July 6, 2010 -- AT&T* today announced a $100,000 contribution to the National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians (NOAH) to support an earthquake relief project that will help ensure the supply of sustainable and safe water in remote locations in Haiti. The project announced today addresses the critical ongoing need after the January 2010 earthquake, to ensure that Haitians in locations remote from the water grid receive an adequate supply of safe, potable water. Although six months have passed since the earthquake, the need for ongoing water supplies remains essential.
NOAH is a U.S. based non-profit organization dedicated to providing medical and humanitarian relief to Haitians from natural disasters, facilitating the training of Haitian medical professionals and the building of medical care infrastructure in the country. It was founded in 1991.
As part of this NOAH-led project, AT&T will work with one of its small business customers, Atlanta-based Water Transit Solutions, to supply an innovative technology solution to remote water relief requirements in Haiti. WTS is an eco-friendly company that provides water and ice solutions for just-in-time deployment during hurricanes, disasters and other events.
Beginning this month, AT&T and WTS will deploy in Haiti a Radio Frequency Identification asset visibility technology to deliver clean water. In Haiti, WTS will deploy water tanks and delivery trucks, equipped with AT&T-designed M2M asset tracking technology. With centralized filling stations outside Port au Prince, WTS will work with on-site engineers to map delivery locations throughout Haiti. These delivery trucks hold up to 1,250 gallons of water and can provide an estimated 2,500 people with clean drinking water each day.
"The collaboration with AT&T facilitates our company's ability to bring clean water and ice to the people of Haiti in their time of great need for these critical resources," said Percy Jones, Jr., Chairman of Water Transit Solutions. "This cost-effective technology has been introduced to FEMA and other government agencies in the U.S. to help expedite the distribution of water and services during emergencies, and we are pleased to deploy the technology in Haiti." The solution will communicate real-time data about the water supply back to a central control center by means of both satellite and terrestrial mobile network communications. This remote potable water solution enables the automatic collection of real-time data that will monitor water volume, permit accurate tracking of water and ice requirements at any location, optimize deliveries, and monitor the quality of the potable water.
"We are pleased to receive this important contribution from AT&T," stated Dr. Joseph E. Baptiste, Chairman of NOAH and also President of the Haitian Diaspora Foundation. "This support comes at a critical time for Haiti, and will help in developing the advanced water-relief solution designed by WTS and AT&T, and so very much needed by people in Haiti."
AT&T M2M Solutions are part of AT&T's overall portfolio of sensor-based networking solutions that enable businesses to track a wide variety of valuable resources in real time.
"AT&T recognizes that six months after the earthquake, there are still huge demands by Haitians for such basic necessities as safe drinking water," said Cathy Martine, executive vice president of Small Business Solutions for AT&T. "We're proud to be a part of the ongoing relief effort and hope that our financial contribution and our leading-edge M2M technology solutions will help move Haiti more quickly toward a full recovery from this devastating disaster."
About NOAH
The National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians (NOAH) was founded in 1991 as a U.S. based 501© (3) not-for-profit social policy corporation in response to the refugee crisis resulting from political unrest and upheaval in Haiti. NOAH serves as a national, non-partisan organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of democracy in Haiti. Through information, education, and its medical missions, NOAH plays a critical and pivotal role in building support for Haiti advocating "Empowerment through Unity." Additional information about NOAH is available at noahhaiti.org.
About Water Transit Solutions
Water Transit Solutions (WTS) is an Atlanta-based company that provides technology based Water Hydration Systems for just-in-time deployment during hurricanes, disasters and other events. At the heart of the solution is an innovative logistic tracking system using Machine to Machine (M2M) technology developed jointly with AT&T to monitor water utilization and delivery. Water Transit Solutions is a green company that provides incremental jobs, improves the quality of bulk water delivery in a way that is both efficient and effective. The WTS solution provides a significant impact on the economy and the environment. Additional information about WTS is available at watertransitsolutions.com/.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc.is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine.
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