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The Daily Tar Heel

Alert system claims success

Text messages received faster

Tuesday’s test of the Alert Carolina system was marked in part by a drastic increase in the efficiency of the text message alerts.

Nearly 40,000 text messages were sent in a fraction of the time it took to send the messages last year, said Priscilla Alden, assistant vice chancellor for ITS user support and engagement.

Following system tests last semester, some students complained that text messages took too long to reach people.

But Alden said Alert Carolina has since changed the company that manages the text messages.

Alert Carolina conducted a head-to-head test between Rave Wireless and Pier Systems, two technology companies. The results showed that Rave was far more capable of handling the volume of messages needed and was selected as the new provider, Alden said.

Pier Systems is still used to host the alert system Web site.

Alden said Alert Carolina is using “the best of what both companies do best.”

Thanks to the change, the alert system sent nearly twice as many messages in less than half the time it took last year. About 23,000 were sent during each of last year’s tests, and the first messages arrived about 15 minutes after they were sent, Alden said.

Tuesday’s test messages took about three minutes to reach phones, Alden said.

Brian Payst, director of technology and systems support, said there was very little cost associated with the upgrades, but he could not provide exact figures.

“The University is going to pay what we need to in order to get messages to people,” he said.

Payst said the system includes a series of components designed to ensure that people are notified regardless of their location.

“Say there’s a chemical spill. If you’re at home, you might not hear the siren if you’re in Hillsborough, but you’d see the e-mail and know not to come to campus,” he said.

Mike McFarland, the University spokesman, said in an e-mail that some people thought the sirens were more audible during Tuesday’s test, though no changes were made to the actual volume. He said cloud cover that day may have contributed to the higher volume.

Prior tests have been conducted in clear conditions, he said.


Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.

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