MessageNet systems

MessageNet Systems, Inc.

Type	Private
Industry	Computer software
Founded	1991 (founded as Orchid Systems)
Founder	Kevin Brown Jerry Geis[1]
Headquarters	101 E Carmel Dr, Carmel, Indiana, U.S.
Area served	North America (global via partners)
Products	"Connections"
Website	http://www.messagenetsystems.com

MessageNet systems is a privately held company^[2] which sells a primarily software-based product called "Connections" for facilitating an organization's emergency and routine communications.

Company Overview

MessageNet systems is located in Carmel, Indiana, United States, and is active in much of the country. It markets itself as providing a broad ranging solution that could be used for communications in several types of organizations, and in varying ways. The company's slogan (as stated on its website) connotes that by touting "Everyday & Emergency Communications — Unified."^[3] Its primary product is called "Connections", which may consist of any combination of several features and capabilities (which are outlined and explained briefly, later in this article), depending on the organization's needs.^[4]

Mission

According to the company's website, the mission of MessageNet systems is to provide impactful and life changing communication solutions to resolve the daily and emergency communication challenges organizations face.^[5]

Culture

The company claims to have a long-standing culture of innovation and openness about software development and adopting new technologies. For example, according to an interview, its founders take particular pride in being among the first entities to utilize a web-browser as a user interface for its web application-based product in 1995, when the practice was not yet in widespread use. The company's software development team purports to also be involved with many open-source software projects.^[6] One aspect of its involvement and utilization of open-source technologies is exemplified in the usage of Linux-based products, including text-to-speech technology.^[7]

Market Involvement

MessageNet systems participates in the marketplace via direct sales, partnerships with resellers, and agreements with other third parties.^[8] As part of its sales efforts and expansion goals, the company recently participated in the Channel Partners Conference and Expo, in Las Vegas.^[9]

History

MessageNet's old logo

MessageNet's new logo

The Early Years & Growth

• 1991 - Founded with the name "Orchid Systems."^[10]
• 1996 - Changed name to "MessageNet Systems"^[11] and adopted a corresponding logo.

Continued Growth & Expansion

• 2011 - Recognizing the complexity of organizational communications, and in helping organizations understand those complexities, MessageNet became more active in education-oriented video production (in addition to marketing), and started a company YouTube channel.
• 2012 - Changed branding with an updated logo, color scheme, and slightly modified its name (as represented in its logo, visible right) to be "MessageNet systems" rather than "MessageNet Systems" (the difference being the lower-case "s" in "systems").^[12]

Product

MediaPort

Visual PA

PC Alert

MessageNet's main (and only) offering is an all-encompassing product called "Connections."

Connections

Connections is a broad product that may include several different features & capabilities, depending on the customer's needs. Notable environments that this product may be well-suited for, include:

• Noisy manufacturing environments, where traditional PA systems may not be effective^[13]
• Sprawling campus settings which require a mass notification capability, as well as discrete room or location-based ability to focus specific communications^[14]
• Schools for the deaf and blind, where equal access to education, everyday, and emergency information is challenging to achieve^[15]

Connections is an example of an emergency communication system. According to the company's marketing materials, "MessageNet Connections is a browser-based, integrated system that unifies private and public, everyday and emergency communications into one powerful system. Connections integrates your existing communication systems to create communication bridges between people, places, and things. One of the unique advantages of the MessageNet Connections system is scalability: you can start with your specific needs now, and later uniquely upgrade your system to include additional functionality."^[16]

• MediaPort — A digital signage system, using high-definition flat panel displays to display many types of media, including presentation-style slide-shows, high-definition video, emergency evacuation routing, two-way video-conferencing, photographs, text messages, and scrolling news tickers, for both daily and emergency uses.^[17]
• Visual PA — A system designed to deliver visual public address messages from any authorized PC running a browser to electronic LED sign boards in one room, throughout an entire campus, or across a WAN.^[18]
• PC Alert — Delivers alert and emergency messages to any, or all, PCs on a network by popping a message up as a window and scrolling it until a person or an event terminates it.^[19]
• PageStation — An advanced text messaging software system that provides real-time text messaging to pagers, PDAs, Twitter, and cell phones, from any authorized computer on a network.^[20]
• MESA — Enterprise Security & Alerting features that integrate and enhance an existing building's automation, fire safety, and security systems. It adapts and prioritizes alerts from a variety of safety and security systems for delivery to any of the spectrum of communication devices used in the enterprise.^[21]
• CallVista — A voice communication system that integrates desk phones, home phones, cell phones, wireless phones and videophones. It includes an autodialing phone directory, in/out whiteboard functionality, and more.^[22]
• SecurePA — The software interface that extends the utility, security, and ease-of-use of Overhead Paging, Intercom, Mass Notification and PA systems.^[23]

Alternative Product Names

Throughout the company's history and growth their main product has evolved, and consequently, undergone several name changes. Following are some of these:

• Silent Messenger^[24][25]
• Visual Intercom^[26][27]
• EMACS (Emergency Management and Communications System)^[28]

Customer Service

MessageNet systems' primary focus is in offering its Connections product; however, the company does provide some services to customers who have purchased, or are in the process of purchasing Connections. MessageNet provides customer service as well as installation and upgrade support.

Primary Markets

MessageNet systems' solutions are currently deployed in these markets:^[29]

• Industrial manufacturing environments
• Retail establishments
• Universities and higher education
  • A MessageNet-derivative system is currently being used at Gulf Coast Community College.^[30]
• Deaf and blind schools
  • Mississippi School for the Deaf — According to the Tech Bytes newsletter, this school has implemented Connections to serve as an Emergency System with the following features:^[31]
    • Allow staff to react more quickly to incidents;
    • A Security System that will monitor students, as well as reduce misconduct, vandalism, and theft;
    • An Electronic School Bulletin Board that will display schools events, lunch menus, or a calendar of events to any TV on campus;
    • A Virtual Media Cart that will play and control tapes, and/or DVDs in a classroom without a player, media, or remote control;
    • A Video Contact System that will enable real-time video conversations with staff members;
    • An Off-Campus Control and Monitoring System that allows responsible parties to view cameras and control devices remotely via the Internet;
    • A Broadcast System in which announcements can be made for both the hearing and sight-impaired student;
    • A Professional Development System that will allow teaching of a class to multiple classrooms simultaneously, or connect the classroom to an existing distance learning class or learning lab.
• Hospitals and medical facilities

External links

• MessageNet systems' Homepage
• Company YouTube channel
• Video examples of Connections implemented at Mississippi School for the Deaf

References