The Department of Homeland Security is not effectively managing the radios used by its staff in the field, DHS’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) said in a report released Wednesday, the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, where emergency communications emerged as a key issue. “DHS is unable to make sound investment decisions for radio equipment and supporting infrastructure because the Department is not effectively managing its radio communication program,” OIG said (http://bit.ly/1eEQY2B). “DHS does not have reliable Department-wide inventory data or an effective governance structure to guide investment decision-making. As a result, DHS risks wasting taxpayer funds on equipment purchases and radio system investments that are not needed, sustainable, supportable, or affordable. Two Components we visited stored more than 8,000 radio equipment items valued at $28 million for a year or longer at their maintenance and warehouse facilities, while some programs faced critical equipment shortages.” DHS operates 20 land mobile radio networks for more than 120,000 frontline agents and officers. The report also said different parts of DHS use different systems to record and manage their radios. “DHS has not established Department-wide polices prescribing common data elements, standardized definitions, and requirements for the management of personal property inventory,” the report said.
NEW ORLEANS -- Custom integrators are looking forward to getting a close look at newly minted OLED and Ultra HD TVs at the upcoming CEDIA Expo in Denver, but they're taking a cautious approach when it comes to designing those TVs into custom projects, they told us at the fall Azione Unlimited conference. The dealer base known for having the deep-pocketed clients who clamored to be first to install five-figure plasma TVs when that technology debuted is less sanguine about the buzz and profit margins that OLED and Ultra HD can generate in a more commoditized TV market, several integrators told us.
NAB is pursuing a relocation to the Capitol Riverfront area to be closer to Congress and the FCC, said a spokesman. “For NAB lobbyists to be stuck in a cab for an hour a day trying to get to and from Capitol Hill is not an effective use of our time.” The current location was ideal when the FCC was at 1919 M St. NW, he said. The FCC moved to its current location on 12th St. SW in 1999. Some media industry executives said it’s very common for trade associations to move closer to government locations.
If a panel of appellate court judges decides the FCC has no authority to enforce its open Internet order, another federal agency could take its place, several industry officials said in recent interviews. With its expertise in consumer protection and antitrust issues, the FTC is ideally positioned to take over if the net neutrality rules fall, industry and FTC officials have said publicly and in interviews. It’s by no means a common assumption. Many fear that, with its more case-by-case approach to resolving competitive harms, the FTC would be an inadequate protector of an open Internet.
If a panel of appellate court judges decides the FCC has no authority to enforce its open Internet order, another federal agency could take its place, several industry officials said in recent interviews. With its expertise in consumer protection and antitrust issues, the FTC is ideally positioned to take over if the net neutrality rules fall, industry and FTC officials have said publicly and in interviews. It’s by no means a common assumption. Many fear that, with its more case-by-case approach to resolving competitive harms, the FTC would be an inadequate protector of an open Internet.
Intelsat and SoftBank successfully demonstrated a cost-effective, rural 3G mobile phone service in Kenya, they said. Intelsat provided capacity on Intelsat 10 and via the company’s teleport in Fuchsstadt, Germany, it said in a news release Thursday (http://bit.ly/19PXT62). It said the satellite company’s fleet and IntelsatOne terrestrial network “were instrumental in enabling the deployment in rural Kenya, an area of Africa not supported by traditional land line infrastructure."
The FCC seeks comment on a rulemaking based on issues raised in an April 30, 2012, petition by Harris, which asked the agency to require that digitally modulated signals be certified under the stringent H-Mask for use in public-safety spectrum. The NPRM said the FCC is proposing that digital technologies, “including but not limited to Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) based technologies,” must comply with emissions mask H when operating in 800 MHz National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee spectrum (http://bit.ly/150svh5). The NPRM also proposes that equipment must have analog FM capability when operating on 800 MHz, VHF and UHF public safety mutual aid and interoperability channels. “Until recently, manufacturers generally have interpreted Part 90 rules to preclude use of Mask B in public safety frequencies due to the obvious and inevitable interference facing first responders should Mask B be applied in public safety frequencies,” Harris said in the petition (http://bit.ly/12IyTM4). “To be specific, digital technology meeting the more stringent Mask H emissions requirements is almost universally utilized in public safety frequencies used by first responders and others protecting life, health, and property.” But there have been recent moves to use equipment that is only certified to mask B in public safety spectrum, Harris said. “These products meet the Mask B emissions standard, but fail that of Mask H,” the company said. There will be “inevitable interference ... if digital equipment only meeting Mask B are utilized in or near public safety frequencies where other technologies, compliant with Mask H operate.” Alcatel-Lucent opposed the Harris petition, saying it’s “unnecessary, repetitive and anticompetitive” and a “collateral attack” by Harris on New Jersey Transit’s selection of Alcatel-Lucent as a vendor addressing the agency’s communications needs using PowerTrunk’s digital land mobile radio solution in the 800 MHz band (http://bit.ly/17dafGU). “From the moment NJT chose Alcatel-Lucent’s proposal as best meeting NJT’s needs with respect to price and functionality, Harris has explored every angle to block that decision to no avail, including by incorrectly claiming that the Commission rules did not permit NJT’s proposed operations,” Alcatel-Lucent said. The comment deadline on the NPRM will come with publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register. The FCC also froze (http://bit.ly/17hUDjB) certain applications to use the NPSPAC channels, pending completion of the rulemaking, including those “where the applicant specifies digitally modulated equipment that does not conform to Emission Mask H will not be accepted” and “where the applicant specifies equipment not capable of analog FM modulation on the NPSPAC mutual aid channels will not be accepted.”
Korus, Core Brands’ wireless speaker alternative to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-based systems, will begin shipping next week through the company’s KorusSound.com website, Rob Halligan, vice president-group marketing and strategy for Nortek’s Technology Solutions group, told Consumer Electronics Daily in New York Monday. The V600 and V400 speakers were re-priced upward to $449 and $349 from the $399 and $299 prices the company set when it unveiled the product in June (CED June 21 p1), he said. Prices were raised because Core Brands elected to include two $49 transmitter dongles also called batons for the Apple 4 and Apple 5 along with USB chargers for PCs and Macs, Halligan said. The accessory bundle is a $170 value, he said.
Digital marketing company Netsertive expanded its marketing technology platform to hike customer conversions from digital services. Under the new program, when potential customers enter a relevant keyword showing purchase intent, they're automatically directed to a dynamic lead page, Tim McLain, senior marketing manager, told us. Before the introduction of Netsertive’s Local Extend platform, AV integrators -- “if they were doing any Internet advertising at all” -- used search engine marketing through Google and Yahoo text ads that directed potential customers to a dealer locator at a manufacturer website or to the home page of the local integrator, McLain said. A “much better experience,” he said, is to send traffic to dynamic lead pages where consumers are invited to fill out a catalog or make a phone call for more information or a free consultation. With the dynamic lead approach “conversions are significantly higher” and the overall process is better for dealers and for manufacturers that want to increase their brand awareness, he said. In early testing, dealers that had been getting 10-20 qualified clicks a month through searches have doubled or tripled conversions using the Netsertive lead pages, he said. Manufacturers and dealers benefit from national campaigns that spread digital marketing funds “to the local level,” and in the process, Netsertive can provide them with data “down to a phone call or to a sales conversion,” McLain said. Netsertive also is moving into the next phase of its platform to code content so that landing pages render well on mobile devices as well as desktops and tablets. Most Netsertive manufacturer clients report that 30-40 percent of Internet searches come from mobile devices, and “responsive design” will ensure landing pages will look good regardless of the display device being used, he said.
Digital marketing company Netsertive expanded its marketing technology platform to hike customer conversions from digital services. Under the new program, when potential customers enter a relevant keyword showing purchase intent, they're automatically directed to a dynamic lead page, Tim McLain, senior marketing manager, told us. Before the introduction of Netsertive’s Local Extend platform, AV integrators -- “if they were doing any Internet advertising at all” -- used search engine marketing through Google and Yahoo text ads that directed potential customers to a dealer locator at a manufacturer website or to the home page of the local integrator, McLain said. A “much better experience,” he said, is to send traffic to dynamic lead pages where consumers are invited to fill out a catalog or make a phone call for more information or a free consultation. With the dynamic lead approach “conversions are significantly higher” and the overall process is better for dealers and for manufacturers that want to increase their brand awareness, he said. In early testing, dealers that had been getting 10-20 qualified clicks a month through searches have doubled or tripled conversions using the Netsertive lead pages, he said. Manufacturers and dealers benefit from national campaigns that spread digital marketing funds “to the local level,” and in the process, Netsertive can provide them with data “down to a phone call or to a sales conversion,” McLain said. Netsertive also is moving into the next phase of its platform to code content so that landing pages render well on mobile devices as well as desktops and tablets. Most Netsertive manufacturer clients report that 30-40 percent of Internet searches come from mobile devices, and “responsive design” will ensure landing pages will look good regardless of the display device being used, he said.