Critical Comms RSS Feed

Telstra and Optus investigated by ACMA for public safety failures

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +1100

It’s been a bad week for Australia’s two biggest telcos, with both Telstra and Optus receiving attention from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for separate incidents that put the safety of the Australian public at risk.

On the morning of 1 March, between 3:30 and 5:00 am AEDT, an as-yet-unexplained issue at Telstra’s Triple Zero call centre was found to be impacting the transfer of calls from Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, Western Australia and the ACT to emergency service operators. Telstra, as Emergency Call Person, receives all calls to Triple Zero and transfers them to the appropriate state or territory emergency service — but while calls did arrive during this period, there was no calling line identification (CLI) information included. CLI is a telephone network signalling capacity that identifies the calling party’s telephone number.

“Without that CLI information to transfer calls to emergency services operators in an automated way, our Triple Zero teams had to manually transfer each call onwards,” wrote Jane Elkington, Telstra’s Group Manager, Emergency Service Answer Point and Disability Services, in a post on the Telstra website.

“We immediately implemented our backup process, with our teams taking down details which were then sent through manually to emergency services so they could call back those people who had called Triple Zero.

“We conducted a restart of the system, and from 5:00AM the Triple Zero service was running stably.”

Of the 494 calls received, 148 were not able to be manually transferred to the emergency service operators, and were instead communicated to emergency services by email. It has since been confirmed that one of those cases involved a person who suffered a cardiac arrest, who subsequently passed away.

While Elkington said that Telstra has committed to a “swift and forensic” investigation into what went wrong, as well as any improvements that can be made to the backup processes, CEO Vicki Brady has so far only been able to confirm that the incident — which she described as the worst failure of the system that she was aware of — was not caused by a hack and that the backup system for CLI did not work as intended. The Australian Government is now seeking to understand the full impact of the disruption, while the ACMA has commenced an investigation into Telstra’s compliance with the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2019, which requires the Emergency Call Person to transfer Triple Zero calls to the applicable emergency service organisation.

Meanwhile, Optus was this week forced to pay a $1,501,500 penalty after an ACMA investigation found the telco left close to 200,000 mobile customers (supplied under the Coles Mobile and Catch Connect brands) at risk by failing to upload required customer information to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) between January 2021 and September 2023. The IPND is used by critical services like the Emergency Alert service to warn Australians of disasters such as flood and bushfires, and by Triple Zero to provide location information to the police, ambulance and fire brigade in an emergency.

ACMA member Samantha Yorke said the Authority commenced its investigation after a compliance audit indicated Optus had failed to upload data via its outsourced supplier, Prvidr Pty Ltd. Yorke emphasised that all telcos “need to have systems in place that ensure they are meeting their obligations, including having robust oversight and assurance processes for third-party suppliers.

“While we are not aware of anyone being directly harmed due to the non-compliance in this case, it’s alarming that Optus placed so many customers in this position for so long,” she said.

“When emergency services are hindered, there can be very serious consequences for the safety of Australians.”

In addition to the financial penalty, the ACMA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Optus that requires an independent review of its IPND compliance where it uses a third-party data provider and the implementation of any improvements recommended by the review. Optus has also been formally directed to comply with the IPND industry code. If the ACMA finds Optus fails to comply with the direction or the enforceable undertaking, it may commence proceedings in the Federal Court, which can order penalties up to $10 million per breach or make orders in relation to the undertaking.

Image credit: iStock.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

Speedcast provides enhanced connectivity services to NT

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Speedcast, a leading communications and IT services provider with longstanding roots in Australia, has extended and expanded its STARS (Satellite To All Remote Sites) program contract, providing connectivity services across hundreds of sites for the Northern Territory Government.

As part of the expanded scope, Speedcast has introduced its SIGMA edge compute platform, as well as high-performance LEO connectivity from Starlink, to enhance the existing geostationary satellite communications-based service. The new hybrid network will better meet the growing connectivity needs of multiple government agencies, including schools and distance education, emergency services, utilities, police, health, and parks and wildlife, across a sparsely populated area of 1.3 million km².

Many of the STARS sites will benefit from the intelligent network and multi-path management tools SIGMA offers, as well as access to value-added services at the edge. Following a successful proof of concept, Speedcast introduced Starlink LEO connectivity to the managed solution as part of an overall shift to a hybrid connectivity approach. Network traffic lands at the NT-owned teleport operated and managed by Speedcast, located in Darwin. The fully managed service is backed by 24/7 support from Speedcast’s network operations centre.

“Reliable connectivity service is essential to a region like the Northern Territory, which we have served for more than a decade,” said James Trevelyan, Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing at Speedcast. “Every technology advancement in the service we deliver to NT has a material impact on the people, businesses and government of the Territory, and we’re proud of the longstanding partnership that makes it possible.”

Image credit: iStock.com/bennymarty

ARCIA returning to Perth for one-day conference

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +1100

The Australian Radio Communications Industry Association (ARCIA) has announced it is returning to Perth for a one-day conference on 14 March 2024, to deliver industry-related content to the critical communications community.

The conference will feature two half-day workshops running concurrently as well as a jam-packed stream of critical communications presentations, closing out with an expert panel. Highlights include:

Workshop 1: Private LTE/5G — The Fundamentals of Technology and System Designs
Workshop 2: Designing and Planning Microwave Networks
The Evolution of Critical Communications — How Industry is Responding to the Needs of Critical Users for both Voice and Data
Spectrum for Wireless Broadband — An Update
Wireless Technologies — Considerations for Making the Best Technology Decision for your Use Case
Deploying Private LTE Technology in Operational Telecom Networks
Transitioning from Narrowband Communications to Hybrid PTToC and Broadband Technologies
Expert Panel: A Developing Critical Communications Landscape — The Challenges and Opportunities that come with New Technology and More Choice

The conference will be followed by the WA State Networking Dinner, offering the opportunity for attendees to connect with industry peers and colleagues from across the critical communications community in a relaxed setting. The dinner will feature guest speaker Mick Colliss — who promises to entertain with stories of Sudoku and more — the announcement of the WA State Industry Advancement Award winner, and lots of networking time. Everyone is welcome to attend, including partners.

The conference and dinner will both be held at the Aloft Perth in Rivervale, and numbers are strictly limited due to venue capacity. Interested parties are encouraged to book seats for themselves and their colleagues ASAP, with discounts available to ARCIA members.

Image taken from ARCIA’s 2023 Perth conference.

Mavenir demos NB-IoT non-terrestrial network connectivity

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Network software provider Mavenir has successfully completed a mobile data call in cooperation with Ligado Networks, a leading provider of mobile satellite services (MSS) in North America. The connection consisted of a 3GPP Rel-17 narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) non-terrestrial network (NTN) data connection deployed over the Ligado SkyTerra satellite network.

Using a cloud-native NB-IoT radio access network (RAN) solution, the Mavenir NTN service platform was integrated with the Ligado Ground-Based Beam Former (GBBF) over a digital interface, providing an adaptable, high-directivity connection to specific user equipment (UE) on the ground via the satellite link. The team successfully demonstrated a UE connected to the satellite beam on a narrow 200 kHz carrier within 3GPP-standardised band n255, ie, L-band spectrum already designated and fully licensed for MSS operations.

“The Ligado satellite network leverages bent-pipe architecture, allowing for the rapid development and deployment of NTN services as they become available and for the continued evolution of our services alongside the standards,” said Sachin Chhibber, Chief Technology Officer at Ligado Networks. “This milestone with Mavenir highlights our ability to adapt quickly to support NTN technologies that will bridge the gap between terrestrial and satellite communications.”

Mavenir noted that the adoption of 3GPP-compliant NTN technology enables satellite networks to support devices using mainstream, low-cost chipsets that can also operate on terrestrial IoT networks. The latest demonstration paves the way towards the delivery of seamless integration of satellite technology with the mobile networks of the future, extending coverage to remote regions and challenging geographies while supporting a variety of innovative IoT applications, including vehicle diagnostics, environmental monitoring, first responder connectivity and smart metering.

“Next-generation NTN networks will connect remote and rural areas with advanced communication services in ways that have not been possible before — boosting economic and social development and enabling new applications that will empower many industries to innovate and grow,” said BG Kumar, President of Access Networks, Platforms and Digital Enablement at Mavenir. “We are proud to be playing a defining role in delivering that connected future.”

Image credit: iStock.com/johan63

CRC-P grants fund firefighting aircraft, LiDAV technology

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has announced $51 million in funding under Round 15 of the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program, which encourages collaboration between industry and researchers on breakthrough projects with potential to transform industries and create jobs.

The program supports industry-led research projects by offering matched funding of between $100,000 and $3 million for a period of up to three years. The latest grants acknowledge 21 projects with promising commercial potential that solve a wide range of community and economic challenges.

Aircraft designer and manufacturer AMSL Aero has received $3 million through the program to adapt its zero-emission aircraft, Vertiia, to fight bushfires autonomously in a way that keeps firefighters safer and enables night-time firefighting. The company will work with its project partners to develop and test a remotely piloted version of Vertiia, claimed to be the world’s most efficient long-range zero-emissions electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, that is capable of effectively spraying preventative fire retardant and dropping hundreds of litres of water.

“We will develop a version of Vertiia that enables Rural Fire Service crews to prevent and put out fires remotely using swarms of autonomous aircraft, like a hi-tech flying bucket-brigade that can operate day and night, radically improving crew safety and significantly reducing crew fatigue,” said AMSL Aero CEO Max York. “Vertiia’s compelling unit economics also mean we can operate more aircraft in more places, and because Vertiia is long range and zero emissions, it gives us the ability to stay on task longer and means we are not contributing to the climate change problems that are leading to more fires.”

Advanced Navigation, an innovator in AI for robotic and navigation technologies, has meanwhile received $1 million in funding to accelerate production of the company’s Light Detection, Altimetry and Velocimetry (LiDAV) technology for Earth applications. The aim is to develop a navigation sensor measuring velocity in 3D, creating a compact, lightweight and low-cost solution delivering precision that is not possible within the same size and weight constraints.

Currently, LiDAV is supporting NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program to improve the safety and reliability of autonomous landing manoeuvres on the lunar surface. The Earth solution of LiDAV is expected to solve complex autonomy challenges across aerospace, automotive, weather, railways and logistics, with applications including:

Aiding aircraft during take-off and landing, particularly in difficult conditions.
Measuring weather patterns far more accurately to significantly improve weather detection and forecasting.
Guiding passenger drones and autonomous vehicles reliably under all conditions.
Building geophysical models from gravitational surveys.
Guiding autonomous navigation in GNSS-denied environments, particularly for defence and security applications.

It is hoped that the innovation will strengthen Australia’s sovereign capability in the high-end uncrewed autonomous vehicle (UAV) market while enhancing SME project partners’ global competitiveness.

The full list of Round 15 recipients is available at https://business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/cooperative-research-centres-projects-crcp-grants.

Image caption: AMSL Aero’s zero-emission aircraft, Vertiia.

Comms Connect NZ 2024 set to break more records

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

The 2024 edition of Comms Connect New Zealand is just over four months away and already has more exhibitors booked than any of the eight previous shows. The organisers opened the Call for Papers last week, with submissions starting to roll in for what will be a high-quality two-day conference program to run alongside the expo.

“We are looking for case studies and technical application pieces from across a range of sectors, including public safety, mining, transport, infrastructure, remote monitoring and others now using critical comms tech to enhance their industry,” Event Director Geoff Hird said.

The event will return once again to the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, from 26–27 June, and will again be run with the support of leading industry body RFUANZ, with Critical Comms the official media partner. The RFUANZ annual gala awards dinner will be held on the first night of the event, 26 June, at the venue.

Gold Partners for the event are Tait Communications, Zetron and Eaton, who will be joined by at least 40 more leading suppliers of critical comms technology. Hird noted, “We have increased our expo footprint for the second year running and it looks like this will be filled in the next month or so.”

For more details on the expo and conference, and to submit a paper for consideration, go to www.comms-connect.co.nz.

New Zealand's Hourua joins TCCA

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

New Zealand telecommunications service provider Hourua has announced its membership of TCCA, the global member-led organisation for all stakeholders in the critical communications ecosystem. Hourua is a joint venture between Spark and One NZ, the country’s two largest telecommunication and digital service companies, formed to meet the needs of New Zealand’s first responders using the new Public Safety Network Te Kupenga Marutau.

Hourua is contracted by Next Generation Critical Communications (NGCC), a government entity, to deliver the Public Safety Network’s cellular services for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, New Zealand Police, Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance. These services provide a resilient multi-network cellular solution for first responders, enabling them to share information including data, voice, video and images.

With Public Safety Network Roaming now enabled across the Spark and One NZ networks, New Zealand’s emergency services now have the best possible access to mobile services and around 28,000 km² of additional coverage to help them keep the community safe. Later this year, the launch of the Public Safety Network Priority service will mean emergency services’ voice and data communications will get priority over other users when cellular networks are congested or degraded, safeguarding their communications.

“We look forward to making the most of the combined knowledge across all the members of the wider TCCA community to work with Next Generation Critical Communications and help the public safety community in New Zealand make the most of the current and emerging technologies,” said Vaughan Matthews, General Manager and Head of Business of Hourua.

“We are delighted to welcome another mobile network operator to TCCA membership,” added TCCA CEO Kevin Graham. “As in New Zealand, many countries are looking to leverage existing carriers to provide critical communications for public safety and other critical industry sectors. The experience Hourua will bring to our global community will be invaluable in helping other nations and agencies progress their programs.”

Telstra and Eutelsat OneWeb deploy LEO backhaul in Australia

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Telstra and Eutelsat OneWeb, part of Eutelsat Group, have jointly announced that the world’s largest rollout of OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) cellular backhaul is currently underway in Australia.

As part of the rollout, Telstra this month attempted an on-air voice call using Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO solution at a site in Oxford Falls, Sydney. This is understood to be the first time a satellite backhaul call has been conducted on a commercial mobile network with a guaranteed quality level of services in Australia.

The Oxford Falls site is the first of more than 300 existing remote mobile base station sites currently using satellite backhaul that will be connected with Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO solution over the next 18 months. In time, this capability will help Telstra expand mobile coverage as it supports new site deployments. A key feature of Eutelsat OneWeb’s service is the provision of service level agreements (SLAs) and committed information rates which promise a specified quality of service and performance.

Iskra Nikolova, Telstra Executive for Network and Infrastructure, said the rollout of LEO-enabled backhaul to remote mobile sites will enable the telco to “improve the customer experience in regional and remote areas, with lower latency, higher speeds and a more consistent experience”.

“There’s also potential for Eutelsat OneWeb, as a backup backhaul solution, to improve reliability in areas where terrestrial backhaul is susceptible to natural disasters and communities find themselves in isolation,” Nikolova added.

“The average bandwidth for these sites will increase at least 15x, and the average latency will reduce 10-fold. We’re very proud of this world-first achievement to have a LEO backhaul that guarantees that level of quality service.”

Telstra has been working with Eutelsat OneWeb to test and deploy the satellite operator’s latest technology, and will continue providing input into its future products and capabilities. Cyril Dujardin, Co-General Manager of Eutelsat Group’s Connectivity Business Unit, said his company counts Telstra as one of its most trusted partners, stating, “We are delighted to support Telstra in delivering consistent, leading-edge connectivity to its customers in Australia, regardless of location.”

Image credit: OneWeb.

LiFi breakthrough: OLEDs used to reduce interference

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Researchers from South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Ajou University and Inha University have found a way to implement visible light communication (VLC) in a practical lighting system — by reducing interference with a novel light source. Their findings have been published in the journal Advanced Materials.

LiFi, a communication technology harnessing visible light for data transmission, has the potential to surpass Wi-Fi’s speed by over 100 times and boasts a high bandwidth, facilitating the simultaneous transmission of copious information. Notably, LiFi ensures robust security by exclusively transmitting data to areas illuminated by light. Most importantly, it capitalises on existing indoor lighting infrastructure, such as LEDs, eliminating the need for separate installations.

Unfortunately, when light of the same wavelength intersects, interference occurs, resulting in the merging or cancellation of amplitudes and causing diminished stability and accuracy in data transmission. This phenomenon was observed by the researchers when using LEDs as a single-colour light source in VLC technology. To resolve this hurdle, the team developed a novel light source to replace the conventional one.

By combining red, green and blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), they crafted a light source that mimics standard white illumination but with minimal interference zones. Furthermore, the team introduced a cavity structure to enhance the OLEDs’ colour representation for each wavelength and incorporated a Fabry–Pérot structure into the light-absorbing organic photodiodes (OPDs) to selectively receive specific wavelengths of light.

The team’s composite white light exhibited a significantly lower bit error rate (BER) than that of conventional light sources; BER, representing the error ratio to the total transmitted bits, serves as a key quantifier of digital signal quality. This achievement signifies effective suppression of interference among light sources, ensuring accurate information transmission.

“In contrast to conventional light sources, our light source, which blends three wavelengths, circumvents interference, thereby enhancing stability and accuracy in data transmission,” said POSTECH’s Professor Dae Sung Chung, the leader of the consortium. “We foresee this technology as a potentially beneficial tool for diverse industries, serving as a next-generation wireless communication solution that utilises conventional lighting systems.”

Image caption: Organic VLC system based on mixed white light illumination and colour-selective OPDs fabricated with OLEDs.

Tait Communications acquires RFI Technology Solutions

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Multinational radio comms company Tait Communications has acquired RFI Technology Solutions, a global leader in manufacturing and integrating high-performance coverage enhancement solutions for radio and cellular networks. Supported by its engineering and R&D team, RFI has over four decades of expertise supporting LMR, public safety and carrier markets globally, enabling connectivity in complex and harsh environments.

Headquartered in NSW, RFI operates three Australian manufacturing facilities along with extension service delivery operations for its global customer base. With sales offices in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, RFI operates in adjacent sectors of the critical communications industry to those which Tait serves. The company will continue to operate as a standalone enterprise under its CEO, Scott Magee.

Tait CEO Dr Yoram Benit, who also took the position of Managing Director in November, has welcomed the RFI team to the Tait group and spoke about the companies’ compatibility.

“Like Tait, RFI is a leader in its global sector,” Benit said. “The companies complement each other in what we do with little overlap, and the markets we serve continue to grow and develop.

“Tait has been a customer of RFI for many years and we stand by the quality and sophistication of their technology. Our aim is for both companies to continue to do what they do well and to look for opportunities in the future where we can synergise and support each other’s growth.”

The RFI acquisition supports Tait’s vision to provide industry-leading communications solutions for its critical communications customers across the world.

Govt program to boost mobile coverage along regional roads

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Communities and commuters across regional and remote Australia are set to benefit from improved mobile coverage on roads and highways as a result of the federal government’s new $50 million Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program (RRAMP).

Drawing funding from the Better Connectivity Plan, the federal investment will support pilot programs with the states and territories that trial new, novel and innovative solutions to boost mobile coverage along roads and highways. Engagement and collaboration across government should ensure funding meets local needs and priorities, delivering value for money and long-term sustainability.

The pilot programs will fund new infrastructure, or the expansion of existing infrastructure, on regional highways and major roads and inform development of a scaled-up national program. Multi-carrier coverage will also be prioritised to improve consumer choice and access.

“The Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program will help deliver targeted solutions that address unique local challenges, boosting mobile connectivity for communities and commuters alike,” said Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland.

“Successful multicarrier solutions will ensure we leverage existing infrastructure to keep Australians connected — regardless of who their carrier might be.

Participating states and territories are expected to contribute to their pilot program, either through partner funding or an in-kind contribution, including fast-tracking access to government-controlled land or provision of project and contract management services. The Commonwealth has invited the states and territories to participate, with proposals required by 23 February.

“I welcome proposals from state and territory governments, and look forward to seeing the successful pilot projects roll out across Australia,” Rowland said.

Image credit: iStock.com/Paola Giannoni

New technique for photon detection developed

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

University of Central Florida (UCF) researcher Debashis Chanda, a professor at UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center, has developed a new technique to detect photons — elementary particles that span from visible light to radio frequencies and are instrumental in carrying cellular communication. Described in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, the breakthrough could lead to more precise and efficient technologies in various fields, from improving medical imaging and communication systems to enhancing scientific research and even potentially bolstering security measures.

Photon detection has typically relied on change/modulation of voltage or current amplitude — but Chanda has developed a way to detect photons by modulating the frequency of an oscillating circuit, paving the path for ultrasensitive photon detection. His method uses a phase-change material (PCM) that changes its form when light touches it, making an electrical rhythm that stays steady, or a stable electrical circuit oscillation. When a photon hits the material, it changes how fast the rhythm goes, or shifts the oscillation frequency. How much the rhythm changes depends on how strong the light is.

Long wave infrared (LWIR) detection in the 8–12 µm wavelength range is extremely important in astronomy, climate science, materials analysis and security. However, LWIR detection at room temperature has been a longstanding challenge due to the low energy of photons. LWIR detectors that are currently available can be broadly categorised into two types — cooled and uncooled — with both having their own limitations.

While cooled detectors offer excellent detectivity, they require cryogenic cooling, making them expensive and limiting their practical utility. On the other hand, uncooled detectors can operate at room temperature but suffer from low detectivity and slow response due to the higher thermal noise intrinsic to room temperature operation. This is the main reason LWIR cameras are not widely used, except in Department of Defense and space-specific applications.

“Unlike all present photon detection schemes where light power changes the amplitude of voltage or current (amplitude modulation — AM), in the proposed scheme, hits, or incidents of photons, modulate the frequency of an oscillating circuit and are detected as a frequency shift, offering inherent robustness to noises, which are AM in nature,” Chanda said.

“Our FM-based approach yields an outstanding room temperature noise equivalent power, response time and detectivity. This general FM-based photon detection concept can be implemented in any spectral range based on other phase-change materials.

“Our results introduce this novel FM-based detector as a unique platform for creating low-cost, high-efficiency uncooled infrared detectors and imaging systems for various applications such as remote sensing, thermal imaging and medical diagnostics. We strongly believe that the performance can be further enhanced with proper industry-scale packaging.”

Image caption: Debashis Chanda.

Arkeus secures $4.45m to scale search and surveillance systems

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Arkeus, an Australian optical autonomy company developing AI-powered hardware for autonomous drones and aircraft, has raised $4.45 million in seed funding to help scale manufacturing and enhance the capabilities of the company’s next-generation hardware-enabled software platform for search, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The funding round was led by deep tech venture capital firm Main Sequence, with participation from Steve Baxter from Beaten Zone Venture Partners and Salus Ventures.

In high-risk environments like defence and search and rescue operations, first responders need to make split-second decisions based on their knowledge of the landscape, objects and people around them. Yet too often, those decisions rely on systems built decades ago that capture only a narrow visual range, are blinded by darkness or weather, and require extensive and time-consuming manual analysis before any recommendations can be made.

Arkeus’s optical systems are built for modern operating environments, giving responders the ability to ‘see’ and respond in real time, using data from a wide range of visible and non-visible light spectra with autonomous capabilities capable of real-time detection, recognition and tracking of relevant people and objects in complex environments.

“In high-consequence situations where every second counts, defence and emergency responders are often hampered by outdated sensors built for a narrow range of light wavelengths,” said Arkeus CEO and co-founder Simon Olsen. “Arkeus is pioneering a new way of sensing, built from the ground up to overcome these limitations and deliver mission-critical information at the point of contact.”

Arkeus was founded by Olsen, a defence expert, and aerospace engineer Dr Jonathan Nebauer after they witnessed the challenges posed by existing equipment. Olsen explained, “We saw an opportunity to build something new — hardware-enabled software. Our technology is customised and optimised to operate in the most adverse conditions, with minimal to no human involvement. Our job is to extract the hardest-to-get information from the most challenging environments, quickly.”

Since its founding three years ago, Arkeus has secured multiple defence contracts for its autonomous optics technology, unlocking opportunities across both public sector and commercial applications. Beyond defence, the company’s AI-powered customisable systems can be applied to tasks like disaster recovery, search and rescue missions, border security and more.

“Arkeus’s autonomous optical systems have the potential to revolutionise the search, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance landscape, providing critical information in challenging environments,” said Salus Ventures Managing Director Mike Ferrari. “Their rapid innovation and domain expertise make them a global leader in the field.”

Arkeus is initially focused on use cases in search, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, including in defence, search and rescue, firefighting and police operations. The seed funding will enable the company to scale up production of its core product suite and continue R&D into new capabilities. Arkeus is also actively hiring additional technical staff in mechatronics and engineering at its Melbourne headquarters.

“We were impressed by Arkeus’s ability to build a thriving company in Melbourne during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Alezeia Brown, Investment Manager at Main Sequence. “In a short time, they have developed market-leading products, secured major contracts and shown the versatility to solve operational needs in both defence and commercial sectors. Their novel approach of combining hyperspectral imaging, radar and AI has tremendous potential to save lives by giving first responders greater situational awareness.”

R&D project promotes use of 5G private networks in industry

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Spanish companies Gestamp, Teltronic and Embeblue have launched the R&D project ‘INDUSTRY5.G — Development of industrial connectivity and applications over 5G for the virtual management of plant operations in the automotive sector’, which aims to investigate a new operations model that, through private 5G communication networks and asset sensorisation, makes it possible to improve the competitiveness of industry based on its complete digitalisation.

“The European and Spanish industrial sector needs to increase its competitiveness in the face of the risk of losing leadership to other regions,” said Jorge Vázquez, Project Coordinator at Gestamp. “The only way [forward] for a competitive industry is flexibility in operations and the development of technology that allows for more resilient factories through a more agile, efficient and sustainable operations model with which to manage the uncertainty and variability that characterise today’s markets.”

INDUSTRY5.G aims to advance in the development of a new concept of ‘smart factory’ that, using 5G private networks, 5G wireless sensor technology and evolved IoT devices, and virtual tools and models based on massive data ingestion and processing, will enable real-time control of processes, achieving flexible and autonomous manufacturing. The project will be tested in the automotive sector, which contributes 10% of the Spanish GDP and employs approximately 9% of the active population. Although the initiative aims to be a driving force to promote sector digitalisation and to be a benchmark in the automotive sector, the ambition is that the model can also be replicated in other industries.

To carry out all the capabilities of the new communication technologies and their adaptation to industrial environments, the development of the project will be articulated around three main axes. Firstly, the aim is to apply new connectivity models on private 5G networks that enable simple, flexible and low-cost installation in industrial environments. In addition, work will be done on a standardised and interoperable solution that offers the required quality of service levels and implements cybersecurity measures.

Secondly, said Embeblue founder Mikel Meoki, “a new massive IoT wireless sensor system will be developed specifically for the complex working conditions of industrial production plants, cybersecure, easy to deploy and with unified architectures and protocols; a technology not currently available on the market that provides flexibility and mobility for operations”.

Finally, for the orchestration of all the data generated, a digital tool will be developed, essential for managing the information flow of the production processes and, thus, monitoring factory operations. This virtualisation tool will make it possible to use the information to simulate possible scenarios to facilitate decision-making in real time.

“These three axes expand the scenario of use cases in different verticals and 5G becomes a lever of transformation for the industry, with benefits not only concerning products and processes but also at the strategic level since the smart factory will convert large amounts of complex data into information that helps with crucial high-level decisions for the organisation,” said Alfredo Calderón, R&D Director at Teltronic. He added that the industry has a “unique opportunity” now that Spain’s National Frequency Allocation Table (CNAF) has reserved spectrum for self-provisioned networks.

The R&D project has a 33-month implementation period and has been one of the projects selected by the UNICO SECTORIAL 2023 program, within the framework of the EU-funded NextGenerationEU Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

Image caption: Mikel Meoki, Business Development at Embeblue; Mikel Fernandez, IoT Manager at Gestamp; and Luis Álfaro, Project Manager at Teltronic.

Report: How mobile devices are tracked in modern warfare

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1100

One year on from Ukraine’s strike on Russian troops in Makiivka, which was said to have been made possible by tracking Russian troops’ mobile phones, Swedish telecoms security company Enea has released a complete review of mobile tracking methods used in modern warfare, with a focus on Ukraine.

The groundbreaking report, Location Tracking on the Battlefield, provides a comprehensive overview of the various methods employed to gain military intelligence through the tracking of mobile devices on the battlefield. This is believed to be the first time a complete perspective, including military radio-centric and mobile network-centric methods, has been offered in a single report, providing individuals and organisations the guidance to understand the full scope of risks when using connected devices in conflict zones.

After the Makiivka strike on New Year’s Day 2023, the Russian defence ministry stated that the use of mobile phones by their forces allowed Ukraine to locate the target for the attack. While this statement’s plausibility has been thoroughly discussed, a simulation by Enea presented in the report shows that it may have been possible for Ukrainian forces to track signals from the Russians’ mobile phones and thereby locate them. The possibility that this attack, described as a significant loss for the Russian forces, was initiated after mobile device tracking underscores the consequences of mobile phone usage in war zones.

While the attack on Russian forces in Makiivka is only one example, the report reviews the various methods used to track mobile devices on the battlefield in Ukraine, dividing them into three categories: radio-enabled location tracking, network-enabled location tracking and device-enabled tracking. No previous research has comprehensively addressed all methods with side-by-side comparisons, according to Enea, as it requires distinct expertise in each field.

Enea’s research gives detailed outlines of the methods used, in addition to guidance and recommendations on the risks of mobile device tracking in war zones; civilians and military personnel can thus evaluate the risks and benefits of bringing mobile devices into war zones and assess how to minimise risks if mobile device use is required. The report’s insights are based on original research of extensive open-source material, combined with intelligence from Enea’s mobile network Threat Intelligence Unit.

“Our comprehensive analysis of the mobile battlefield reveals the complexities and evolving role of mobile networks in warfare,” said Cathal McDaid, VP Technology at Enea and lead author of the report.

“This report brings an important understanding of how phones are tracked on the battlefield, adding crucial insights for telecom, military and government policymakers to enhance security measures and effectively leverage technological advancements in the field. It builds and expands upon our previous research, which showed how important commercial telecom networks are for the security and resilience of a country facing hybrid threats, and the need for network security to help protect a country’s networks.”

Image credit: iStock.com/South_agency

Peri-Urban Mobile Program Round 2 now open for applications

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Communities on the fringes of major urban centres in bushfire-prone areas are set to share in $20 million in investment to upgrade mobile coverage, with Round 2 of the Australian Government’s Peri-Urban Mobile Program (PUMP) now open for applications.

The peri-urban fringe is where the bush meets the suburbs, creating bushfire risks for those living and working in these areas. Communities in many of these areas have generally been underserved because of the high cost of deploying infrastructure, difficult terrain, planning challenges and lower population densities.

The second round of PUMP will provide grant funding to mobile network operators (MNO) and mobile network infrastructure providers to deliver new or upgraded mobile phone infrastructure that targets longstanding mobile coverage and reception issues in these areas. As with the previous round of the program, infrastructure sharing will be encouraged to ensure the benefits of the funding flows as widely as possibly amongst communities.

Round 2 also responds to feedback from communities that weren’t eligible for the limited scope of PUMP in the past. Eligible areas under the latest round have been expanded to include major regional cities like Geelong, the Gold Coast and Newcastle, along with the peri-urban edges of major capital cities.

A project noticeboard has been established to help local councils and community groups identify mobile coverage and quality of service issues in their area to assist telcos develop new infrastructure proposals for the round. The noticeboard will be open until applications close on 18 March 2024.

“Having access to reliable coverage is an essential part of modern life,” said Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland. “That’s why the Albanese government is committed to improving mobile coverage across Australia, including along our peri-urban fringes, to ensure local communities can stay in touch and receive information when they need it most.

“I encourage telcos, communities and other interested parties to work together to submit applications that will deliver new or improved mobile coverage in these areas.”

MNOs and mobile network infrastructure providers can apply for the program at www.grants.gov.au. For more information, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/pump.

Image credit: iStock.com/InSydeMedia

Entries open: 2024 International Critical Communication Awards

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +1100

The Critical Communications Association (TCCA) has announced that the 2024 International Critical Communication Awards (ICCAs) are now open for entry. The Australasian Critical Communications Forum (ACCF), the local chapter of TCCA, is particularly keen for Australian and New Zealand critical comms users, organisations, and ACCF/TCCA members and associates to participate in the international awards program.

The ICCAs are some of the most prestigious awards in the critical communications sector, celebrating excellence and recognising products, organisations and individuals who have pushed boundaries and capabilities in the field. An expert panel of independent judges takes all aspects of entries into consideration and is looking to reward the best and most innovative work, both in terms of the technology itself and how it is being rolled out and used on the frontline.

Categories this year include:

Best hybrid device
Best MCX product or solution of the year
Best TETRA product or solution of the year
Best use of advanced technology (AI, UAV, situational awareness, etc)
Best use of critical communications in industrial, manufacturing, mining resources, oil & gas exploration
Best use of critical communications in public safety
Best use of critical communications in transport
Best use of critical communications in utilities
Champion for social value
Emerging technology, product or solutions (in development but not being used yet)
Government authority collaboration
TCCA young engineer of the year
The Phil Kidner Award for an individual outstanding contribution to critical communications (named in honour of former TCCA CEO the late Phil Kidner)

The ICCAs ceremony will take place on the evening of 14 May in Dubai, with the event co-located with this year’s Critical Communications World — making it a premier night for networking. Attendees will enjoy a reception followed by dinner, and then the unveiling of the 2024 winners at the ceremony itself.

Entries will close on 12 February at 11 pm GMT (or 13 February at 10 am AEDT). For more information or to enter, visit https://www.critical-communications-world.com/iccas.

Optus admits 2700 Triple Zero calls failed during outage

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Eleven weeks on from the nationwide Optus outage, the telco company has advised the Australian Government that information it previously provided to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Senate and the public about the number of unsuccessful Triple Zero calls from mobiles during the outage was not accurate.

At a Senate inquiry held in mid-November, Optus’s then-CEO, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, said that only 228 calls from mobiles to Triple Zero did not reach the Emergency Call Person (Telstra) on the day of the outage. At the time, she stated, “We have done welfare checks on all of those 228 calls. Thankfully, everybody is okay.”

But in a statement released late on Tuesday, Optus said a review of its processes had discovered a significant number of extra customers who could not call Triple Zero during the outage — with a total of at least 2697 calls understood to have failed.

“There is nothing more important to us than the safety and security of our customers, but regrettably on 8 November we did not meet the standards our customers and the community expects from us,” said interim CEO Michael Venter, who took over from Bayer Rosmarin after she resigned in the wake of the scandal.

“I offer my deepest apologies to all those customers who were unable to access Triple Zero services during the outage and did not receive a follow-up check from us,” Venter continued.

“We are writing to each customer individually to apologise for this and provide the opportunity to discuss their specific circumstances and whether there is anything we can do to assist them further.

“We know we let our customers down and our entire team is committed to addressing all learnings from the outage.”

While Optus has said that it will update the Senate record and has already provided more information to the ACMA, Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland has described the latest update as “a deeply concerning development given the critical importance of the Triple Zero service”.

Rowland said the new information will be considered by the ACMA as part of its independent investigation into Optus’s compliance with the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Provider) Determination 2019. She added that the Australian Government’s own post-incident review will focus on Optus’s activation of network wilting protocols, where signals from mobile towers are powered down in order for Triple Zero calls to be carried by other networks.

Image credit: iStock.com/RapidEye

Winners announced: First Responder Smart Tracking Challenge

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +1100

Led by Indiana University and funded by an $8 million cooperative agreement from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the First Responder Smart Tracking (FRST) Challenge addresses the crucial need for improved tracking capabilities in complex indoor environments where GPS often falls short. As part of the challenge, six teams recently vied for top ranking in the development of 3D tracking technology, a critical innovation aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of emergency response operations.

“Emergency response organisations across the country are begging and budgeting for this type of technology and are just waiting to get their hands on it,” said Gary Howarth, Program Officer for NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research Division, which oversees the FRST Challenge.

The competition, which started in March 2022, included five phases, culminating in a final live testing phase at Indiana’s Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in October 2023. There, first responders from across the state, including the Columbus Fire Department, Indianapolis Fire Department and Bedford Police Department, faced various challenging scenarios, including smoke-filled rooms, darkness, stairs, ladders and tunnels, replicating real-world emergency conditions.

A total of $5.6 million in prizes and support funding was distributed across the five phases of the competition, supporting participants as they purchased materials, formed teams and created partnerships to develop their technology. A total of $1.9 million was awarded to competitors in the final phase of the competition, in which teams’ solutions were evaluated based on criteria such as scalability, ruggedisation, affordability and usability for real-world deployment. Ascent Integrated Tech and AdaptiTrace emerged as the top-performing teams in the final phase, each receiving $507,500 for their innovative solutions.

Image credit: Indiana University Crisis Technologies Innovation Lab.

Ascent’s Smart Firefighting collective uses a platform that combines localisation and biometric monitoring to track firefighters in 3D space within multistorey buildings. It employs sensors affixed to the equipment of first responders, streaming crucial data including thermal imaging, environmental conditions and location information, while keeping an eye on carbon dioxide levels, humidity and airborne metal oxide, the latter a by-product from fires and industrial activities. AdaptiTrace’s system, also attachable to first responders’ equipment, employs multiple sensors and robotics to create a multilayered 3D map as responders move through a building.

“All six of the finalist teams did well, and they each have unique offerings for the public safety community,” said Sonny Kirkley, Director of the FRST Challenge at Indiana University. “While the judges did rate the teams, in many ways all six finalists were successful and have a real ability to bring a product to market from this competition.”

With the challenge now completed, the organisers hope to see the integration of these innovative solutions into real-world emergency response operations, marking a significant step forward in enhancing the safety and efficiency of first responders in the field. NIST is currently collaborating with Indiana University to develop a plan to continue working with the competing teams and the greater location-based services community to improve their products and bring them to market.

Top image credit: J Grasso/NIST.

Confidence in Wi-Fi continues to grow: report

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +1100

The latest report from the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), the global industry body dedicated to improving Wi-Fi standards and services, showcases how Wi-Fi technology continues to evolve in ways that anticipate the needs of consumers, businesses, enterprise verticals, smart cities and service providers.

Based on input from 200 enterprises, governments, fixed and mobile operators, vendors and other organisations worldwide, the WBA Annual Industry Report 2024 shows major investment in OpenRoaming and city-wide Wi-Fi planned for the next 12 months, as the global hotspot total surpasses half a billion.

The report found that Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 top the list of wireless technologies that network operators, ISPs, device and chipset vendors, enterprises and other companies plan to deploy by the end of 2024 — ahead of CBRS, DAS and private 4G/5G — with over 41% of respondents planning to deploy Wi-Fi 7 by the end of 2024. That amount is in addition to the 7.5% that already have and shows that the marketplace already sees a strong business case for Wi-Fi 7.

By the end of 2024, over 47% of respondents plan to add WBA OpenRoaming or Passpoint to a new or existing Wi-Fi network. Another 33% already have, which is why WBA OpenRoaming is currently available at over 3.5 million hotspots worldwide. These figures highlight the strong perceived value of a framework that enables users to connect automatically and securely instead of constantly remembering and re-entering credentials, the report says.

Enabling seamless interoperability between Wi-Fi and LTE/5G is the top reason for deploying WBA OpenRoaming, showing that the marketplace perceives the relationship between Wi-Fi and mobile as symbiotic rather than adversarial. The report authors noted that WBA OpenRoaming’s combination of convenience and security is suitable for use cases beyond just broadband access, with the technology also offering possibilities for electric vehicle charging stations as well as seamless onboarding (for example, semi- and fully autonomous EVs using charging stations to download the HD maps they need to navigate safely while uploading diagnostic data for preventative maintenance).

Nearly 70% of respondents are either involved with a city-wide public Wi-Fi deployment or plan to be in 2024 or 2025. This activity highlights the ubiquity of Wi-Fi devices (including for IoT), the perceived value of using Wi-Fi to bridge the digital divide and the role that WBA OpenRoaming plays in making it convenient for residents, tourists and business travellers to connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Ultimately, the report finds that confidence in investment across the sector is rising, even though the business model remains the most pressing challenge for new deployments. It explains how Wi-Fi benefits 14 vertical markets, including rural communities, connected transportation, health care, aviation and manufacturing.

“The WBA Annual Industry Report 2024 is a must-read for anyone wanting to know exactly where Wi-Fi is and where it’s headed,” said WBA CEO Tiago Rodrigues. “Market momentum is a theme in many of the key findings. For example, 58% are more confident in investing in Wi-Fi now than a year ago — up from 46% last year. Specifically, survey respondents are stepping up investment in WBA OpenRoaming, Wi-Fi 7 and city-wide public Wi-Fi.

“As WBA celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look forward to the next 20 years of pioneering even more Wi-Fi technologies and use cases.”

Image credit: iStock.com/Iaremenko