SAN JOSE, Calif. – March 10, 2010 – Further extending its Connected Physical Security portfolio, Cisco today announced the Cisco® IP Interoperability Collaboration System (IPICS) 4.0 to provide those on the front lines of safety and security with a new way to view, assess and coordinate action for an emergency situation. An intelligent network system that integrates disparate push-to-talk radio together with voice, video, and data networks, Cisco IPICS 4.0 now puts the power of live mobile video and multimedia-enhanced communications into the hands of public safety officials and security personnel from universities and schools, critical infrastructure agencies, businesses, and other first-responder organizations.

Featuring newly integrated IP-based dispatch console and mobile client applications, IPICS 4.0 allows multiple safety and security organizations to quickly share vital incident information, including live mobile video, across previously isolated radio networks. Cisco IPICS is tightly integrated with Cisco Connected Physical Security solutions with extensive built-in support for interoperability. Its Web services APIs can easily trigger or receive communications from Cisco Video Surveillance and Cisco Physical Access Control or third-party applications, further enhancing situational awareness, response time, operational efficiency and cross-agency collaboration during a critical event.

Cisco IPICS 4.0 Highlights:

• The IPICS Dispatch Console can integrate with virtually any analog or digital radio system and introduces rich-media incident management. Dispatchers are able to create a collaborative session to quickly share multimedia data such as video, photos, alarm monitoring and Web links with those on the scene, giving responders an invaluable level of detail and insight about an incident as it occurs.
• The IPICS Mobile Client allows first responders in the field to use their smartphone or other mobile device to participate in incident push-to-talk groups, share and receive rich media, including pictures, live and stored videos, and provide personal status updates to fellow incident responders and dispatchers.
• Cisco IPICS helps to break down communications silos among safety and security personnel, providing cost-effective and comprehensive communications interoperability between push-to-talk radio systems, mobile phones, IP phones and PC clients using proven IP standards across the network.
• Cisco IPICS is part of the Cisco Connected Physical Security portfolio, which provides organizations with a tightly integrated, modular, highly secure, scalable, network-centric solution to support integrated video surveillance, access control and incident response.

Supporting Quotes:

• René List, director, Maut Service GmbH's Systems Operation Department, ASFINAG

"We are extensively using Cisco IPICS to secure the Arlbergtunnel, Europe's longest road tunnel, and the solution has proven its worth. We look forward to rolling out the system nationwide to help generate savings on the integration of radio networks and to speed up emergency communication on a broader scale. Test results for radio transmission using Cisco IPICS were excellent and will allow ASFINAG to connect a number of previously incompatible analog and digital networks, reduce the risk of communications breakdown, and decrease overall incident response time. What's more, ASFINAG will not have to update its radio network, so previous investments will not be rendered obsolete by this new technology."

• Rich Siedzik, director of computer & telecommunications services, Bryant University

"Our Cisco IPICS installation has allowed us to define a new role for IT in campus safety. We're able to leverage our core technology infrastructure to enhance safety by converging public safety systems with information technology systems to better protect the campus community. We've started piloting the latest 4.0 release and are very excited to see the integration of video and phone capabilities in the dispatch console. In a life-safety or crisis-management situation, with dispatch being our command and control center, we want to provide the capabilities to render information faster, coordinate public safety responses sooner, and hopefully shorten the time to action. Public safety is a campus-wide effort and as stewards of technology our part is to facilitate the goals of prevention, deterrence, detection, notification and response with systems such as IPICS."

• Bill Stuntz, vice president and general manager, Physical Security business unit, Cisco

"Cisco is the first and only company to deliver such a comprehensive networked solution for public safety, including incident response and unified dispatch, along with video surveillance and access control. With IPICS 4.0, we sought to harness the power of live streaming video and put it right in the hands of first responders via a device as ubiquitous as the mobile phone. With a solution like IPICS, those on the front lines of safety and security can do their jobs with greater efficiency and incident intelligence, while communicating and collaborating with fellow responders to help ensure their own personal safety out in the field."

For more information online:

• Cisco IP Interoperability and Collaboration System (IPICS)
• Cisco Connected Physical Security
• Case Study: ASFINAG
• Case Study: Auckland Airport
• Case Study: Bryant University
• Follow Cisco on Twitter @CiscoSystems

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