To The Rescue

This has been a hurricane season we won't soon forget. More than a month after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast, bringing down much of the communications infrastructure which linked homes and businesses to the world, we are still learning the stories of those who helped faciliate communications that are particularly vital during a time of crisis. It is during times like these when perservance and a little technical creativity can make all the difference.Just the other day I was speaking with an IT director at a law firm whose Gulfport, Mississippi offices with significantly damaged by Katrina. Half of the office's employees lost their homes, but there was a real need to restore communications as quickly as possible so that Katrina couldn't deal the firm's clients another blow.

The firm, which has an IP telephony system in place, found a savior in its solution provider. The firm's reeller stepped up to the plate by loaning the firm two demo systems to get communications up and running quickly. BellSouth had the Primary Rate Interface Lines up and running surprisingly fast so the firm was able to get service into the offic and redirect calls.

The result is that clients can call into the firm and have the call routed to the appropriate person, as if they were still sitting at their desk in Gulfport. How is that for anytime, anywhere access?