Vismo, a tracking software company and developers of the Vismo App – has announced its Mass Notification Service “VismoMessaging”. The UK firm says it’s designed for app users at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and elsewhere globally.
VismoMessaging verifies user location and safety status via the app and by use of multi-communication platforms – SMS, email, voice, in-app push notification and text-to-voice automated phone calls. App users can then be given advice, while security teams liaise with emergency and rescue services as necessary.
Colin Dale, VP Business Development, Vismo, says: “Although Vismo has designed VismoMessaging for use anywhere globally, our main focus at present is security during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where Vismo has had an office since 2013. The World Cup is proving to be a major concern for corporate event sponsors, VIP attendees, the media companies providing coverage of the event, and football teams. With matches being spread across 11 widely dispersed host cities, security is a very real concern, as highlighted on a UK government website, where the spiking of drinks leading to robbery, violence and abuse is one concern. Another UK government website highlights the risk of terrorist incidents in Russia in relation to a global event such as the World Cup.
“The threat of terrorism is high following attacks in recent years resulting in several deaths in the St Petersburg Metro and 37 deaths at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow. Airlines have been targeted with the downing of a flight from Sharm el Sheik to St Petersburg in October 2015, which was caused by an explosive device on board the plane, according to Russian authorities. All this presents significant difficulty for security teams locating individuals and providing immediate assistance and advice should an incident occur.”
The app was used to monitor teams, coaching staff, media otulets and corporate VIPs at similar events, such as the London 2012 Olympics and at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, as well as helping companies and NGOs in high risk regions.
A geo-fence feature allows Vismo account administrators to create geo-fences, which can be configured to notify security personnel when app users move in or out of a stadium or area designated as high risk, as an aid to managing security risks. In the event of an incident at one of the venues, security teams may locate all app users in the affected area and can confirm their situation [such as safe, in danger, being held by a third party] through the use of multi-communication platforms; SMS, email, in-app push notification and text-to-voice automated phone calls.
The app enables the transmission of real time audio and video streams from the app user’s phone to a security team whenever the app’s panic button is pressed – and two-way communication by SMS, email and voice between the user and team. In that communication, advice can be given to the user on how to reduce risk, and the user can be told if necessary that direct help, including evacuation or other form of rescue if necessary, is at hand. And app users can confirm responses to definable questions using preconfigured statement answers, with multimodal transmission enabling ease of communication. This is a security step to ensure the person in contact with a security team is the genuine, registered app user.
Vismo has the ability to filter users whose device is below a specified battery level threshold. The advantage of the filter is that it highlights those app users who might need a prompt by security teams to charge their phone as soon as possible to prevent any loss of service involving the app and VismoMessaging.
Dale adds:“Vismo uses its own patented technology to increase the accuracy of GPS locations, whilst simultaneously minimising the impact on the device’s battery life and data usage. These two benefits could be critically important for giving advice or for a rescue or evacuation. Along with the new VismoMessaging they provide a powerful anti crime solution that will be in operation before, during and immediately after the World Cup.”
