate how public television's digital infrastructure could be used to support distribution of presidential messages to the public and of digital EAS messages to TVs, radios, personal computers and wireless networks.
SpectraRep provided systems design, integration and project support for the pilot DEAS system, which was concentrated in the national capital region. In 2005, APTS selected the firm to support the second phase of the pilot, which included extended operations and testing with 23 public TV stations in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
(Radio World)
