Print
Email
Print Edition Stories
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Pitch
Telecom startup combines phone, data and video surveillance in one
By Lynette F. Cornell
UMass President Jack Wilson on Entrepreneurship
IBM aims to make wireless sensors easy to code
Advanced Communications and Media Inc.
Headquarters: Stoughton
Phone: 877-775-4226
Email: mike4acm@gmail.com
URL: www.4acm.com
Year founded: 2009
Employees: 5
In the company’s own words:
“Advanced is a full service Internet telephone company specializing in unified communications. We can sell you the wire, the product and provide the support for that product.”
People behind the company:
John Greene, CTO, worked for AmeriCom Inc. as a senior technician before founding Advanced Communications and Maintenance Inc. in 1999. In 2009, Michael O’Rourke, bought the company and renamed it Advanced Communications and Media Inc. O’Rouke, who serves as the company’s vice president, began his experience in the telecom industry by working for Network Plus Corp., selling standard phone lines and T1 lines. The company went bankrupt, and O’Rourke started his own general construction company, which went under after six years. After reading books on telephone technology, specifically on how VoIP telephony works, O’Rourke purchased Advanced Communications and Maintenance with plans to focus on comprehensive web-based communication services.
About the technology:
O’Rourke said ACM is taking a novel approach to providing telecom servies by integrating phone, data and video surveillance services into one package that runs through a customer’s existing Internet service. The company installs fiber optic lines, phone systems and surveillance systems, setting up one networked system that the customer can use for making phone calls, accessing the Internet and monitoring surveillance video feeds. ACM operates a central VoIP switch.
By working with one company for all communications services, said O’Rourke, the customer saves money and has one company that can respond to technical issues for any part of their communucations system. Because the entire system is web-based, ACM can solve any technical issues remotely, saving the customer the cost of an on-site technician visit. As the down economy has led to an increase in empty properties, said O’Rourke, property managers are looking to protect their buildings. O’Rourke expects those businesses to be ACM’s bread and butter for future video surveillance contracts. Many small businesses are installing surveillance systems, O’Rourke noted, to save on their insurance liability costs as well.
The pitch:
ACM is seeking $1 million, but O’Rourke said they are open to smaller amounts of funding, if available. The funds would be used for hiring marketing and sales employees, account managers, acquiring licenses and purchasing a new VoIP switch to accommodate the anticipated increase in customers. The company is currently self-funded and profitable. ACM recently formed a partnership with VoIP phone and videoconferencing provider Skype that would make ACM a channel provider for Skype’s services. Terms of the agreement have not been finalized, O’Rourke said.
The competition:
ACM’s local competition includes other telecoms like Cambridge-based Thinking Phone Networks; But unlike Thinking, ACM is targeting only small and medium size business owners.
"The Pitch" takes a look at a company, its executives and its technology-related business plan. To nominate your company for The Pitch section of Mass High Tech, please fill out the submission form.
Comments
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
RSS Feeds
