BOISE, Idaho & ORLANDO, Fla. – IACP – Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered 4G and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced, at the annual 2018 International Associations of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Orlando, Florida, its FirstConnect™ program for first responder organizations. FirstConnect is specifically designed to help these organizations overcome many of the budgetary, logistical and operational challenges typically faced when deploying new wireless edge router solutions to take advantage of FirstNet and other nationwide public safety broadband networks. The program is free of charge to Cradlepoint’s new and existing police, fire and emergency services customers.
On the heels of its recently announced FirstNet Ready™ MC400 Modem Module for secure and reliable fixed site, in-vehicle and IoT connectivity, Cradlepoint’s FirstConnect program eases the challenges often faced by first responder organizations in purchasing, deploying and supporting new edge routing solutions that take advantage of FirstNet and other nationwide public safety broadband networks. These challenges include finding and applying for grant monies to help fund purchases, access to logistical and technical resources for installation of in-vehicle routers, training of IT and operational staff, and priority access to knowledgeable support resources around the clock at a moment’s notice.
The inaugural program elements include:
FirstConnect 911: 24/7 priority access to Cradlepoint’s US-based customer service team.
FirstConnect Grant Assistant: The grant assistance program that helps qualifying first responder agencies find applicable local, state and federal grants and provides training and assistance in writing a successful application.
Tailored End-User Training: IT and other operational personnel responsible for the configuration, deployment, management, and troubleshooting of Cradlepoint solutions will have access to a tailored end-user training curriculum delivered online at Cradlepoint University (CPU).
Installer Network: Emergency vehicles have unique requirements when it comes to the installation of in-vehicle routers, including vehicle wiring, antenna selection and placement, and connections to OBDII ports, sensors, sirens and lights. Cradlepoint provides access to its network of experienced installers so that first responder organizations can accelerate roll-outs while minimizing vehicle downtime.
As part of Cradlepoint’s commitment to ‘Connect & Serve’ those who protect and serve us, the company is adding several first responder charities to its Cradlepoint Cares™ program. Each year, Cradlepoint will donate a portion of its proceeds from first responder agency sales to charities that are dedicated to first responders and their families. The selected charities will be announced prior to January 1, 2019.
“With over 2,100 first responder customers worldwide and growing, our mission is to ‘Connect & Serve’ first responder organizations by delivering purpose-built solutions, tailored training and support, as well as giving back through our Cradlepoint Cares initiative,” said Todd Krautkremer, CMO at Cradlepoint. “Our FirstConnect program makes it faster and easier for organizations to migrate existing and deploy new mission-critical applications over FirstNet and other nationwide public safety broadband networks.”
This FirstConnect program will be available on January 1, 2019.
Cradlepoint will be discussing its FirstConnect program in-depth while at IACP this week in booth 1881. Cradlepoint’s customer Flymotion, which supports agencies in developing and operating drone programs, will also be at the booth showcasing their newest rapid response vehicle MAVERICK, which is FirstNet Ready and Connected by Cradlepoint.
About Cradlepoint
Cradlepoint is the global leader in cloud-delivered wireless edge solutions for branch, mobile, and IoT networks. The Cradlepoint Elastic Edge™ vision—powered by NetCloud services—provides a blueprint for agile, pervasive and software-driven wireless WANs that leverage 4G and 5G services to connect people, places and things everywhere with resiliency, security, and control. More than 20,000 enterprise and government organizations around the world, including 75 percent of the world’s top retailers, 50 percent of the Fortune 100, and first responders in 10 of the largest U.S. cities, rely on Cradlepoint to keep critical branches, points of commerce, field forces, vehicles, and IoT devices always connected and protected. Major service providers use Cradlepoint wireless solutions as the foundation for innovative managed network services. Founded in 2006, Cradlepoint is a privately held company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with a development center in Silicon Valley and international offices in the UK and Australia.
Learn more at cradlepoint.com or follow us on Twitter @cradlepoint