ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The growing conventional wisdom that FirstNet should not replace but augment land mobile radio (LMR) misses the mark, one tech CEO argued in an interview. “I will say flat-out that [of the] 90-something percent of the voice needs that public safety has, our platform can do on commercial cellular networks, LTE and even 3G -- large, large fraction of what public safety needs, we can do it today,” Covia Labs CEO David Kahn told us at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials meeting this week. “Given that companies, and it’s not just Covia Labs, are making tremendous progress on voice systems over LTE that are able to do what public safety needs a very large fraction [of the time], why is FirstNet saying we're not going to be a voice network?”
The Los Angeles Interoperable Communications System Authority (LA-RICS) awarded a contract to Motorola Solutions to design, construct, implement and maintain its land-mobile radio system, said LA-RICS in a press release Tuesday (http://yhoo.it/18I3UAJ). The radio system will provide “mission-critical communications” for the region’s more than 34,000 law enforcement, fire service and health service professionals and more than 80 public safety agencies, said LA-RICS. Motorola’s multi-year $280 million contract will use Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Project 25 (P25) standards-based technology to enable interoperable communications support, and the system will use both UHF and 700 MHz frequencies for “robust capacity and flexibility on current and future spectrum regulations,” said the company. “The Los Angeles County region’s enormous size and challenging terrain will benefit from a new interoperable P25 standards-based radio system,” said Motorola Solutions CEO Greg Brown. “We recognize the region places a high priority on supporting public safety agencies and helping them address their unique emergency preparedness and security needs."
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- FirstNet presented its vision for next year Tuesday when General Manager Bill D'Agostino laid out what he deems the appropriate strategy for 2014 and beyond, expressing full confidence in the network’s deployment and future despite acknowledging funding shortfalls. He spoke at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials annual meeting. “FirstNet is not going to fail,” D'Agostino said: “This plan is going to take FirstNet from paper to reality in a very short time."
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Plan for big changes, speakers at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials told association members at its California meeting. They emphasized the significance of FirstNet and the technology changes inherent in next-generation 911. The changes, which will need to be harmonious, will affect how 911 call center operators and other emergency communications officials should plan and train staff, speakers said.
As U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman lands in Brunei on Aug. 20 to meet high-level ministers on the sidelines of the 19th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks, the Obama Administration continues to wage a battle over “yarn forward” rule of origin for apparel that some industry players argue jeopardize U.S. market access efforts elsewhere in bilateral negotiations with Vietnam. The USTR is targeting the end of 2013 for conclusion of negotiations among all the 12 nations engaged in talks, including the recent entry of Japan.
The U.K. Office of Communications proposed to authorize the use of earth stations on mobile platforms (ESOMPs) for broadband services on board aircraft, ships and trains. There has been growing interest in the use of ESOMPs in recent years, and several satellite operators are planning to start commercial satellite networks this year and next that support transmitting in the 27.5-30 GHz band and receiving in the 17.3-20.2 GHz band, said Ofcom Thursday in a consultation document (http://xrl.us/bpofb8). It categorized ESOMPs into those mounted on aircraft, those placed on ships and vessels, and those mounted in a land-based vehicle. It proposed to approve all three kinds in U.K. territory that transmit in the frequencies 27.5-27.8185 GHz, 28.4545-28.8265 GHz and 29.4625-30 GHz. The bands aren’t used by terrestrial radio systems in the U.K. and are available for other kinds of satellite earth stations, including permanent earth stations and high-density fixed satellite service, it said. The main proposals are: (1) Radio equipment for land-based ESOMPs should be exempt from licensing. (2) Radio equipment for aircraft and ship ESOMPs should be licensed rather than license-exempt. (3) Aircraft-mounted ESOMPs should be licensed via a variation of the license issued on Ofcom’s behalf by the Civil Aviation Authority, at no extra charge, and licensing of ship-mounted ESOMPs should be done through variation of the ship radio license with no additional fee. Ofcom said it will publish a statement in December, with licensing available for aircraft- and ship-mounted ESOMPs potentially available in early 2014. Comments are due Oct. 10.
A Land Rover Defender seized by CBP officers as an illegal and unsafe import was destroyed in an undisclosed Maryland salvage yard on Aug. 13, CBP reported. The vehicle was one of dozens that violated highway safety standards, including standards requiring airbags, CBP said. The Defender was one of many vehicles stopped at ports of entry in cities including Philadelphia, Norfolk, Va., Charleston, S.C., and Tacoma, Wash. Such Defenders were “represented on import entry documents as being 25 years of age or older, but may actually be newer vehicles whose Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) have been fraudulently altered.”
The U.K. Office of Communications proposed to authorize the use of earth stations on mobile platforms (ESOMPs) for broadband services on board aircraft, ships and trains. There has been growing interest in the use of ESOMPs in recent years, and several satellite operators are planning to start commercial satellite networks this year and next that support transmitting in the 27.5-30 GHz band and receiving in the 17.3-20.2 GHz band, said Ofcom Thursday in a consultation document (http://xrl.us/bpofb8). It categorized ESOMPs into those mounted on aircraft, those placed on ships and vessels, and those mounted in a land-based vehicle. It proposed to approve all three kinds in U.K. territory that transmit in the frequencies 27.5-27.8185 GHz, 28.4545-28.8265 GHz and 29.4625-30 GHz. The bands aren’t used by terrestrial radio systems in the U.K. and are available for other kinds of satellite earth stations, including permanent earth stations and high-density fixed satellite service, it said. The main proposals are: (1) Radio equipment for land-based ESOMPs should be exempt from licensing. (2) Radio equipment for aircraft and ship ESOMPs should be licensed rather than license-exempt. (3) Aircraft-mounted ESOMPs should be licensed via a variation of the license issued on Ofcom’s behalf by the Civil Aviation Authority, at no extra charge, and licensing of ship-mounted ESOMPs should be done through variation of the ship radio license with no additional fee. Ofcom said it will publish a statement in December, with licensing available for aircraft- and ship-mounted ESOMPs potentially available in early 2014. Comments are due Oct. 10.
Vizio is broadening TV distribution to regional dealers, marking its first major expansion beyond a base with national retailers, a company spokesman confirmed.
A special committee looking at allegations of wrongdoing at FirstNet leveled by board member Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald put off until September the release of its first report. Meanwhile, NTIA said that funding has been cleared so that Broadband Technology Opportunities Program monies can flow to the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System. LA-RICS is one of the regional systems building a network in advance of FirstNet.