Show All Answers

1. How does the service work?

Authorized officials record a voice message to send your voice, a text message, a TTY (teletype for the hearing impaired) message, or an alarm message to as many people as you need to reach, either from our website or with just one phone call. Authorized officials record a voice message that is then delivered quickly to individual phones and email addresses in the notification database.

2. What types of messages will be sent using the service?

Any message regarding the safety or welfare of our community would be disseminated using the Hyper-Reach service. Examples would include severe weather warnings and updates, hazardous traffic or road conditions inside the town or affecting local routes, water main repairs, and any other situation that could impact the safety, property, or welfare of our citizens.  You can optionally sign up for Weather alerts from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

3. Is my telephone number included in the notification database?

Landline phone numbers are automatically uploaded and enrolled for Community alerts, but Community and optional Weather alerts to mobile phones and email addresses are only included when people create an account within the system.    Residents and people who work in Maynard are encouraged to enroll now either by calling or texting “Alert” to (978) 307-8700 or by going to the Hyper-Read website.  Passwords should be 10 characters or less.

4. Can I update or add phone numbers and email addresses to the service?

Yes, simply visit Maynard’s Hyper-Reach portal to create a username and password to update and manage your own information.  Passwords should be 10 characters or less.

5. May I use a cell phone as my notification database listing?

Yes, we can accept cell phone numbers and email addresses in the database and encourage you to include both.

6. Does the Hyper-Reach service replace other systems that have been used to provide time-sensitive information to residents?

This system is replacing the previous Blackboard Connect system, and is a significant enhancement and supplement to existing means of communication – public access television, roadside message boards, this web site and social media outlets will continue to broadcast important announcements.

7. What precautions are being taken to protect personal information?

Maynard Hyper-Reach takes security and privacy concerns very seriously and does not sell, trade, lease or loan any data about their clients to any third party.  Hyper-Reach only utilizes secure transmissions with its customers.

8. Will there be a way to positively identify incoming calls which are made by the town using the system?

The caller-ID number for land line calls generated by the Hyper-Reach service will display the same phone number every time with “Town of Maynard” as the identifier.  Caller-ID numbers for cell phones will also be the same each time (the number is dictated by your cell provider) with “Maynard, MA” as the identifier.  In addition, every message begins with an announcement from the appropriate Town office.  For example:  “Good evening from the Maynard DPW.”  The message content will follow this standard introduction.

9. How does the Hyper-Reach system respond to busy signals or no-answer situations?

For busy signals, the call will be repeated several times in an attempt to reach you.  The same is true for No-answer and Call-waiting.  If the phone is answered by a message recorder, the message will be left on the answering device.  If, after several attempts the call does not successfully go through, the system will stop attempting to call.

10. Is there a way to repeat the message?

Each message will repeat once automatically.  If you want to listen to the message again, simply call the caller-ID number and the message will automatically be repeated in its entirety.

11. Can I receive the message in another language?

Each message will be delivered in two languages, English then Spanish.  For incoming calls, you will have the option to choose “1” for English and “2” for Spanish.  If the message is left on an answering device, both languages will be played, one after the other.  Emails will also contain both languages.  We are hoping to add more languages in time.