WEST MELBOURNE, FL March 8, 2023 / BK Technologies Corporation (NYSE American: BKTI) (the “Company” or “BK Technologies”) today announced that it has entered into a reseller agreement with WidePoint Corporation, for the resale of BK’s InteropONE PTToC service to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State. InteropONE is the only PTToC (Push-To-Talk Over Cellular) service that enables operational interoperability to first responders through on-demand creation of user groups without requiring network pre-provisioning or gateways.
Under WidePoint’s single award Cellular Wireless Managed Services (CWMS) IDIQ contract, WidePoint plans to offer BK’s InteropONE service to all DOS and DHS agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), The United States Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Secret Service and others.
InteropONE facilitates multi-agency incident response and mutual aid in planned or unplanned incidents such as large public events, disaster relief, criminal intelligence, and mass violence, where a lack of communications can slow or hinder the response. Incident command staff can dynamically manage PTToC communications from a smartphone, by “inviting” participants to engage in the incident. Invited participants simply need a smartphone with a data subscription to any carrier network. InteropONE is designed to enable all first responders to communicate regardless of which cellular network they use or PTToC service they subscribe to, or even first responders who do not subscribe to a PTToC service, providing interoperable communications during emergency incidents when no other communications platform meets the need.
John Suzuki, CEO for BK Technologies, stated, “The federal government is a large PTToC service user, as more government personnel carry a smartphone than carry a land mobile radio. InteropONE allows these users to initiate and participate in Push-To-Talk (PTT) group communications on demand. When DHS agents conduct a mission, typically they are joined by other state and local public safety agencies, and InteropONE enables DHS agents to form onsite group communications with any smartphone device on any cellular service worldwide in five minutes or less. With WidePoint’s deep DHS relationships they are an ideal strategic partner for BK Technologies.”
Jin Kang, President and CEO of WidePoint Corporation stated: “Federal contract vehicles, such as WidePoint’s CWMS contract, provide federal agencies a clear pathway to purchasing InteropONE. Our relationship with DHS is quite wide and deep with over 100,000 smartphones under management; InteropONE is currently undergoing field trials with our customers, which have generated favorable initial feedback. We’re pleased to establish a strategic partnership with BK Technologies and believe our ability to offer their PTToC offering will broaden our customer relationships and grow our business.”
About BK Technologies
BK Technologies Corporation manufactures high-specification, American-made communications equipment of unsurpassed reliability and value for use by public safety professionals and government agencies. BK Technologies SaaS business focuses on new, innovative public safety smartphone services that will make the first responders safer or more productive. BK Technologies is honored to serve these heroes when every moment counts. The Company’s common stock trades on the NYSE American market under the symbol “BKTI”. Maintaining its headquarters and primary manufacturing facility in West Melbourne, Florida, BK Technologies can be contacted through its web site at www.bktechnologies.com or directly at 1-800-821-2900.
About WidePoint
WidePoint Corporation (NYSE American:WYY) is a leading technology Managed Solution Provider (MSP) dedicated to securing and protecting the mobile workforce and enterprise landscape. WidePoint is recognized for pioneering technology solutions that include Identity & Access Management (IAM), Mobility Managed Services (MMS), Telecom Management, Information Technology as a Service (ITaaS), Cloud Security, and Analytics & Billing as a Service (ABaaS). For more information, visit widepoint.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements concern the Company’s operations, economic performance, and financial condition, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the expected timing for the launch of the BKR 9000 and the Company’s long-term strategic plan, and are based largely on the Company’s beliefs and expectations. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks, some of which have been, and may further be, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical events, include, among others, the following: changes or advances in technology; the success of our land mobile radio product line; disruption in the global supply chain creating delays, unavailability and adverse conditions; successful introduction of new products and technologies, including our ability to successfully develop and sell our anticipated new multiband product and other related products in the planned new BKR Series product line and our announced SaaS solutions; competition in the land mobile radio industry; general economic and business conditions, including higher inflation and its impacts, federal, state and local government budget deficits and spending limitations, any impact from a prolonged shutdown of the U.S. Government, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, including the imposition of additional sanctions and export controls, as well as the broader impacts to financial markets and the global macroeconomic and geopolitical environments; the availability, terms and deployment of capital; reliance on contract manufacturers and suppliers; risks associated with fixed-price contracts; heavy reliance on sales to agencies of the U.S. Government and our ability to comply with the requirements of contracts, laws and regulations related to such sales; allocations by government agencies among multiple approved suppliers under existing agreements; our ability to comply with U.S. tax laws and utilize deferred tax assets; our ability to attract and retain executive officers, skilled workers and key personnel; our ability to manage our growth; our ability to identify potential candidates for, and to consummate, acquisition, disposition or investment transactions, and risks incumbent to being a noncontrolling interest stockholder in a corporation; impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or the ongoing war in Ukraine on the companies in which the Company holds investments; impact of our capital allocation strategy; risks related to maintaining our brand and reputation; impact of government regulation; impact of rising health care costs; our business with manufacturers located in other countries, including changes in the U.S. Government and foreign governments’ trade and tariff policies, as well as any further impact resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic or the ongoing war in Ukraine; our inventory and debt levels; protection of our intellectual property rights; fluctuation in our operating results and stock price; acts of war or terrorism, natural disasters and other catastrophic events, such as severe weather events, the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical events; any infringement claims; data security breaches, cyber-attacks and other factors impacting our technology systems; availability of adequate insurance coverage; maintenance of our NYSE American listing; risks related to being a holding company; and the effect on our stock price and ability to raise equity capital of future sales of shares of our common stock. Certain of these factors and risks, as well as other risks and uncertainties, are stated in more detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statement.
Company Contact:
IMS Investor Relations
John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau
bktechnologies@imsinvestorrelations.com
(203) 972-9200