Kraus Associates, Inc. d/b/a AK Associates, is a family owned corporation out of St. Augustine, FL. AK Associates is currently operating in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. AK Associates has an impressive history, including many industry breakthroughs.
AK Associates offers a wide array of 911 communications products. From call taking equipment, to mapping software, recorders, and much more, we provide a one stop shop for all of your PSAP’s needs. We take time to listen and work with each of our customers to ensure that the product that we provide is the best fit to their individual needs. AK Associates works closely with its vendors to ensure that our customers receive the highest quality products and the highest levels of support. We are dedicated to providing cost effective solutions through technology and creativity- and often answer “Yes we can” when told it is impossible. You can learn more about the solutions that AK Associates provides in our solutions section.
AK Associates prides itself on its outstanding service. Once an AK customer, you become part of the AK family, meaning that you are our priority. We strive to exceed our customers’ expectations and provide them with peace of mind when it comes to the operation of their systems. Each customer has unique needs, and AK Associates caters to those needs. AK Associates offers various levels and types of maintenance and other services. Please check out our services section to learn more about what AK Associates can offer you.
History
In 1997, AK Associates was founded as small PSAP Consulting Company. As the major LECs (local exchange carriers) were struggling with engineering and deploying Wireless Phase II. AK Associates, while working with Sprint PCS, engineered and project managed the first successful Wireless Phase II deployment in the country. This set the standard for Phase II functionality and reliability. AK Associates also engineered and implemented the first deployments of wireless Phase II for both Intrado and TCS, providing the delivery of the X and Y coordinates to the PSA, in addition to just about every national wireless carrier’s first office Phase II deployment.
After solving the issues related to Phase II wireless, the next big challenge was VoIP for 9-1-1. VoIP providers throughout the nation were delivering 9-1-1 VoIP calls to 10 digit telephone numbers instead of dedicated 9-1-1 trunks. In addition, no address information (ALI) for VoIP callers was available in the 9-1-1 database, making it impossible to display location information for the caller. This created major delays in emergency services delivery and lowered the 9-1-1 standard of care. AK engineered a PSAP solution for the State of Rhode Island for Vonage that has become the standard used by most VoIP providers today.
AK Associates has also engineered several regional 9-1-1 networks using the most advanced IP technology on the market today. Our innovative engineering solutions allow PSAPs to transfer 9-1-1 calls across carrier boundary lines, correcting 9-1-1 call misroutes and mitigating call boundary overlaps. For years, these situations had been creating delays in 9-1-1 response, and traditional call routing and engineering offered no solutions to these problems. AK Associates’ inventive engineering and key partnerships with equipment and service providers offered solutions that no other company would or could provide. These solutions solved real world PSAP issues and improved response times and service to 9-1-1 callers. We attribute our continued success to our ability to understand and respond to the many challenges our clients face in acquiring feature rich and reasonably cost efficient 9-1-1 systems.
Today, AK Associates is considered the premier PSAP service provider in the county by both the 911 equipment manufacturers and our customers. AK Associates is a one stop shop to handle all of your 911 needs. Whether its services such as maintenance, engineering, project management, GIS services or purchasing equipment such as 911 systems, selective routers, ALI and enhance ALI systems, or CAD we are the company you can count on. Despite the fact that we are a one stop shop for PSAP needs, we do not offer a one box approach. Every PSAP has different needs and challenges – AK Associates understands that and will work with each customer to create a customized solution to fit the individual needs of the PSAP.
Accomplishment, Awards and Recognition
- KESC Exhibitor of the year 2011
- Solacom 2009 Partner of the Year
- CML Award for outstanding service to our mutual customers
- Special Recognition from the Rhode Island Governor for being the first to implement wireless phase II in the country
Mission
Kraus Associates, Inc. is a team of specialists, dedicated to providing the highest level of service to our customers. The AK team is committed to helping our customers realize short and long term solutions that not only increase productivity and performance, but always ensure that our solutions are implemented in the most cost effective manner. We are committed to staying ahead of the industry in deploying new technologies as we have done with wireless phase I and phase II and VoIP. Exceeding our customer’s expectations is our number one goal and we pledge to make the experience of doing business with Kraus Associates, Inc. a pleasant and rewarding one.