CASE STUDY SouthernLINC Wireless helps Clanton Police Department Achieve Narrowbanding Compliance Ahead of 2013 Deadline CLANTON, ALABAMA Overview POLICE DEPARTMENT In 2011, the Police Department for the city of Clanton, Ala., selected Push To Category: Public Sector Talk (PTT) two-way radio service from SouthernLINC Wireless to achieve compliance with the Federal Communications Commission’s narrowbanding SouthernLINC Wireless helps mandate. This mandate states that all non-federal public safety licensees using wideband 25 kilohertz radio systems must convert to narrowband 12.5 kHz Clanton Police Department Achieve channel systems no later than Jan. 1, 2013. Narrowbanding Compliance Challenge Ahead of 2013 Deadline Faced with limited time and a projected expenditure of more than a half-million CHALLENGE dollars in order to bring his department’s outdated, conventional radio system Clanton Police Department into compliance with this FCC mandate, Clanton Police Department Chief Brian Chief Brian Stilwell was at a Stilwell was at a communications and financial crossroads. communications and financial “Earlier this year, I jokingly told our SouthernLINC Wireless representative that crossroads – he needed to bring his I wished they could handle all of my department’s radio needs,” said Stilwell. “My department’s outdated, conventional rep quickly took the ball and ran with it.” radio system into compliance Solution with the Federal Communications Commission’s narrowbanding The SouthernLINC Wireless sales team put together a proposal to transfer the mandate to convert from wideband Clanton Police Department’s primary dispatch operations from its wideband radio to narrowband 12.5 kHz channel system to the SouthernLINC Wireless network. radio systems before Jan. 1, 2013. “After looking at the numbers, it was an easy sell,” continued Stilwell. “My department gets nationwide private PTT and regional group PTT service for a SOLUTION fraction of the price of upgrading the outdated, VHF radio system, and we don’t The Clanton Police Department’s have the added cost of maintaining the radio towers.” primary dispatch operations moved After receiving the City Council’s approval for the full migration to SouthernLINC from its wideband radio system to Wireless, Stilwell acquired a grant to pay for modifications to their 911 call center the SouthernLINC Wireless network, console and the additional lines of service and equipment. giving Chief Stilwell and his officers many additional communications “The Clanton Police Department more than doubled its lines of service with us, yet it was still far less costly than updating the department’s obsolete, private capabilities that weren’t possible with radio system,” said Rodney Johnson, vice president of sales and distribution for their conventional radio system. “The SouthernLINC Wireless. “Plus, the SouthernLINC Wireless network gives Chief Clanton Police Department more than Stilwell and his officers many additional communications capabilities that weren’t doubled its lines of service with us, yet possible with their conventional radio system. In particular, SouthernLINC it was still far less costly than updating Wireless delivers private PTT two-way radio service, which no known scanner can the department’s obsolete, private radio intercept, and interoperability with other state and local agencies.” system,” said Rodney Johnson, vice A SouthernLINC Wireless customer since October 1999, the Clanton Police president of sales and distribution for Department is now exclusively using the carrier’s PTT service for all radio SouthernLINC Wireless. communications, which satisfied the FCC narrowbanding directive more than a RESULT year in advance of the deadline. SouthernLINC Wireless now “SouthernLINC Wireless has given me a cost-effective solution to my services 100 percent of Clanton department’s radio problems,” Stilwell concludes. “I am sure we’re not the only Police Department’s two-way radio small, public safety agency that is facing the massive expense of a radio system communications. “My department gets upgrade, and I now know SouthernLINC Wireless can be the solution.” nationwide private PTT and regional Continued on back About SouthernLINC Wireless SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier with network coverage in the major metro and rural areas of Alabama, Georgia, southeast Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless combines multiple communication options, including Push To Talk two-way radio (PTT), cellular service, wireless Internet access, wireless data, and text and picture messaging, into one hand-held device. In addition to regional network coverage, the company offers nationwide access through roaming agreements for cellular, PTT, data, and text and picture messaging services in more than 540 cities throughout southernlinc.com the U.S. For more information, please call 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visit www.southernlinc.com. About Southern Company 1-866-480-5462 With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta- based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and group PTT service for a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. a fraction of the price of Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail upgrading the outdated, electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company was named the World’s VHF radio system, and Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility by Fortune magazine in 2011, and is consistently listed we don’t have the added among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer cost of maintaining Satisfaction Index. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com. the radio towers,” says Clanton Police Department Chief Brian Stilwell. BENEFITS Using wireless voice and data solutions from SouthernLINC Wireless, the department benefits from instant communication that helps them prevent crimes, perform rescue operations and enhance public safety for Clanton citizens. What’s more, because SouthernLINC Wireless’ network is entirely digital and inherently private, the officers can rest assured that their conversations will remain confidential. According to Motorola, there is no known scanner that can intercept transmissions over the SouthernLINC Wireless network. Actual results may vary. Several factors may affect or interfere with the service availability and quality as described above such as, but not limited to, network changes, traffic volume, service outages, weather and your equipment. ©2012 Southern Communications Services, Inc. d/b/a SouthernLINC Wireless. All rights reserved. SCS-8504 02/12.