GreatCall
 | |
| Company Type | Connected Health |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Arlene Harris |
| Headquarters | San Diego, California, United States |
| Key People | David Inns, CEO - Brian Berning, CFO - Bill Yates, CMO - Jeff Polizzotto, VP Commercial Sales - Dean Williams, VP Technology - Lynn Herrick, VP & General Counsel - Krijn van der Raadt, VP Systems Development & IT |
| Website |
greatcall |
GreatCall is a connected health technology company based in San Diego, California. GreatCall offers health and safety products and services for older adults,[1] including mobile devices, cellular service, mobile apps and a wearable device. GreatCall provides nationwide cellular service as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) through the Verizon Wireless network.
History
GreatCall was founded in 2006 by Arlene Harris to provide aging adults with accessible technology and services.[2] In the same year, the company launched the original Jitterbug.[3] In 2009, GreatCall launched Live Nurse (now Urgent Care). In partnership with FONEMED, Urgent Care provides customers with access to registered nurses 24 hours a day.[4]
In 2011, GreatCall added another app to its list of services called MedCoach, which provides daily medication management.[5] That same year, GreatCall introduced the 5Star Urgent Response (now known as GreatCall Splash), a mobile Personal Emergency Response System device, along with 5Star Medical Alert System, which uses GPS technology and advanced location analysis to connect users with emergency certified 5Star Agents.[6]
Also in 2011, John Walsh became the official spokesperson for GreatCall.[7] In 2012, GreatCall released its first smartphone, the Jitterbug Touch, a keyboarded Android phone with a simplified user interface.[8]
In 2012, GreatCall released the Jitterbug Touch, a keyboarded Android device with a simplified user interface on a larger screen.
In 2014, GreatCall added another app called Link to its suite of safety applications.[9] In November 2015, GreatCall acquired Lively Inc.
On June 7, 2017, GreatCall announced that it was being acquired by the private equity firm GTCR.[10]
Awards and Recognitions
- In 2006, the Jitterbug cell phone was recognized in New York Times tech journalist David Pogue's Top 10 Brilliant Ideas [11] and Reader's Digest 100 Best Products.[12]
- In 2007, GreatCall won the wireless industry's Andrew Seybold Choice Award for "Best New Wireless Company"[13] at CTIA, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Associations design award, and was recognized as a finalist for CES's Last Gadget Standing Competition.[14]
- In 2008, the company received the Stevie Award for "Best Overall Company" ,[15] the American Society on Aging's Award for "Best Small Business" .[16]
- In 2009, TripleTree selected GreatCall as the winner for "Best Consumer Experience" and GreatCall's LiveNurse™ application (now Urgent Care) received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award.[17]
- In 2010, GreatCall's LiveNurse™ application (now Urgent Care) received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award.[18]
- In 2014, GreatCall's Link app won the Today's Caregiver's "Caregiver Friendly Award" .[19]
- In 2016, the Lively Wearable was recognized in The Wall Street Journal's "BEST OF CES 2016: The Wondrous and Wacky Year Ahead in Gadgets" [20]
- In 2016, the Jitterbug Flip was featured in the Wall Street Journal article on simple phones and was the editor's phone of the lot[21]
- In 2016, the Jitterbug Flip cellphone was recognized in PCMag as Editor's Choice for simple cell phones[22]
- In 2016, CEO David Inns won EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year for Tech Services in the San Diego Region[23]
See also
- List of California companies
- List of United States wireless communications service providers
- Page Plus Cellular
References
- ↑ Miller, Jim (November 26, 2014). "Personal Tech Products Designed Specifically for Seniors". Huffington Post.
- ↑ Mitroff, Sarah (May 28, 2014). "GreatCall's Splash and Jitterbug5 help seniors stay safe and connected". CNET.
- ↑ Lewis, Peter (April 6, 2006). "Cellphones for kids – and seniors". Fortune.
- ↑ Lee, Jacqueline (May 24, 2013). "No Copay Required: Patients Get Urgent Care Assistance From GreatCall App". Health TechZone.
- ↑ Wong, George (June 28, 2011). "GreatCall MedCoach lets you manage your medication with your iPhone". Ubergizmo.
- ↑ "Product Review: The 5Star Urgent Response from GreatCall". The Senior List. February 1, 2013.
- ↑ "John Walsh, Human and Victim Rights Advocate Named National Spokesperson for GreatCall's New 5Star UrgentResponse Service". BusinessWire. December 13, 2011.
- ↑ Colon, Alex (November 29, 2013). "Jitterbug Touch (GreatCal)". PC Mag.
- ↑ "GreatCall Link Supports Family Caregivers in Enabling Independence". BusinessWire. January 7, 2014.
- ↑ WireUpdate. WireUpdate http://www.wireupdate.com/2017/06/07/gtcr-announces-acquisition-of-greatcall/. Retrieved 7 June 2017. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ Pogue, David (December 28, 2006). "Brilliant Ideas That Found a Welcome". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Jitterbug Listed in Readers’ Digest 100 Best Products – 2007". DYNA. January 1, 2007.
- ↑ Seybold, Andrew (April 12, 2007). "Things are Getting Better for Customers". AndrewSeybold.com.
- ↑ "Yahoo! Tech Announces Winners of "Last Gadget Standing" Event at CES 2007". BusinessWire. January 10, 2007.
- ↑ "Best Overall Company". Stevie Awards. 2008.
- ↑ "Best Small Business". American Society on Aging. 2008.
- ↑ "Jitterbug LiveNurse Wins Best Mobile Consumer Application Award". BusinessWire. October 13, 2009.
- ↑ "CTIA Announces Hot for the Holidays Awards Finalists". Bloomberg. September 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Winner's Gallery". Caregiver.com. 2014.
- ↑ Fowler, Geoffrey (January 6, 2016). "BEST OF CES 2016: The Wondrous and Wacky Year Ahead in Gadgets". The Wall Street Journal.
- ↑ Fowler, Geoffrey (April 27, 2016). "Jitterbug Flip (GreatCall)".
- ↑ Kumar, Ajay (May 31, 2016). "Jitterbug Flip (GreatCall)".
- ↑ Bigelow, Bruce (June 22, 2016). "EY Names 6 Startup Leaders as San Diego Entrepreneurs of the Year".