Text Messaging Featured Article

A major thunderstorm or heavy snowfall can cause a power outage; high voltage transmission and distribution lines could be down, and at some sites public safety could be at risk. At such times, effective communication across utilities is imperative. Hence, to be in a state of preparedness and protect employees (internal and those in the field), Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, has deployed an SMS alert service.

TextPower’s AlertDispatcher system was chosen because it is simple to use and deploy and also because the automated system is hassle free. This is in stark contrast to previous solutions, where users had to send manual alerts and keep track of numbers and carriers.

“With TextPower, all we needed was a number to add to the dispatch SMS group and it was automatically categorized," said Ronnie Bludau, operations technology superintendent at Bluebonnet.

Bluebonnet, which serves over 80,000 meters in the Texas region, is currently using AlertDispatcher to send potential service warning should a weather pattern predict that a severe storm that could cause damage to the power infrastructure. Since deployment, the cooperative has seen constant usage of the TextPower AlertDispatcher system, and has been sending out three to four alerts on average, per month.

"Weather is highly unpredictable and a co-op such as Bluebonnet relies on our technology to keep their customers up and running," said Mark Nielsen, executive chairman and co-founder of TextPower.

Typically, two-way radio communication is used during severe weather conditions. However because of voice distortion, deciphering verbal messages can be rather difficult. TextPower’s real-time interactive text messaging overcomes these limitations by delivering alerts from the dispatcher in clear, traceable text messages to employee mobile devices, regardless of carrier.

Commenting on the system, Nielsen noted that “Even with the biggest of weather surprises, TextPower technology will always be on and reliable."

Bluebonnet’s first priority is the safety of its customers and employees as damaged lines and equipment can pose a threat to life and health. It hence plans to extend TextPower’s SMS alerting technology to its customers in the near future.