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The way people visit and experience trade shows today has changed dramatically from just a year ago. It used to be all about giveaways, networking, finding out who’s speaking, and what parties are the best to attend. Trade shows have outgrown most of these areas, and event managers have tweaked them in ways that force attendees to pay attention, gain knowledge, and be proactive in participation. So, what are the latest and greatest trends seen at trade shows today?  Below are five hot trends seen at trade shows that event managers can start to incorporate into their planning meetings today. You never know what changes may happen with a few tweaks to your event plan! VIP Treatment image: http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/5-Hot-Trends-in-Trade-Shows-VIP-Treatment-2.jpg Your number one focus when working in a trade show booth should be customer retention. Make sure your sales and marketing teams aligned prior to the event to create lists of any current customers and partners you know will be stopping by your booth at the event. It’s always nice to have little gifts or information set aside ahead of time for customers to continue to engage with them and make sure they are having an awesome experience working with you. One way to ensure your customers are happy is to give them the VIP treatment at events. Utilize the trade show arena to treat customers and partners like they are rockstars. Invite them to team dinners, give them all-star access to networking events that are hard to get into, and make time for them. It’s all about those little face-to-face experiences that keep customers happy for the long run. Personalization is Key Personalization has been a trend for trade shows for some time now, but it’s time to take it up a notch! You can start by listening to attendees and creating a customized plan that appeals to their interests and needs on an individual level. For example, if you have a group of people interested in your product, watching a long demo in your booth and are close to closing a deal with you, go out of your way to personalize that last touchpoint for them. What are they looking for? What needs do they have? Communication goes a long way when trying to meet a customer’s needs on a personal level. Take a look at the feedback you receive after each trade show. What did your booth visitors like and dislike? Be sure you’re asking questions from product demo needs all the way to how the staff greeted visitors in the booth. The little things make a huge difference when tailoring trade show experiences from one event to the next. Data is so Hot Right Now image: http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/5-Hot-Trends-in-Trade-Shows-Data-is-so-Hot-Right-Now.jpg Once you have your personalized experience mapped out, take a look at visitor data from the previous trade show to incorporate other ideas into your plan – this will drive deeper engagement and create richer experiences for audiences. Without spending time reviewing the data and analytics on your booth attendees, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity to engage and sell at trade shows. Data plays a huge role in personalization, and helps to segment the correct group your booth staff needs to be focused on at the event. It’s All About the Experience Focus on a unique plan for your booth. It’s important as an event manager to stay on top of the overall trade show theme, but it’s your job and responsibility to create a customized, unique experience within your booth that will attract visitors. Get away from the old school mentality thinking that the larger expo booths get seen more or have more booth visitors. This is not the case at all. It’s all about what you’re providing, how you market your brand, and what you’re doing to stand out from the crowd. For example, when planning your overall booth theme, be sure it incorporates every detail – meaning, the look and feel of the booth, staff shirts, collateral, giveaways, marketing pre and post show and any attendee touchpoints happening at the event. If your theme is around Star Wars for example, make sure your entire trade show experience includes an element from the theme. Have your emails designed to match your booth look and feel and give away light sabers! You want to look like a complete, professionally pulled together package, not a sloppy vendor hanging out in a 30×30 booth with no idea what they are doing. The Un-Booth Wins Besides pulling together your overall event theme for the ultimate experience, make sure you think about how the booth itself can stand out. It should of course play along with your event theme, but go above and beyond by creating a cool and unique experience within your booth. The un-booth is picking up as a major trend right now. You want attendees to feel welcome as they flow along your booth. Think of your booth space more as a shop or hang out, rather than a boring old booth with graphics on panels. For example, some of the best un-booths have food or a bar to provide a fun hangout area for attendees to chill and mingle with booth staff. Create a fun, but laid-back atmosphere for attendees to feel like they are at home. This is very important – attendees want to feel relaxed and at ease when exploring the trade show floor, so be sure you plan a fun way to incorporate that feeling of relaxation into your booth plan. Booths with blinky giveaways (light sabers, light-up sunglasses, neon rings) are where the fun is happening! And don’t forget the space above the booth is the most coveted area of all! Add in a large LED panel mentioning a fun contest, or have a large creative logo displayed above your booth. It makes it so much easier for attendees if they can find you in the middle of an expo hall by following your hanging pieces of art! image: http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/image_holly-logo.jpg Photo Credit: AlienVault

Where To Go From Here? Analog or Digital? Over the past few years, 2 way radio technology has been migrating from, the long time standard of analog radios, to the new technology of digital. Though the technology in digital is superior to analog in many ways, we at EventTone Wireless have not yet jumped on the digital bandwagon. We are not in the analog or digital business. We are in the solutions business. We offer a full array of digital “Mototurbo” portable, 2 way radio equipment, but, the simple truth is, for the vast majority of our clients digital offers many challenges that make it confusing and expensive. In this offering we will try to clear the fog and give you a better idea of the differences between to two systems and which is better for your needs. Digital Technology Digital technology offers several advantages to the established analog technology. Many of the digital radios debuting can best be described as a hybrid of a 2 way radio and a cell phone. The signal is digital, meaning it is usually cleaner and can reduce background noise. The transmission is binary, meaning, like a computer, it is in “1’s” and “0’s.” Unlike an analog signal, it can offer more talk paths. Where an analog signal can get more static as you reach the outside edges of coverage, a digital signal will stay clear then just drop out when it reaches its boundary. There are features such as texting, and unit ID are also available which is helpful with large staff requirements A digital system can also be programmed to work with a city wide bridging system for wide area coverage that would be difficult with analog technology. However, there are challenges with digital. First, it is much more expensive, and the technology does require experience the casual user may not have or may not have the time to learn. Also in situations where there may be interference, instead a static signal, as with analog, there is no signal at all. Analog Technology If your communications needs do not require city-wide coverage or your staffing is under 75-100 people, then analog is still the best solution for your communications challenges. The technology has been the standard for decades. Most users are familiar with their operation and the coverage, and it is a fast, efficient and cost effective way to communicate. Also, analog offers many enhanced features. The standard analog coverage is approximately a 1 mile circumference (based on the environment), but it is easy to boost that signal with an analog repeater. It is a simple, inexpensive add on that can help you double your coverage. Also, due to its lengthy tenure, engineers have developed many tools and devices to improve functionality. If there is something you need your radio to do, it’s safe to assume there is a solution to be found. Conclusion At EventTone, we’ve always believed that the right communication is the one that works for your. Our consultants will review your needs with you to determine the right choice for you and your company. We do not have an agenda. We are trying to offer our clients the best solution. Digital is a great new technology, but it may be too much for you. We are fond of saying it may be like buying a Ferrari because you need to go to the grocery store for a quart of milk. It’ll certainly get you there, but it’s much more than you may need or want to pay for. Give us a call @ 855-396-5450 and speak with one of our representatives. They are here to help and make sure you make the right choice for your wireless communications needs.

You already know that different departments within your business use their equipment very differently. A two-way radio that works great inside the office, or sitting and never exposed to the elements, may work very differently in the field, where equipment is exposed to much harder use and considerable wear and tear. That means that when you’re buying technology equipment like radios for your workers, there are a few questions to ask before you make your final selection. Is it durable? Can it survive the conditions that will most likely be experienced in the field with your workers? A two-way radio that will hold up for years when it’s used only in an office setting will have very different durability when it’s used on a job site, where it might be dropped, shaken as it’s carried over rough terrain, and exposed to dust and rain. Make sure to consider ratings for ruggedness, such as military specifications for water and dust resistance, and consider reviews from people who have field-tested the radios in environments similar to yours. This can be the difference between an item that will serve your workers for a long time and one that you’ll have to replace within a matter of months Can your employees use it while they’re doing their jobs? Often, technology that is designed to be durable and easy to use is also very large and bulky. Many radios that are designed to be highly durable, for example, are also too big to comfortably clip to a belt or place in a pocket. Look for a radio that is convenient for your workers to use while they’re performing their normal job functions, or look into accessories like Bluetooth headsets or carrying cases that will allow the radios to serve their purpose without requiring the worker to stop what they’re doing. Additionally, if yours is a very noisy work environment, make sure your workers won’t have to worry about finding a quieter place to use the radios. High-quality digital transmission and features like Intelligent Audio and can ensure crystal clear communication even on the noisiest job site. Is this piece of technology safe to use in your work environment? If you work in the mining or oil industries, for instance, you likely need Intrinsically Safe technology equipment so that there’s no risk of fire from the tiny sparks created by normal radios. Additionally, emergency workers like firefighters and police will have other special safety considerations for their radios. Safety is one of the most important things to consider when making a radio purchase. Does this piece of technology help or hurt the people actually doing the job? Sometimes, an item that seems helpful is actually the exact opposite. Technology that is truly effective for your workers will make their jobs easier, rather than making their jobs take longer. If a radio accessory or feature is too complicated for workers to utilize quickly, it’s not adding value to their work days: it’s making them more complicated. For workers who simply need better sound quality in their communications, a fancy model with tons of features they don’t need will do more harm than good. You don’t want the technology to be a distraction; rather, it should integrate seamlessly into the existing routine. What special considerations are most important to your workers? Someone who works around water on a regular basis will need technology that is fully waterproof – nothing fries a new radio faster than dropping it into a lake, a swimming pool, or even a puddle. For other employees, hands-free operation could be critical to successfully integrating the technology into their everyday business. Other workers will find battery life to be the most important consideration, they need their batteries to hold up to regular use throughout the day. When you aren’t out in the field yourself, purchasing radios for your workers can be difficult. Your first thought might not always be for the concerns that are of greatest importance to them. Thinking about your workers before you make a purchase and asking them how they need the radios to function every day will make it much easier to select radios that will make your workforce more efficient, not less.

No matter what new innovation comes along in the wireless communications world, 2 way radios always seem to stick around.  The simplicity of use, the practicality of their function, and the fact they have been around for decades, seem to have kept them in the vogue.  There have been some situations where cell phones have encroached on their territory, but, for larger, more complicated events, or event events that need efficient 1 to 1 and 1 to many connectivity, 2 way radios still hold the answer. Now let us take a look at the 2 way radio accessories required for this system. You may not be able buy all the accessories at every dealer or rental company. Here are five common accessories worth considering for your next rental need. Antenna One unavoidable accessory for a walkie talkie system is antenna. In some countries like Malaysia these two-way radio systems are provided with normal antenna. But the WOKI TALK company does provide the extendable antenna, whch looks vey much like the ordinary antenna but has the telescoped extendable portion that can be pulled up to its full length. The extendable portion of the antenna needs to be pulled out only if you reach the critical or marginal area of the radio range for better quality of voice for communication. This extension will also give you several hundred meters of additional coverage for communication. You will often come across situations when you need the additional coverage. That is the time you will realize the real advantage o such a facility. Headset Another common accessory is a light weight walkie talkie headset. It enables you to keep both your hands free while talking. Alternatively, you can buy a ear phone device that can be plugged directly into your ear along with a small microphone that can be clipped to your shirt collar for communication. Microphone Microphone or hand set microphone, which we mentioned earlier, is one mor commonest accessory of a walkie talkie set. It comes with a wire and a clip for extendable connection.  The microphone is usually clipped to the shirt collar or any other suitable place. While talking it can be pulled closer to the mouth without moving the walkie talkie device. By pressing the side button of the device you can communicate freely. Carrying Case Another walkie talkie accessory nice to have is the carrying case. It ensures safe and easy handling of the walkie talkie device. The case originally designed for WOKI H900S model fits most of the walkie talkie models. Initially, the carrying case was used only by Kenwood walkie talkie but now its use has become pretty common. The strip attached to the carrying case makes it easy for you to sling it across your shoulder. Those who work under tough outdoor conditions with the exposure to heavy dust and water need a special plastc seal carrying bag. It is not an ordinary type of carrying base. It has enough space to hold the entire walkie talkie device along with even a long antenna installed. This type of plastic carrying bag is specially useful if you are an enthusiast of challenging outdoor activities like hiking or kayaking. The bag will keep your walkie talkie safe from water. Relacement Battery  It is always advisable o keep a spare battery as your back up. The lifespan or the charge duration of the battery depends on how many times you recharge it. Usually after six months of repetitive recharge, the battery performance starts deteriorating.  Having a replacement battery ready with you  will save you from any interruption in the service.

What is the biggest nightmare of an event manager? A well decorated and organized event, without any guest! When you organize an event, you have to take care of several issues such as venue arrangement, hiring the catering service provider, finding the performers or speakers, promoting the event, etc. However, the most important questions is: “Will people attend my event?” Some companies spend thousands of dollars on event management, but fail to generate a buzz in the market, as a result of which tickets remain unsold. If you recently hosted an event that didn’t bring the crowd, then you must have made one or more of the following mistakes.   1.) You forgot to invite people personally: Email is certainly the fastest way to invite people to join your event, but it is not a very personal mode of communication. When you are hosting a corporate event, you need the presence of key players in the industry. Sending an email or snail-mail won’t cut it. You need the personal touch. At the very least, you need to call and persuade them to participate as guests. However, the best thing to do is meet the main guests in person and invite them face to face.   2.) No follow-up leads to an empty venue: You have to remind people that your event date is approaching and you expect them to be there. For example, if you are organizing a rock concert every year, then you must have the email addresses of people who bought tickets in previous years. Email them at regular intervals to inform that the concert date is not far away and that they should visit your site to book their seats. 3.) Not promoting the event online: If you have invested enough amount for decoration and catering, why not spend a few extra dollars for marketing? Brochure and flyers are good for advertising, but nothing comes close to the web. You must use web for promoting your event because millions of people access Internet from all over the world. And if you have an online ticketing facility in your site, then people can simply click on your web ad and reach the ticket booking section. 4.) Weak call to action: The key to sell anything is to tell the buyers what are the benefits they will enjoy if they spend money. Make sure that your website features a compelling call-to-action to increase ticket sales. For example, if it is a music show and Enrique Iglesias is going to perform at the event, then you can draw visitors’ attention by writing a CTA like this: “Calling all the Enrique fans to join the biggest musical celebration of the year. See Enrique live for one night only.” It sounds exciting and you are not telling them to buy anything. You are just touching visitors emotionally so that they naturally visit the ticket booking section. 5.) Your offer is not lucrative: The fact is quality food and free drinks are not enough to bring visitors. You have to give them something more so that they click on the “buy ticket” button immediately. A unique experience is more valued by the event attendees than free food and wine. For example, if you are hosting a car trade show, you can tell ticket buyers that they get an opportunity to test drive the newly launched SUV at the fair ground for free. 6.) High ticket price: Some of you may say that this should be the first reason, but this problem can easily be solved. Customers like a good deal. They love anything costly when it is offered at a reduced price. So, if you have decided to keep the ticket prices $100, then share a discount coupon on social media for a week and tell people that though the ticket price is $120, you are giving $20 discount to all those who got the discount coupon. This “discount” is good enough to excite potential event attendees. 7.) No credibility: When people visit your website to book seats, they judge its value by scanning the web design and content. Therefore, your website must earn the trust of potential customers. Keep the content brief and to the point. Write the name of important personalities associated with the event and post images of past shows to convince visitors that they will miss something if they don’t book their seats. These are some of the basic reasons why people don’t buy the tickets of an event. If you have made any one or all of the aforementioned mistakes, then learn from them and follow the suggestions mentioned in this article. – EventChecklist.net Author Bio My name is Monik Makadiya, and I work with iVvy, a company known for its pioneering events management software solutions. I am fascinated by how event management applications are revolutionizing the event industry, and I think that they will change the face of the event industry in the coming years. Let’s connect on Twitter @painstakingMM and explore these ideas! More from EventChecklist.net http://www.eventchecklist.net/event-mistakes/#ixzz3kQDbrPtI

To make your event a success, you need to ensure attendees are actively engaged before, during and after the event. The more intellectually and emotionally invested your audience becomes, the more likely it is they’ll enjoy your event, tell others and help market your next event. Here are nine ways you can make that happen. HOW TO ENGAGE YOUR EVENT AUDIENCE BEFORE THE EVENT Promote your conference with teaser content Think back to the last vacation you took. At what point during the vacation process were you happiest? It might surprise you to learn that it wasn’t when you were on the beach sipping an iced beverage. Studies show that the biggest boost in happiness happens during the planning phase of the vacation. We get more joy from anticipation than the vacation. Get attendees to look forward to your event by sharing a sample of the content they will experience at the event. Teaser content could include clips from keynote speakers, a sneak peek of new technology on display, photos of the set-up or other bite-sized content. Giving away sample content is the same strategy grocery stores have successfully used for decades to promote products. Stagger the release of event information To create anticipation for your event, strategically delay the sharing of some information. For example, if you have five keynote speakers, instead of announcing all five at once, you could reveal one speaker a day. This creates curiosity and gives people a reason to return to your website. Survey your audience How well do you know your audience? While in the process of accepting speaker submissions, you should be able to match speakers with topics you’re certain your audience wants to learn about. Before the event, ask attendees questions that will help guide your decision making for the event. To learn more, see our article on how to create the perfect event survey. Promote the conference app If you’ve invested in an event app, encourage attendees to download the app, create a profile and begin organizing a schedule. Pre-commitment ensures that attendees will be ready and able to navigate the conference once they arrive. DURING THE EVENT Enable and encourage audience participation during presentations Real audience engagement involves transforming attendees into participants. Presenters have, understandably, struggled with audience participation since hand-raising isn’t an efficient way to measure opinions and gain feedback, especially with larger crowds. Well, now there’s an app for that. By using a real-time polling and messaging app, presenters can create a direct connection with their audience, asking questions and getting responses, instantly. Giving the audience a way to participate keeps their attention focused on the presentation and turns a device that’s a distraction into a device for interaction. Provide new and unique experiences Imagine the event is over and attendees are back at work. When a coworker asks an attendee about the conference, what do you want the attendee to say? One of the reasons so many conferences focus on new technology and trends is that it’s interesting and gives people something to talk about. Display social conversations Behavior is contagious. To inspire people to share thoughts and images from your conference, display a tweet wall with the conference hashtag. Showing aggregated Twitter activity will help attendees feel involved in a shared experience. AFTER THE EVENT Post-event survey What did attendees like about your conference? What didn’t they care for? What was missing from the conference? Surveying attendees shows them you care about their opinions while also providing you actionable feedback you can use to create better events in the future. Replicate the offline experience online To keep attendees engaged after the event, you need to provide content they can easily consume and share. Some ideas for content to get you started: compiling the experiences into a video, sharing favorite moments from the event in a blog post and sharing images from the conference. If you capture enough media at the event, you’ll have promotional material until your next event.

Hytera Introduces a New DMR Line That Should Make Motorola Very Nervous HYT America has unveiled 3 new products compliant with the DMR standard. These new DMR radios use an open source TDMA standard format that make them compatible with many features used with Motorola’s MotoTRBO Digital Two Way Radio Systems, this makes the Hytera radios compatible to be used with existing Motorola users. Digital is the future of 2 way communication and, for a long time, Motorola seem to have the market cornered.  Their XPR Mototurbo line was the only digital radio worth the money…and it was a lot of money.  Even the lower end of the line was over $500.00 per radio.  Hytera’s DMR line are compatible with Mototurbos, and, after bench testing many of their models, are actually putting out more consistent power.  They are also smaller, easier to use and program and incredibly durable. They have produced radios for, just about, every situation.  They have lighter, powerful models perfect for a sporting or entertainment event staff, and ones that are durable enough for construction, refineries and manufacturing.  They also have a line comparable to the Project 25 models so popular with the Federal and State governments. If you’re a music or theater touring company or are involved in any kind of production the smaller models, such as the PD502 and PD562 will work perfectly as a replacement for the expensive and fragile “Clear-Com” systems that are very costly and prone to breaking. The MD782 digital mobile radio features a TFT high-definition color LCD, large keypad and six programmable keys. In addition to conventional communication, the MD782 offers additional functions such as message, GPS, data transmission and connection alert. The RD982 digital repeater can operate either in analog or digital modes and support 100% duty cycle at 50 W.  The heat sink and cooler fan design offers stable operation at high power. The RD982 can be mounted or placed on a desktop. These Hytera products are the only, currently offered, product line compatible with Motorola’s MotoTRBO Digital Two Way Radio Systems.  From what we can see, they are also a better value with better, overall, specs.   This new DMR equipment will offer a value added cost effective option to the alternative DMR TDMA Standard. If you’d like more information on these, or any Hytera models, please give us a call at 855-396-5450.

Manufacturing, Warehouse, Storage and Distribution Centers When it comes to production or facilities operations, unexpected stops or downtown can severely damage efficiency and create enormous cost overruns. The best way to avoid these issues is with an effective communications solution. By connecting workers in real-time, the flow of information is quick, effective, and seamless. Workers can communicate vital needs and concerns without interrupting the pace of their workflow. Ensuring that key staff members are able to quickly communicate keeps everything operating at their peak. Many of your departments and staff can immediately benefit from simple, easy to use and powerful 2 way radio equipment. Whether its shipping, receiving, line workers, supervisors, maintenance, quality control, engineering, customer service, security, or loss prevention staff members, each can benefit from by staying mobile and efficient and not having to drop what they are doing to search for a to communicate. Industry Benefits of Employee Radio Communications: Improve Assembly Line Operations Quickly Request Help, Supplies, Maintenance, and Quality Control Maximize Output, sales, and Profit Expedite Requests and Rush Orders Instantly React to Inquiries or Emergencies Critical for Disaster Preparedness Increase Safety and Security Radios consistently rank higher than other solutions. Paging: Paging is only a one-way communication. It is load, annoying, and many times purposefully or accidentally tuned out. In addition, the response is often delayed, thus wasting time for staff and customers alike. Phone systems: Standard phone systems only allow talking to one worker at a time. Often phones are not strategically located within easy reach of a worker’s assigned area. Unless the worker is waiting right next to a phone, calls are often missed and left ringing for all to hear. This can often cause a backup on voice mails, yet another possible opportunity to backup and lose contact. By the time all is said and done when the worker is able to respond, it is often just too late. Cell Phones: Cellular technology, although very portable, often comes with significant monthly expenses. These can range well into the hundreds of dollars per worker annually. These also have many limitations caused by poor coverage in buildings and again only connect with one worker at a time. Consumer Walkie-Talkies Consumer Walkie Talkies are not durable and just not made for normal business environments.   Warehouses, stock facilities, factories and industrial locations are notoriously hard on equipment and commercial walkie talkies are not build to handle it. With their wide-use among families, they also pose an increased risk of interference when trying to communicate important business. Commercial, industrial grade 2 way radios can help solve many of your communication challenges. Also, purchasing is not the only option. For many needs long term renting can offer cost effective and comprehensive solutions for your company.   Call EventTone and speak with one of our representatives. We’ll be happy to help you find the answers.

Executive Summary   The new technology inherent in digital two-way radios offer many advantages over the traditional analog radios which have been in use for decades in the conventions sector. Though analog still has its place and will for some time to come, the benefits digital offers, such as enhanced coverage and audio, text messaging, and user ID are making the move to digital more and more attractive. This white paper was produced to explain many of these benefits. EventTone is offering a cooperative arrangement for convention centers, stadiums and large facilities to help them upgrade their communications to digital while keeping their costs manageable. Challenges Facilities are dealing with the need to upgrade their technology and improve their communications as they expand their workable space. Based on current cost and the size of your facility, this type of an upgrade can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. In today’s economy, that kind of an expenditure is not an easy one to make. The staff at EventTone has years of experience setting up and providing networks like these in many of the largest convention centers and arenas in the New York Metro Area. Many buildings require repeater infrastructure. Constantly installing temporary systems is inefficient, labor intensive and costly. EventTone has created a way to install permanent repeater networking in facilities to eliminate temporary installation saving both time and money. Solution We have implemented a strategic plan that involves a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship whereby EventTone provides all or part ofthe required repeater equipment which is utilized by the facility for its daily communications needs. This eliminates the need for large expenditures. EventTone, as an associated provider becomes a preferred supplier. We expect to recoup our investment through radio rentals to the various clients, vendors and contractors working with the facility. Rental Applications Two way radio rentals offer excellent communications solutions for many different sectors including: Trade shows Fairs and festivals Sporting events Musical Concerts Refinery turnarounds Various Corporate Functions Security Facilities, Theaters & Venues EventTone offers all the most popular communications solutions including: Digital & Analog 2 Way Radios Digital and Analog Repeaters Direct Connect Push To Talk Mobile Phones Wireless Cellular Wifi Solutions

Well, its becoming abundantly obvious that winter is on its way.  It’s only the middle of November and 3/4’s of the nation is already in a deep freeze.  Nothing brings back worse memories than those 2 words….”Polar Vortex.” With this kind of weather, communications systems are always in peril.  Both land lines and cell towers take quite a beating during this season.  The follow story was posted on a Massachusetts state webpage: Recently, NORTH ADAMS, Mass. is without much cellular service and communication due to the collapse of two main towers on Florida Mountain. The North Adams Department of Public Safety released an emergency message stating, “Due to high winds and heavy rain throughout the night, the radio towers on top of Florida Mountain have collapsed. This has resulted in the loss or significant interruption of cell and internet services in the North Adams area.” Tom Grady of the Berkshire County Sherriff’s has stated that Verizon, Nextel and Sprint are down but AT&T is working. According to emergency service crews one tower fell on top of the other due to the weather system Saturday night, but a full investigation was ongoing. According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, North Adams has activated its Emergency Operations Center to manage this incident.  Agencies and organizations, as well as Mayor Dick Alcombright and Senator Downing are at the EOC. Road signs are going to be put up around the city, notifying drivers that there is no cell service. North Adams is notifying residents through a reverse 911 system. Short term solutions are being discussed. EventTone Wireless has just the equipment needed to manage this situation.  No matter what the weather conditions, 2 way radio communications are unaffected.  Whether you are a private business or a municipality, EventTone is here for you.