Sidebar to "Facing the Year 2000"

Are Your PSAP Vendors
Year 2000 Compliant?

This sidebar can be found on
page 44 of the May/June 1998
issue of 9-1-1 Magazine.

9-1-1 Magazine asked two dozen public safety communications equipment vendors how the Year 2000 would - or wouldn't - affect their products. We are grateful to the following respondents for their participation:

CML Technologies, Inc. (radio consoles, E9-1-1 systems, wireless solutions): CML's E9-1-1 products became Year 2000 compliant in 1995. Any customers with systems prior to that date require a simple upgrade to meet Y2K requirements. Pierre Plangger, Public Safety Product Manager.

Data911 (hardware and software - PSAP and mobile data solutions): Data911 is introducing its Millennium Series of client-server software, which is fully year 2000 compliant. This software is offered to current clients for no additional license fees. We are also offering a patch to our legacy products, which will allow these systems to operate into the next millennium. Mark Richardson, Chief Technical Officer.

Intergraph Public Safety (mapping/CAD systems, integrated radio and telephony solutions): Intergraph tests for compliance on all hardware, firmware, and system software shipped with Intergraph products since these system components can affect date processing. All Intel-based systems have been evaluated for Year 2000 compliance. Software products have been tested and are completely compliant at the application level. All new Intergraph Public Safety (IPS) products currently sold are Year 2000 compliant. Betty Newsom, Senior Marketing Analyst.

Microsoft Corporation (computer software and operating systems): Microsoft will respond to Y2K changes in a manner that is appropriate to our business. We are working very hard to not only clearly articulate how our products are affected by the date change to the 21st century, but we are also working to help customers utilize our technologies as components within their overall Year 2000 solution strategy. Ken Reeves, Marketing Executive, Justice & Public Safety Sector.

Motorola (voice and data radio systems, dispatch hardware and software): Motorola Land Mobile Products Sector is evaluating its current products and identifying which are affected by the Year 2000 issue, and we have a web site identifying our current parts and accessories and their Year 2000 readiness status. If a web site product entry identifies a product as not Year 2000 ready, we will identify product alternatives, as appropriate (upgrade or replacement). As for discontinued products, through the years, LMPS has sold thousands of products. As such, LMPS is not in a position to assess the Year 2000 readiness of each of those products. Laura Littel-Zdon, Land Mobile Product Sector.

Orbacom Systems, Inc. (communications systems including console, CAD, and furniture): The year 2000 change will have no effect on Orbacom console products. The date field used by Orbacom allows for a 4-digit year. Since the console system clock/calendar is essentially a stand-alone application, we do not consider interface with other systems to be a problem. Robert Conroy, President.

PRC Public Sector (CAD and RMS systems): PRC CAD systems required a minor modification in the existing MACRO and COBOL systems to become 2000 compliant. PRC has been aggressively implementing these changes for our customers on maintenance for the last year. All PRC systems are, or will be certified as Year 2000 compliant before December 1999. All PRC Altaris CAD systems are 2000 compliant now. For PRC users on maintenance, there will be no noticeable effect. For non-Altaris CAD users who are not on maintenance, there will be a charge for the Year 2000 compliant service. Mike Poth, Director of Customer Service.

Plant Equipment, Inc. (9-1-1 telecommunications products and computer/telephone integration software): Our primary product lines - MAARS, MAARS-View and VESTA - have been certified as Y2K compliant by an independent testing laboratory. All of our products are developed with an open system methodology designed to facilitate and promote integration and migration paths. This development philosophy ensures that we will be in the main technological stream and that our products will meet the challenges presented to us today, tomorrow and well into the future. John K. Fuller, Vice President Of Marketing.

SCC Communications Corporation (CAD, E9-1-1 call handling and database infrastructure services): SCC has an aggressive testing and certification program for all our systems. All of our work product has been changed or is being changed so that everything will be transmitted to the customer in full Year-2000 compliance. We also are working with others in our industry to make sure our interfaces and connections are clean. Steve Meer, Chief Technology Officer.

Synergetic Systems Inc. (CAD, mobile field reporting, and RMS systems for public safety agencies): One of our systems is based on UNIX and the other has been newly developed using Windows 95 or NT. The UNIX system has been installed in many cases since the mid 80's when no one had yet thought of the Y2K issue. Regardless, most of our system were coded to be Y2K complaint. For those that are not Y2K, we are offering our clients Y2K fixes on a time and materials basis. Most of our clients are opting to upgrade to our new Windows version rather than fix outdated software. Martha Hill Director, Marketing & Sales Public Safety Criminal Justice.

	Are Your PSAP Vendors Year 2000 Compliant?


This sidebar can be found on page 44 of the May/June 1998 issue of 9-1-1 Magazine.	9-1-1 Magazine asked two dozen public safety communications equipment vendors how the Year 2000 would - or wouldn't - affect their products. We are grateful to the following respondents for their participation: CML Technologies, Inc. (radio consoles, E9-1-1 systems, wireless solutions): CML's E9-1-1 products became Year 2000 compliant in 1995. Any customers with systems prior to that date require a simple upgrade to meet Y2K requirements. Pierre Plangger, Public Safety Product Manager. Data911 (hardware and software - PSAP and mobile data solutions): Data911 is introducing its Millennium Series of client-server software, which is fully year 2000 compliant. This software is offered to current clients for no additional license fees. We are also offering a patch to our legacy products, which will allow these systems to operate into the next millennium. Mark Richardson, Chief Technical Officer. Intergraph Public Safety (mapping/CAD systems, integrated radio and telephony solutions): Intergraph tests for compliance on all hardware, firmware, and system software shipped with Intergraph products since these system components can affect date processing. All Intel-based systems have been evaluated for Year 2000 compliance. Software products have been tested and are completely compliant at the application level. All new Intergraph Public Safety (IPS) products currently sold are Year 2000 compliant. Betty Newsom, Senior Marketing Analyst. Microsoft Corporation (computer software and operating systems): Microsoft will respond to Y2K changes in a manner that is appropriate to our business. We are working very hard to not only clearly articulate how our products are affected by the date change to the 21st century, but we are also working to help customers utilize our technologies as components within their overall Year 2000 solution strategy. Ken Reeves, Marketing Executive, Justice & Public Safety Sector. Motorola (voice and data radio systems, dispatch hardware and software): Motorola Land Mobile Products Sector is evaluating its current products and identifying which are affected by the Year 2000 issue, and we have a web site identifying our current parts and accessories and their Year 2000 readiness status. If a web site product entry identifies a product as not Year 2000 ready, we will identify product alternatives, as appropriate (upgrade or replacement). As for discontinued products, through the years, LMPS has sold thousands of products. As such, LMPS is not in a position to assess the Year 2000 readiness of each of those products. Laura Littel-Zdon, Land Mobile Product Sector. Orbacom Systems, Inc. (communications systems including console, CAD, and furniture): The year 2000 change will have no effect on Orbacom console products. The date field used by Orbacom allows for a 4-digit year. Since the console system clock/calendar is essentially a stand-alone application, we do not consider interface with other systems to be a problem. Robert Conroy, President. PRC Public Sector (CAD and RMS systems): PRC CAD systems required a minor modification in the existing MACRO and COBOL systems to become 2000 compliant. PRC has been aggressively implementing these changes for our customers on maintenance for the last year. All PRC systems are, or will be certified as Year 2000 compliant before December 1999. All PRC Altaris CAD systems are 2000 compliant now. For PRC users on maintenance, there will be no noticeable effect. For non-Altaris CAD users who are not on maintenance, there will be a charge for the Year 2000 compliant service. Mike Poth, Director of Customer Service. Plant Equipment, Inc. (9-1-1 telecommunications products and computer/telephone integration software): Our primary product lines - MAARS, MAARS-View and VESTA - have been certified as Y2K compliant by an independent testing laboratory. All of our products are developed with an open system methodology designed to facilitate and promote integration and migration paths. This development philosophy ensures that we will be in the main technological stream and that our products will meet the challenges presented to us today, tomorrow and well into the future. John K. Fuller, Vice President Of Marketing. SCC Communications Corporation (CAD, E9-1-1 call handling and database infrastructure services): SCC has an aggressive testing and certification program for all our systems. All of our work product has been changed or is being changed so that everything will be transmitted to the customer in full Year-2000 compliance. We also are working with others in our industry to make sure our interfaces and connections are clean. Steve Meer, Chief Technology Officer. Synergetic Systems Inc. (CAD, mobile field reporting, and RMS systems for public safety agencies): One of our systems is based on UNIX and the other has been newly developed using Windows 95 or NT. The UNIX system has been installed in many cases since the mid 80's when no one had yet thought of the Y2K issue. Regardless, most of our system were coded to be Y2K complaint. For those that are not Y2K, we are offering our clients Y2K fixes on a time and materials basis. Most of our clients are opting to upgrade to our new Windows version rather than fix outdated software. Martha Hill Director, Marketing & Sales Public Safety Criminal Justice.