Urgent Communications RSS

CDW-G releases report on emergency communications

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:59:00 EST

Only half of public-safety communications officials were familiar with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), according to a CDW Government (CDW-G) survey.

Experience is the best teacher

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:32:00 EST

I jumped at the chance last week to participate in firefighter training at the University of Illinois. Each year, Motorola brings product managers, marketers and design engineers to the training facility. The belief is that product design shouldn’t be conducted in an ivory tower; ergo, the opportunity to experience what firefighters experience, albeit in a controlled environment, will provide valuable insights that will help them to develop products that are more effective in the field.

FCC to host hearing on public-safety broadband

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:48:00 EST

The FCC will host a field hearing next week entitled “The Role of Broadband in Improving Public Safety Communications and Emergency Response,” as part of its data-gathering efforts prior to delivering a national broadband plan to Congress in mid-February.

Broadband stimulus awards delayed

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:28:00 EST

Winners of federal broadband stimulus awards won't be announced until December, a month later than originally planned. Larry Strickling, chief of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) cited the complexity of sorting through the vast number of applications that were received.

Wireless VoIP not ready for prime time

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:16:00 EST

Harlin McEwen sounded the alarm over the misinformation he was hearing among policy-makers in Washington, D.C., around the notion that broadband voice could replace LMR, therefore allowing public safety to use narrowband spectrum for a broadband network in the near future. He's right. If one looks at the commercial world, you have to wonder whether IP will ever replace voice either.

Licensed TV spectrum ideas fraught with promise, problems

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST

Last week, there was a lot of buzz surrounding numerous reports that the FCC is considering various proposals that would allow it to reclaim the vast amounts of spectrum being used by television broadcasters and auction it for licensed use.

FCC seeks comments on NPSTC narrowbanding petition

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:39:00 EST

Whether current 2011 interim deadlines for narrowbanding between 150 MHz and 512 MHz should be stayed will be the subject of a comment period initiated by the FCC. A request that the narrowbanding deadlines for Jan. 1, 2011 -- after which time, certified equipment being manufactured must include 6.25 KHz channel efficiency mode and cannot include the ability to operate on 25 KHz channels -- be stayed was the subject of a September petition from the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).

Cherry Hill (N.J.) Police Department adopts Spillman software

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:11:00 EST

The Cherry Hill (N.J.) Police Department has adopted Spillman Technologies' Automated Field Reporting module, which lets officers complete forms from the field using a laptop computer.

Havis unveils DS-PAN-401

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:03:00 EST

Havis unveiled the DS-PAN-401, a rugged docking station for Panasonic's CF-52 Toughbook.

Azimuth Systems partners with Innowireless

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:37:00 EST

Azimuth Systems announced that Innowireless integrated its ACE MX MIMO channel emulator into its new AWT-500AP test system designed for Wave 2 Mobile WiMAX pre-certification testing.