GreatCall is a connected health technology company based in San Diego, California. GreatCall offers health and safety products and services for older adults, including mobile devices, cellular service, mobile apps and a wearable device. GreatCall provides nationwide cellular service as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) through the Verizon Wireless network.
History
GreatCall was founded in 2006 by Arlene Harris to provide aging adults with accessible technology and services. In the same year, the company launched the original Jitterbug. In 2009, GreatCall launched Live Nurse (now Urgent Care). In partnership with FONEMED, Urgent Care provides customers with access to registered nurses 24 hours a day.
In 2011, GreatCall added another app to its list of services called MedCoach, which provides daily medication management. That same year, GreatCall introduced the 5Star Urgent Response (now known as GreatCall Splash), a mobile Personal Emergency Response System device, along with 5Star Medical Alert System, which uses GPS technology and advanced location analysis to connect users with emergency certified 5Star Agents.
Also in 2011, John Walsh became the official spokesperson for GreatCall.
In 2012, GreatCall released its first smartphone, the Jitterbug Touch, a keyboarded Android phone with a simplified user interface on a larger screen.
In 2014, GreatCall added another app called Link to its suite of safety applications. In November 2015, GreatCall acquired Lively Inc.
On June 7, 2017, GreatCall announced that it was being acquired by the private equity firm GTCR.
Awards and Recognitions
- In 2006, the Jitterbug cell phone was recognized in New York Times tech journalist David Pogue's Top 10 Brilliant Ideas and Reader's Digest 100 Best Products.
- In 2007, GreatCall won the wireless industry's Andrew Seybold Choice Award for "Best New Wireless Company" at CTIA, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Associations design award, and was recognized as a finalist for CES's Last Gadget Standing Competition.
- In 2008, the company received the Stevie Award for "Best Overall Company" , the American Society on Aging's Award for "Best Small Business" .
- In 2009, TripleTree selected GreatCall as the winner for "Best Consumer Experience" and GreatCall's LiveNurseâ„¢ application (now Urgent Care) received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award.
- In 2010, GreatCall's LiveNurseâ„¢ application (now Urgent Care) received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award.
- In 2014, GreatCall's Link app won the Today's Caregiver's "Caregiver Friendly Award" .
- In 2016, the Lively Wearable was recognized in The Wall Street Journal's "BEST OF CES 2016: The Wondrous and Wacky Year Ahead in Gadgets"
- In 2016, the Jitterbug Flip was featured in the Wall Street Journal article on simple phones and was the editor's phone of the lot
- In 2016, the Jitterbug Flip cellphone was recognized in PCMag as Editor's Choice for simple cell phones
- In 2016, CEO David Inns won EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year for Tech Services in the San Diego Region
See also
- List of California companies
- List of United States wireless communications service providers
- Page Plus Cellular
References
