City-Owned Utility Selects Siyata Mobile's (NASDAQ: SYTA) Budget-Friendly Mission-Critical PTT Handset To Connect Its Workers And Keep Utilities Running Smoothly

When we think of extreme careers, we may not automatically think of utility work, but we should. Utility fieldwork is one of the most demanding jobs, and it can involve working in extreme conditions or following disasters. When anything goes wrong and utilities – like natural gas, water, sewage or refuse collection – go offline, the public needs utilities on as soon as possible. This is where effective communication is essential for field crews to stay in constant communication and respond to situations with ease.

Land Mobile Radios (LMR) have been the traditional communication solution used by field workers for many decades. However, these handheld radios were big, bulky and costly to carry around, making them cumbersome for everyday use. Push To Talk (PTT) radio coverage provided by LMR technology was also often limited to a short distance, usually covering one city or one county, and was prone to no coverage zones, where communication was unreliable.

The limitations of LMR technology have been a source of frustration for field workers, dispatchers and their command staff. A few years ago, some industries switched to smartphones to ensure constant communication, but even that has not panned out as expected. Smartphones have apps and capabilities that are not needed and can be a distraction for many workers, and many smartphones are less weather-resistant than other communication devices that are designed to endure extreme conditions.

The Public Utilities department from Lancaster, Ohio, recently selected Siyata Mobile Inc. SYTA ("Siyata"), a global developer and vendor of mission-critical Push To Talk (PTT) over Cellular handsets and accessories, as a communications solution. Utility workers there support the city's natural gas, water, wastewater treatment, stormwater drainage and refuse collection. They will now be using Siyata's SD7 mission-critical PTT handsets, which will replace previously used two-way radios that operated on their own radio network.

This department decided to switch to Siyata’s handsets due to the cost savings and operational benefits they offer. Previously, the Public Utilities department would purchase two-way radios for approximately $2000 per unit. After conducting a Total Cost of Ownership analysis, the city concluded that moving to Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) using FirstNet Extended Primary PoC service would be more cost-effective. FirstNet is the perfect network to support communications needs when critical infrastructure needs to be fixed or installed. The Siyata SD7 Handset was deemed the ideal device choice for the city’s Public Utilities staff. It is affordable through FirstNet since its price and the PTT service were spread over 24 months, and it is rugged and simple to use – similar to two-way radios – making it a good fit for staff who were already accustomed to using radios. Also, the SD7 handsets work seamlessly with Siyata's VK7 Vehicle Kits used in their trucks.

Charlie Mullett, Traffic Control Supervisor from Lancaster's Department of Transportation, commented, "We chose the Siyata SD7 unit along with the VK7 Vehicle Kit because we like the versatility of having the high performance PTT Communication as a mobile rugged handheld or as a docked unit in our transportation vehicles. We also chose them because of the FirstNet ready capability. They have worked well for our needs and we have received great customer service and support from the FirstNet Solutions Team."

The SD7 handsets and VK7 Vehicle Kits have already been integrated into the crew’s day-to-day operations. With a track record as a pioneer in the industry and with solutions catering to various uses in a wide variety of industries, Siyata has earned its reputation for reliability and versatility.

Featured photo courtesy of Knelson20 on Shutterstock.

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