DMR  |  2013-06-04

MOTOTRBO™ with Bluetooth® Data Transforms Operations for Callaway Electric Cooperative

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Motorola Solutions’ digital radios and NISC® generate big gains in mobile workforce safety and efficiency

Callaway Electric Cooperative needed to update its fleet of analog radios before the January 2013 FCC narrowbanding deadline. Callaway is a member-owned cooperative that distributes power to almost 13,000 residential, agricultural and commercial customers across central Missouri. The cooperative selected a solution tailor-made for utility companies: MOTOTRBO™ digital two-way radios with integrated Bluetooth® data and National Information Solutions Cooperative’s (NISC) mobile workforce management software.

The deployment and integration of MOTOTRBO radios from Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MSI) and NISC’s software applications were easy and affordable, resulting in improvements for Callaway Electric’s workflow, mobile workforce and ultimately, its members.

Local Motorola channel partner, Rayfield Communications, Inc. explored many alternatives with Callaway Electric. One of the key advantages of MOTOTRBO is the ability to send data over the radio network. The typical solution is to use cellular, but cellular coverage is very poor in a large portion of rural Missouri due to its rough terrain. MOTOTRBO radios provide better coverage for both voice and data, ensuring constant, reliable communications for Callaway’s field workers.

Tom W. Howard, CEO/General Manager, Callaway Electric Cooperative
"Whether crews are working in a severe storm or on a simple meter change, MOTOTRBO is the lifeline for our workers’ safety, health and well-being. It allows them to do their jobs safely and efficiently and restore service to our members as quickly as possible. Ultimately, the most cost-effective, reliable method we have to communicate with workers in our trucks is with MOTOTRBO radios.”

Hal Herron, vice president, North America Radio Solutions Channels, Motorola Solutions
“With its new MOTOTRBO system, Callaway Electric is seeing significant improvements from one end of its service area to the other. Today, the cooperative saves time and delivers better service by reacting faster to unscheduled events and rapidly dispatching tasks to field workers in real time.”

Source: Motorola Solutions