Some technology to help the relief efforts...

[htismaqe]

Yes, it's a shameless plug, but a close friend of mine here at the company helped develop this solution...

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To assist those displaced and separated from loved ones by the effects of Hurricane Katrina, MCI has introduced a simple, toll-free phone service to help those impacted by the storm communicate their conditions and whereabouts to family and friends by simply using their 10 digit home phone number as an identifier. The service allows displaced people and those attempting to locate the missing to connect through a toll-free phone number.

The caller can choose to either: * Register themselves by calling 1-877-HELP-KAT (1-877-435-7528) or * Locate someone who is missing by calling 1-866-601-FIND (1-866-601-3463).

Registration function: * Those impacted will be prompted for their home phone number, month, day and year of birth (for individual identification) and a callback number where they can be reached.


The service will notify the caller if they are the first to register the number or if someone else has already done so. If others have registered the number, the earlier registrant's month, day and year of birth as well as callback number will be replayed, giving the caller the option to connect automatically to them.

The registrant will also be told if someone has previously searched for their number and will give them that caller's birth month, day and year in addition to callback information with an option to connect.

Even if those displaced do not have a callback number to be reached at, they should still call and register because it will give their loved ones the basic peace of mind that they are alive. Impacted persons will be able to update their registration information with callback numbers when they become known.

For any 10-digit primary home phone number, up to nine callback numbers and birth month, day and year can be registered to accommodate alternate contact numbers and multiple family members. Locator function:

Caller is prompted for home phone number of lost one.

Lost one's callback number and birth month, day and year are played back.

The caller can then automatically connect to the lost one's callback number.

The service will also notify the caller if the number they searched for has not yet been registered and allow them to enter their birth month, day and year and callback number to be replayed when and if the missing person's phone number is registered.

The service supports English, French and Spanish and is limited to U.S. geographic customers only. This service is available to everyone, not just MCI customers.

[Sam]

Sounds like a good thing. I feel for the people not being able to find their friends and relatives or being able to reach out from there for help.

It's about time George Bush did something positive for the people on the Gulf Coast.

[Biohazard]

Originally Posted by Phobia

It's about time George Bush did something positive for the people on the Gulf Coast.

Sorry. That was totally a joke. Nothing more. I don't wish to discuss GWB on this thread. There's a million qualifying threads in D.C.

[htismaqe]

FYI, MCI hasn't released this to the public yet. My friend mentioned it to me last week, and I found reference to it in a couple of blogs this morning.

So what you're reading is someone's blog entry. An official announcement should be made shortly.

[StcChief]

Excellent use of telephone technology long way from
pabx programming done in 70s