Penta Corporation

What Penta Corporation does

Penta Corporation is a private, New Orleans-based manufacturer of converged voice and data communications and control products founded in 1976, serving passenger transit, heavy rail, utilities, and public safety industries in the United States. The company's two core products are the Penta Media Exchange (PMx), an IP-based integrated radio dispatch system built on redundant COTS servers running Linux OS with Dialogic PowerMedia Host Media Processing (HMP) technology, and WavWriter, an ADA-compliant voice and visual passenger information system that delivers real-time train arrival, departure, and emergency messaging across displays, audio systems, and mobile devices. PMx supports SIP, TDM, and analog network interfaces including legacy narrow-band radios, POTS circuits, intercoms, and VoIP, enabling transit agencies to consolidate fragmented voice dispatch infrastructure on a single redundant platform.

Penta sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales to government transit authorities and large organizations, with systems installed and integrated at customer sites. Revenue is generated through one-time license sales of PMx and WavWriter systems, plus ongoing support, maintenance, and professional services (reflected in the company's published emergency contact line). The company does not publicly disclose pricing; quotes are provided on request. Named customers include MTA New York City Transit, Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), MTA Maryland, Denver RTD/DTO, and Charlotte LYNX Light Rail, with Penta's systems deployed in over 130 locations. The company has no disclosed funding history, no public-company status, and no documented management team in available sources.

Name

Penta Corporation

Legal name

Penta Corporation

Website

https://www.penta-corp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Penta Corporation manufactures IP-based radio dispatch (PMx) and ADA-compliant passenger information (WavWriter) systems for U.S. transit authorities, heavy rail operators, utilities, and public safety agencies, with 130+ deployment locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transit Communications and Passenger Information Systems

NAICS

Communications Equipment Manufacturing (3342), Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing (33421), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (3343)

SIC

Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus (3661), Radiotelephone Communications (4812), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Traffic Control Center (TCC/TMC) Operations Tools (Video Wall, Operator Consoles, SOP Workflow) (TLAJACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Room Input Devices (Speakerphones, Control Pads, Room Controllers) (HDACAFAM), VoIP/ATA & Integrated Voice Gateways (CPE) (HDAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Transit communications systems
• Radio dispatch consoles
• Passenger information displays
• ADA-compliant announcement systems
• Voice dispatch control equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Integrated Communications Systems (PMx): Sale and deployment of IP-based integrated radio dispatch systems to transit authorities, heavy rail operators, utilities, and public safety agencies. Systems include redundant servers, dispatch consoles, and network interfaces.
2. Passenger Information Systems (WavWriter): Sale and deployment of ADA-compliant voice and visual passenger information systems including servers, workstations, display controllers, and station-level equipment.
3. Support and Maintenance Services: Emergency contact support services for deployed systems. Professional services likely include installation, integration, and ongoing maintenance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Penta Corporation manufactures and sells converged voice and data communications and control systems for passenger transit, heavy rail, utilities, and public safety agencies. Its core offerings are the PMx (Penta Media Exchange) IP-based integrated radio dispatch system and the WavWriter ADA-compliant voice and visual passenger information system, both built on Linux-based COTS servers with Host Media Processing (HMP) technology and supported by professional installation, integration, and maintenance services.

Product overview

Penta Corporation offers two core products: the Penta Media Exchange (PMx) and WavWriter. PMx is an IP-based integrated radio dispatch system that provides voice communications control for dispatching operations, supporting SIP, TDM, analog networks, and legacy radio systems. WavWriter is an ADA-compliant voice and visual passenger information system that delivers real-time arrival, departure, and emergency messaging to transit passengers via displays, audio systems, and mobile devices. These products serve passenger transit, heavy rail, utilities, and public safety industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Penta Media Exchange (PMx): IP-based Integrated Radio Dispatch system for voice communications with redundant servers, dispatcher interface, and control of SIP, TDM, and analog networks.
• WavWriter

Products and services

• Penta Media Exchange (PMx) IP-based integrated radio dispatch system with redundant Linux-based COTS servers using Host Media Processing (HMP). Controls and interfaces with SIP telephones, VOIP intercoms, legacy radios, analog base stations, POTS circuits, and telephone networks. Scales from a single console to hundreds of endpoints. Targets transit authorities, heavy rail operators, utilities, and public safety agencies for mission-critical voice dispatch operations.
• WavWriter ADA-compliant voice and visual passenger information system with redundant servers, IP-based workstations, and local transit station controllers. Delivers real-time train arrivals, departures, schedule information, and emergency messaging to LED displays, video displays, audio systems, big boards, kiosks, and smartphones. Supports live, pre-recorded, automated, and text-to-speech messaging. Targets passenger transit operators needing regulatory-compliant passenger communications.
• Support and Maintenance Services Professional services including on-site installation, integration, deployment, and ongoing maintenance support for PMx and WavWriter systems. Includes 24/7 emergency contact support for deployed systems across 130+ transit locations.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dialogic CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationDialogic Communication's PowerMedia HMP (Host Media Processing) technology is incorporated into Penta's MediaServers to provide highly scalable, feature-rich multimedia processing for the PMx system.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Zetron: Zetron builds mission-critical dispatch consoles, radio IP gateways, and CAD/PSAP software for transit, public safety, utilities, and industrial — the same product space and verticals as Penta's PMx. Its console + IP gateway architecture closely mirrors Penta's approach and customer targets.
• Avtec (now part of Motorola Solutions): Avtec produces dispatch consoles for transit, utilities, and public safety agencies, competing head-to-head with PMx in the same rail/heavy-transit RFPs. It is now integrated within Motorola Solutions, and was historically one of Penta's most direct functional competitors in radio dispatch consoles.
• Televic Rail: Televic Rail provides passenger information systems, audio announcements, and on-board communications for rail operators globally, directly comparable to Penta's WavWriter PIDS offering. Both target ADA-compliant audio/visual messaging on rail networks and bid against each other on US and international transit projects.
• INIT Group: INIT supplies integrated transit IT systems including CAD/AVL, real-time passenger information, and depot control centers for bus and rail operators, overlapping with WavWriter PIDS and PMx's dispatch functionality. Its US presence and focus on passenger information directly competes with Penta's US transit portfolio.
• DTI Group: DTI Group delivers on-board passenger information, infotainment, and CCTV/communications systems for rail and bus transit operators, paralleling Penta's WavWriter passenger information and station-communications scope. Comparable in both technology (IP-based audio/visual messaging) and transit customer base.
• Funkwerk: Funkwerk manufactures passenger information displays, station communications, and dispatch/IP-based radio systems for European rail operators, overlapping functionally with both PMx and WavWriter. Same transit-vertical niche with a strong rail IP communications heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Motorola Solutions: Motorola Solutions is the dominant vendor in mission-critical radio and command-center software for public safety and transit, owning Avtec, a direct competitor to PMx. Its broad portfolio (radios, ASTRO systems, command center) dwarfs Penta in both R&D and field-sales depth.
• Cubic Transportation Systems: Cubic delivers fare collection, real-time passenger information, and transit analytics for major US transit agencies, overlapping with WavWriter in PIDS and adjacent to dispatch workflows. Its scale and multi-decade US agency relationships make it a broader incumbent competitor on transit digital systems.
• Siemens Mobility: Siemens Mobility supplies rail signaling, train control, station management, and passenger information systems for transit operators worldwide, with overlap to WavWriter PIDS and PMx-style dispatch at the station level. Field as a broad incumbent with deep transit references.
• Bosch Security and Safety Systems: Bosch provides IP-based public address, voice alarm, intercom, and passenger information systems for transit, comparable in function to WavWriter and a portion of PMx. It competes in station-level and platform-level audio/visual messaging deployments on rail and metro networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Penta_Corp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/penta-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Penta Corporation