In this day and age of instant messaging and instant information dissemination, cities are looking for effective ways to quickly and effectively communicate with their residents. Universal City decided to supplement its current system with Connect-CTY.

Connect-CTY can send thousands of messages in just minutes to phone numbers citywide, or to certain regions or zip codes as needed.

Connect-CTY is used to transmit messages that deal with the safety and welfare of the community; for example, if there has to be an evacuation or there is a weather warning that needs to be issued. The system does not replace emergency warnings issued via television or radio, but in many cases enhances the information already provided.

Only authorized city officials are allowed to access the system and send messages to the numbers that reside in the notification database. Connect-CTY is a service of NTI, which can never sell, trade, lease or loan any client data.

There is no cost to the public for this service but there is an annual fee to the city for Connect-CTY. Universal City officials said the system is now accessible to all city departments, with each department defraying a portion of the cost of the system.

The system was put into place this summer, and the first “test” message was sent out to all residents on July 20.

Universal City also has incorporated multiple virtual and physical layers, or firewalls, in the system to protect and maintain data security. Even the data is stored at a secure location, which requires photo identification, thumb-print recognition, keyed access and has full-time security personnel on location.

Once telephone numbers are entered in the database, Connect-CTY will automatically call the given number and leave a recorded message. If the phone is busy, the call will be repeated several times in an attempt to leave the message.

If voice mail or an answering machine picks up the call, a message will be left on the machine. If after several attempts the call didn’t go through, Connect-CTY will stop trying to call.

Most times, U.C. officials said, the system can connect and leave a message even if a phone has a call-screening feature.

When Connect-CTY connects, caller-ID will display “Universal City” as the caller and show one of the following numbers: 659-0333, 659-2031 or 659-0980.

Connect-CTY calls residences and businesses. Residents can provide more than one number; businesses can only use one number. If a resident provides more than one number, Connect-CTY can be activated to place a simultaneous call to all of the numbers.

To ensure that your phone number is part of the database, U.C. officials ask residents to call 659-0333 ext. 252 to make the request.