AT&T highlights dispatch interoperability, efforts to make enhanced PTT services better for enterprises

In addition, AT&T has integrated push-to-talk functionality into some of its other enterprise offerings, Glubochansky said.

“Within your fleet-management application, you can manage your vehicles and also talk to the workers to dispatch them. You can also have them in groups for video calls or group calls,” Glubochansky said. “We did the same for AT&T Workforce Manager, which manages the workforce and includes GPS tracking, timecards, and mobile forms for inspection reports. Now, we have push to talk in that. You can communicate to your workers using PTT from the same console where you have your entire schedule.

“So, companies today don’t have to buy a separate dispatch console, especially for small groups and non-mission-critical [organizations]. They can use those commercially-available apps that AT&T sells, and [cellular] push to talk is right in there.”

And dispatchers can send these communications to field workers carrying a variety of rugged and non-rugged devices from manufacturers like Sonim and Kyocera that fit almost any need, Glubochansky said.

“We have a portfolio of LTE purpose-built devices—as well as smartphones and tablets—that are ruggedized with good speakers, the LTE chipset and accessories,” he said. “AT&T now has the best portfolio of any carrier of push-to-talk devices like this.

 “There is really a device for a worker for any type of work in any form factor, with accessories like speakers mics.”