This year’s International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in Chicago featured many exciting announcements and generated news and conversations about how voice services help field teams accomplish more. The Orion team was on the ground at the show, and in this post we’ll report the biggest news and trends that developed.

Our team at the show also spotted new trends in mobile computing and enterprise voice services.

Software supersedes devices as the focus for field teams

Enterprises and government organizations have yet to create standards for using mobile devices in the field. That can lead to problems of workers carrying too many devices or carrying personal devices when they shouldn’t. However, thinking about communication in terms of devices doesn’t address a team’s core needs. What field teams need are solutions that solve their use case, and that starts with software.

Software is more powerful and more flexible than any single device could be. Cloud-based, edge-delivered solutions like Orion now mean that teams can focus less on the form factor of their devices and focus more on what software can do for them. For instance, the new Orion Dispatch Console, demonstrates the value of a converged platform that includes location tracking, call logging, and PTT in one integrated view that can be accessed from any desktop browser. The same functionality is available to mobile users on a wide range of supported devices. When teams choose software — and more importantly, platforms — they stop agonizing over device choices.

Moreover, groups of solution providers are forming alliances to deliver best-of-class services to create solutions that fulfill all customer needs. Partnerships also mean solutions are trustworthy, reliable, intuitive, and diverse. For example, Orion is proud to be a launch partner in the RapidDeploy Lightning Partner program. Orion’s full-featured voice platform enhances the RapidDeploy family of cloud solutions.

Rugged device options for field teams expand with the Orion-supported Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro

And now that software solutions are flexible enough to run on any device, field teams can choose the form factor that fits the user role. Mobile device maker Samsung had hard-working frontline workers and field teams in mind when it announced its new rugged smartphone, the Galaxy XCover FieldPro. Designed for durability, reliability, and power, and equipped with a physical push-to-talk (PTT) button, the Galaxy XCover FieldPro is suitable for transportation workers, field service technicians, and more. Orion was proud to support the announcement by showcasing our enterprise voice services running on the  Galaxy XCover FieldPro in the Samsung booth.

Want to learn more?

If you’d like to learn more about how voice trends will affect teams in the field and how Orion enables teams to be more efficient and collaborative, contact our Solutions Team by emailing hello@orionlabs.io.

Related articles

• [Samsung] Orion Labs Is Taking Push to Talk Into the Smartphone Era
• Greg Albrecht, Co-Founder and CTO of Orion Labs, Inc., Speaks on Enterprise Business Integrations at Samsung Developer Conference 2019
• FirstNet “Core Mission Apps” webinar: Orion voice workflows for public safety
• Event Recap: Orion at IACP Tech 2019

This past week’s International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) in Las Vegas brought together all of the biggest names in the critical communications industry. More than 7,000 professionals among the government, public safety, utilities, transportation, and enterprise industries attended the event which featured the latest products and innovations featuring 400 exhibitors. The Orion team was on the ground to showcase our full suite of products, including our new 3D indoor location integration with Polaris Wireless. It was exciting to see Orion’s voice superpowers lead the two major trends surfacing from the show below:

The Future of Push-To-Talk Lives On LTE

Every major player sees that the future of push-to-talk (PTT) technology lives on LTE. At IWCE 2019, it became clear that the technology’s prevalence extends beyond the public safety industry. PTT is essential to enable communication across teams who use a variety of devices on LTE networks.

The Emergence of Indoor Location Solutions

As industries across the board adopt new mobile technologies to improve business processes and enhance efficiencies, mobile teams seek a solution that will help them be better-connected and better-informed, specifically when it comes to locating their workers in multi-floor, indoor environments.

At IWCE 2019, our integration with Polaris Wireless delivered the industry’s first 3D indoor location platform, offering users precise indoor location with vertical accuracy. Orion was able to show live demonstrations of an associate moving around the neighboring hotel with high-resolution detail on a 3D map display. With access to the Polaris sensor fusion technology, Orion can provide this accuracy even in GPS-deprived environments, solving one of the most pressing needs in team communications and location tracking.

Want to see a quick video demo? See Scot Jordan of Polaris Wireless and Greg Albrecht of Orion talking about it on Urgent Communications.

Co-Founder and CTO Greg Albrecht speaking to LMR users about integrating RoIP based communications

Our Co-Founder and CTO Greg Albrecht presented on Friday at the panel “RoIP Gateway: An Alternative to ISSI and CSSI” alongside partners Sonim, JPS Interop, and other companies.

IWCE was a great opportunity to showcase that science fiction communication systems are here now. Orion’s key verticals are looking for one, ubiquitous network, with a wide suite of devices operated by the user in the easiest way possible.

Tell us about your IWCE experience

Did you attend IWCE this year? If so, let us know what trends you saw at the show by tagging @OrionLabs on Twitter.