“We started with just about two thousand subscribers last February, and increased that to just over 40,000 users of the App in less than a year. With this partnership with Digicel and Flow we hope to push the numbers to over one million in short order. I want to congratulate both organisations for agreeing to preload the App and for making it available for free to their customers”
Minister of National Security Robert Montague speaking on Friday, January 27th, 2017 about the endorsement by Digicel and FLOW of the Stay Alert App
Telecom Providers are teaming up….to fight crime with the Ministry Of National Security!
Digicel and FLOW Jamaica on Friday, January 27, 2017 have decided to support the Stay Alert App, which I’d detailed in my article How Ministry Of National Security Stay Alert App can be your Personal Bodyguard.
The announcement was made at a press briefing at the Ministry of National Security’s head office on Friday, January 27th, 2017. Representatives from both Digicel and FLOW were on hand to declare their support for the Stay Alert App in a bid to assist the Ministry to fight the growing Crime problem in Jamaica.
They even took a picture and posted it on the Ministry of National Security Twitter feed!
Current situation @NatSecurityJA press briefing pic.twitter.com/GbmH5fblmN
— Ministry of National Security – Jamaica (@mnsgovjm) January 26, 2017
So what exactly is the Stay Alert App?
Stay Alert App – History in the making as it marches towards 1 million downloads
The Stay Alert App, developed and launched in 2014, makes it possible for customer at the push of a button get legal advice and updates on criminal activities across the island as detailed in my article How Ministry Of National Security Stay Alert App can be your Personal Bodyguard. It also turns customers into detectives, allowing them to collect evidence of a crime and send it to the Police.
The featured Panic button option allows the user to call the Police should a dangerous situation arise. The App can identify you based on your registration information and hopefully with legislative changes, the material recorded by the App can be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
The Stay Alert App, now boasting 40,000 users unless than a year, is beginning to rival even the popularity of WhatsApp. To this end, both telecom providers, in the name of supporting the Ministry Of National Security fight against crime, have decided to have the App pre-installed on the smartphones that they sell.
With that kind of support, it’ll easily hit 1 million downloads before the end of 2018.
Digicel and FLOW – Telecom Providers to make Stay Alert App Data charges free
Digicel appears to be most vocal as Head of Digicel Business, Brian Bennett-Easy declared Digicel’s support as relayed on the Ministry of National Security Twitter feed.
Brian Bennett: Digicel endorses Stay Alert App https://t.co/QQDtm0ebCQ
— Ministry of National Security – Jamaica (@mnsgovjm) January 26, 2017
They’ve even offered to make the Stay Alert App be used without costing the customer credit or using up megabytes on a Data Plan as parlayed on the Ministry of National Security Twitter feed.
Brian Bennett: All Digicel customers will be able to use the Stay Alert App free of cost without the use of data.
— Ministry of National Security – Jamaica (@mnsgovjm) January 26, 2017
This is in addition to other government of Jamaica websites that are free from both Telecom Providers as noted in How Jamaicans on FLOW and Digicel access GOJ Websites without a Data Plan.
Additionally, both Digicel and FLOW will also be doing a bit of marketing by sending text messages to customer, encouraging them to download and install the App of their smartphones.
Head of Digicel Business, Brian Bennett-Easy in endorsing the Stay Alert App as it take advantage of the large customer base of smartphone users in a bid to fight crime, quote: “More than ever we have observed that technology is being used in ways we never thought possible. We believe that the Stay Alert App is a major step in the right direction and ultimately it will provide our security forces with the information they need and our citizens with the peace of mind that the information provided will make a difference. Our mission is to ensure that all Smart phone android users have the App as a standard feature.”
So says the Ministry of National Security Twitter feed!
Brian Bennett: The use of the Stay Alert App is a step in the right direction to help in the fight against crime.
— Ministry of National Security – Jamaica (@mnsgovjm) January 26, 2017
With this kind of support, the Stay Alert App may well hit 1 million subscribers by the end of 2017.
Here’s the link:
Stay Alert App on the Google Play Store