The Challenge

The Met Office has a range of information to communicate and end-users to deliver this to. As well as everyday and long-range forecasts, it is also responsible for the National Severe Weather Warning Service, which aims to give advance warning of extreme weather to the public, businesses, emergency services and government.

It’s requirement is to enable the UK public and emergency responders to take appropriate mitigating action to minimize the adverse impact of weather events by creating an effective and efficient means of consolidating communication with end-users.

The Solution

The Met Office adopted Wirefast’s Enterprise Solution, incorporating Fax, SMS and Text-to-Voice services, and also the Newslink Media service function — a high availability messaging application used by thousands of news contributors and media outlets – enabling it to contact broadcast outlets around the world. Using Wirefast’s Fax, SMS and Text-to-Voice services the Met Office can send weather forecasts to help clients make informed decisions on business contingencies. Clients are warned of extreme weather using Wirefast’s messaging solutions, helping to mitigate its impacts and contributing to the protection of life, property and infrastructure.

The Met Office’s client base includes:

• General public
• Blue light services (Home Office)
• Emergency planners (Dept. Communities and Local Gov.)
• Resilience Forum (Cabinet Office)
• Environment Agency
• Highways Agency
• Department of Health
• MOD
• Scottish Government
• Welsh Assembly
• Northern Ireland Office

About Met Office

The Met Office is the UK’s national weather service. It provides a range of information under the Public Weather Service, which is funded by the UK Government. This includes generating everything from day-to-day site-specific forecasts to long range forecasts, working closely with governments, individuals and organisations to share knowledge and expertise.