Verizon and Zipit Wireless Deliver new Smartphone App, VoIP Capabilities

NEW YORK and GREENVILLE, S.C., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zipit Wireless, a pioneer in connected platform solutions, today launched a new smartphone app for mobile phones and tablets, and added VoIP capabilities to the Zipit Enterprise Critical Messaging Solution, available exclusively through Verizon.   These new options will further enable health care professionals to accelerate their critical decision-making and provide better collaborative care for patients.

Traditionally, health care workers have lacked easy access to secure, real-time tools, an issue that can delay critical care to patients. Deployed in more than 100 health care settings around the country, the Zipit Enterprise Critical Messaging Solution now brings new efficiency and accountability to the health care market through both its smartphone app and purpose-built device, delivering messages within 10 seconds. Both options are compliant with federal HIPAA and HITECH privacy standards and are interoperable with each other. 

Available on iOS and Android-powered devices, the Zipit mobile app delivers the same basic functionality and critical communications features as the Zipit device, including multiple priority level pages, continuous alerts similar to a traditional pager, and secure two-way communications with other Zipit mobile app and device users. 

"Verizon is focused on helping transform the U.S. health care system through health IT," said Peter Tippett, chief medical officer and vice president of Verizon Connected Healthcare. "This solution is another good example of how technology can truly enable better patient care by helping health care professionals to connect instantly."

Frank Greer, CEO of Zipit Wireless, said, "Our customers have asked for a critical messaging solution that is easy to use. Today Zipit delivers the only comprehensive solution that offers both a smartphone app and a purpose-built device with unmatched accountability for increased flexibility and ease of communication."

Many health care customers are finding Zipit meets their requirements.  Ty Knox, chief information officer at Saint Francis Healthcare, a Catholic Health East regional health corporation that piloted the entire Zipit Enterprise Critical Messaging Solution suite and is now using it, said: "I'm sold on this solution.  The information provided to us through the Zipit Remote Administration Portal is unparalleled.  It will hold all of us to a level of accountability that hasn't been available before and enable our staff to achieve higher levels of collaborative care."

The Zipit mobile application enables SMS/text through a dedicated ZText number and Call2Page capabilities for phone-initiated pages, logging all communication in the Zipit cloud infrastructure for true transparency and accountability.  Through these enhancements, it is now possible to call, text, message and page a user running the Zipit Confirm mobile application.

At the University of California, Irvine, Director of IT Greg Ackerman found that "the Zipit Confirm app is a great tool for our nursing professionals."

"This solution eliminates the typical 'page-and-pray' process while enabling efficiencies that save time and improve direct patient care," he said.

VoIP Feature Provides Richer Functionality for Zipit Device

The new VoIP feature converts the Zipit Now device into a single, low-cost, unified communications solution that can handle all enterprise-critical communications needs including paging, secure chat, SMS and voice calls.  Enabled over Wi-Fi, this capability gives health care workers the ability to make and receive phone calls when connected to their internally managed Wi-Fi network. 

The Zipit VoIP feature is compatible with select enterprise PBX systems and cloud-based PBX systems with SIP capability. 

Ideal for a Range of Industries

Built to exceed the rigorous reliability demands and privacy standards of the health care industry, the Zipit Solution is fast becoming recognized across vertical markets as a tool to improve critical communications in the hotel and manufacturing industries. This system allows for simple, easy integration with other platforms, relying on the cloud to save customers time and money.

For more information about Zipit Wireless or to obtain licensing information on the new features, visit http://www.zipitwireless.com.

About Zipit Wireless

Zipit Wireless ("Zipit") a leader in innovative communications and M2M solutions focuses on delivering fully connected, wireless solutions that use the company's unique strengths in wireless connectivity, user-friendly device software, and cloud-based infrastructure to access IP services.  The technology created by Zipit has been shipping in Zipit branded and top tier branded solutions since 2004 – enabling people to connect to people and their personalized Internet content.  For more information on Zipit Wireless and our products, please visit www.zipitwireless.com.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with 93 million retail customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 192,000.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

SOURCE Verizon