T-MOBILE DEVELOPS A PLATFORM INTENDED NOT ONLY FOR SEARCHING FOR MISSING PERSONS

Targeted notification text messages sent to mobile devices in emergency situations
The system can also notify citizens of fire and floods
Notification only within a certain distance from a particular problematic location

Prague, 26 May 2014 – T-Mobile has developed a one-of-a-kind platform with the working title “SAR SMS” (Search & Rescue SMS), allowing the sending of mass text messages to a particular area where there is a high risk of threat to health or life. Thanks to this unique system, rescuers can promptly inform citizens about, for example, a search for a missing child, fire, floods and other emergency situations.

“This practical and very beneficial system is the only one of its kind in Europe,” says Milan Vašina, T-Mobile’s Managing Director, adding: “The service is intended for individual bodies within the integrated rescue system and we are very pleased that is has met with a positive response from the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic. Other negotiations are underway.”

“The impetus for developing the application was not only the alarming number of missing kids worldwide but also the need for a very fast information channel in similar emergency situations. The technical possibilities of this system offer a very broad spectrum of uses,” says Petra Pavičová, Social Responsibility Manager at T-Mobile. “We are glad that we succeeded in presenting the application one day after commemorating International Missing Children’s Day, the symbol of which is the forget-me-not flower,” adds Petra Pavičová.

T-Mobile is the first operator in the Czech Republic to come up with a solution, developed in partnership with an external contractor, Position s. r. o., which allows individual bodies within the integrated rescue system (IRS) to inform, within just a few minutes, tens of thousands of citizens in the particular area of an emergency situation or threat by sending text messages directly to their mobile telephones. The application was developed in just six months.

The presented solution has enormous potential. It not only provides rapid assistance in the search for missing children when every hour counts, but the web-based system also allows the sending of text messages to rescue units in other areas with an increased risk of danger, for example, in the case of floods, mass accidents on motorways, industrial accidents, fire, etc. This is a non-commercial application, which is provided to the IRS completely free of charge, including operation and servicing. The platform facilitates easy participation of all other mobile operators in the Czech Republic.

The system is very well protected against misuse – just like internet banking, it requires two-factor authentication, which consists of two different input factors for identification.

The system still has only a working name. An internal competition is underway at T-Mobile to choose a new name for the application.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.