The Meteorological Service Division is pleased to announce its partnership with Trend Media for the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1 to November 30).
Trend Media is the largest digital media house in the Caribbean, operating across 23 markets in the Caribbean and is responsible for the Caribbean’s number 1 News App, Loop.
This partnership will allow the Meteorological Service to use Trend’s reach to connect with the over 2.2 million subscribers on the Digicel telecommunication network for the delivery of real time weather warnings via Short Message Service (SMS) and daily weather updates on Loop Jamaica. The weather warnings will include: Severe Weather Alert, Thunderstorm Warning, Flash Flood Watch, Flash Flood Warning, Tropical Storm/Hurricane Watch and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Warning.
New Communication Channels
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Mass notification via USSD
Weather warnings will be visible to Digicel subscribers via on-screen messages, at the end or before a system message that customers will see while trying to check balances or while sending the popular Please Call Me or Credit Me requests.
“Tropical Storm Watch now in effect for Jamaica…tropical storm conditions pose a possible threat to Jamaica within 48 hours.”
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Geo-targeted SMS
Digicel customers in warning areas will receive specifically targeted information about approaching inclement weather. SMS messages will be pushed to individual subscribers’ phone while in a particular location and on arriving within the location.
If the Meteorological Service issues a Flash Flood Warning for central parishes, Digicel customers located in Trelawny, St. Ann, Manchester and Clarendon can expect to have a text message sent exclusively to their phones:
‘Flash Flood Warning in effect until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow for central parishes: Trelawny, St. Ann, Manchester and Clarendon’
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Mass notification via Loop Jamaica
The latest News Releases from the Meteorological Service will be available for the 1.5 million subscribers on Loop Jamaica. Additionally, the newly created weather page will contain the daily weather forecast and warnings, as applicable.
The Meteorological Service will continue to provide daily weather updates and Advisories/Warnings via our other channels, such as email, website, Twitter and the traditional mass media.