By Khali Henderson

Four key members of the former PAETEC executive team have joined 10n2 Technologies, where PAETEC’s ex-CEO Arunas Chesonis is a shareholder and member of the board.

10n2 Technologies is a two-year-old company that offers anti-distracted driving software to consumers and businesses. The company is launching its solutions and its channel program at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 26-29, in Las Vegas.

Former PAETEC executives Mario DiRiggi, Dan Reinbold, Donna Wenk and Michael Gough have joined the startup following PAETEC’s acquisition by Windstream Corp. in December 2011.

Mario DeRiggi, formerly PAETEC’s executive vice president of national sales and service, serves as 10n2’s president for North America, setting strategic direction for direct and agent sales, account development, network design, service engineering, marketing, customer care, training, and data center strategy and rollout. He also has joined the company’s board and will lead the sales team. 

Donna Wenk, PAETEC’s former senior vice president responsible for agent sales, customer care and sales operations, is now vice president of strategic partnerships. Dan Reinbold, PAETEC’s former senior vice president of the South Region, is now vice president of direct sales. Michael Gough, former vice president of the National Partner Program, takes on the role of vice president of channel sales at 10n2. 

10n2’s technology is designed to protect enterprises and consumers from the dangers of driving when attention is diverted from the road to electronic devices by disabling them when a driver is in control of an automobile.

The company’s current technology is based on a mobile device management software that works with smartphones and utilizes device GPS to calculate phone speed. It is administered through a cloud-based portal and runs independent of the mobile network operators. Uniquely, the software differentiates between driver and passenger with an Attention Verification Test.

The software is in beta testing this month with employees of the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology, as well with employees of the Rochester renewable energy company, Sweetwater Energy.

The software initially will be available for Android and Blackberry devices. A version for the iPhone is expected in 30 days. The service costs $5 per device per month.

The service is targeted to any business with a mobile workforce or a fleet, putting them at risk for liability if an employee were to be involved in an accident related to use of their device while driving.

Enterprise purchasers upload employee phone numbers to the portal. Employees receive a text on their device asking them to download the software. Reporting identifies downloads, attempts to remove or tamper with the software or disable the GPS.

Gough said the channel program will be rolled out in phases, first through master agents and later through direct agents. The Platinum Partner Program will pay master agent a residual based on performance and an upfront SPIFF as well as other incentives reserved for the first 10 to sign up. Two master agents are expected to be announced at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo next week.

Gough said the timing for the channel to get involved in the space is good. He noted that starting  Jan. 3, drivers of commercial vehicles face fines of $2,750 for using their cell phones while driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule encompasses both truck and bus drivers and, along with individual drivers, will punish companies that allow drivers to use cell phones while driving with a maximum fine of $11,000. States also have the ability to suspend a driver’s commercial driver’s license after two or more violations.