How it works

Simple, three-step process to send a Message:

Connect-CTY -REACH YOUR COMMUNITY IN MINUTES IN YOUR OWN VOICE

A fully-hosted SaaS (Software as a Service) application, the Connect-CTY service allows civic leaders to send personalized messages-via voice, text and e-mail - to thousands of people in minutes without having to invest in or maintain hardware, software, or additional phone lines

In the event of local disruptions, such as floods, wildfires, water main breaks or power outages, the ability to provide leadership remains intact, with the capacity to send timely notifications to targeted constituents and staff members using just a telephone.

Through a simple three step process, you can quickly inform your constituents at multiple contact points, including cell phones, home phones, business phones, PDAs/pagers, e-mail accounts, TTY/TDD devices for the hearing impaired, and networked digital signage. Results of the transmission to each recipient are delivered back upon call completion.

Evacuated? Harness the power of the voice of a credible spokesperson. Initiate a message using just a telephone via your Dial-In Messaging Card, whether you want to target a special group or send a message to your entire community.

With the Connect-CTY fixed fee unlimited messaging plan, local officials can maximize their investment and share the service across all departments without incurring additional fees associated with set up, data integration, user training and retraining, 24/7 support, or per message charges. This will allow each department to communicate the right information to the right group of people while you maintain centralized roles and rights controls that tie to your emergency communication plan.

One, fixed fee unlimited messaging plan allows all key departments to use the Connect-CTY service for just pennies per day, including:

• Mayor's Office
• Police
• Fire
• Emergency Management
• Health Services
• Public Works
• Parks and Recreation

While you can't always prevent an incident, you can take control with timely updates and authoritative communication delivered in the voice of a credible spokesperson when faced with unexpected situations, such as:

• Natural or manmade disruptions
• Unexpected, unusual neighborhood crime and assaults
• Missing senior/missing child
• Chemical spills, fires, explosions
• Road closures or route changes
• Water main breaks/other infrastructure outages

Blackboard Connect's superior call routing, throttling, and load balancing expertise reduces congestion to optimize call throughput with reliable delivery. Connect-CTY clients receive the backing of dedicated Client Care Specialists who assist with training, data transfers, technical support, tips, and usage analyses to ensure the system is being utilized to its fullest capacity. The service is battle-tested, proven, and easy to use.

• Unlimited use by all departments with unique contacts and groups per department for one annual fee
• Unlimited use for a reasonable fixed fee - users pay no long distance charges, per call charges, or per SMS charges
• Fully hosted SaaS (Software as a Service) solution - no software maintenance or issues with upgrades, no hardware necessary or installation of phone lines required - fully Web-based and accessible, 24/7/365
• Multiple contact notification touch-points - combine voice, e-mail, and text messaging; can even tie in with networked digital signage and send messages to TTY/TDD devices for the hearing impaired
• Compliant with the Common Alerting Protocol v. 1.1 (CAP-V1.1) and cell broadcast ready
• Geo-coded, publicly available residential/business phone numbers provided and updated with monthly data cleansing so information is current; multi-lingual Web portal provided for additional data collection
• Automated, secured data transfers from your HR information systems - ensures up-to-date information; unlimited groups and sub-groups
• Geo-Calling feature lets you target recipients using a map - from sophisticated overlay maps imported on the fly by your GIS expert to simply having your mayor draw points or a donut on a map
• PIN authentication for message delivery included
• Call routing, throttling, and load balancing expertise to ensure that calls are delivered quickly and efficiently
• Custom user account access and patent-pending call authorization and roles and rights levels tie the roles and rights controls outlined in your emergency communication plan to the service
• Secure access from any location, anytime you need it - even if you have been evacuated
• 24/7/365 customer support - unlimited assistance for all users with no per call support charges
• Dedicated client care team - proactive support, personal attention and consultation
• Comprehensive reporting and auditing tools - download detailed call logs and usage reports - display percentage of recipients who listened to your messages and those addresses that may need additional follow up
• Geographically dispersed data centers and redundant telco providers and delivery mechanisms ensure maximum up-time

Extensive experience delivering millions of calls and text messages per month nationwide - the Connect platform is currently used at over 21,000 active sites across the USA.

NO hardware. NO software. NO additional phone lines

Learn About Data Integration