News Briefs – Monday, July 31, 2006
Wireless telecommunications bureau seeks comments
The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has requested public comments on the City of Richmond, Va.’s, waiver request to operate a regional, public-safety, two-way paging system. The system would operate on the 900 MHz band narrowband PCS Channel 16, which includes the 901.8125-901.8250 MHz and 930.65-930.70 MHz frequencies.
DHS awards interoperability contract
SRA International landed a $42.2 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security to provide strategy and execution support services to the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC). The OIC is a DHS division tasked with integrating interoperability efforts for local, tribal, state and federal emergency preparedness and response.
University hops on wireless trend
The University of Texas, Dallas, chose Meru Networks Wireless LAN System for a campus-wide wireless network that will serve approximately 14,000 students and 2500 employees.
N.Y. county upgrades to 800 MHz IP platform
Dataradio will replace New York’s Onondaga County’s existing mobile data network with its G3 800 MHz IP platform, which provides throughputs of 48 kb/s, for about $3.8 million. The system also will provide mobile data services to the city of Syracuse, N.Y., according to the vendor.
Virginia city invests nearly $1 million in new systems
Chesapeake, Va. will spend $900,000 on a new computer-aided dispatch, records management and field reporting system from CompuDyne for its police and fire departments. Similar systems have been installed in Arlington and Virginia Beach, Va., as well as Baltimore and Prince George’s County, Md.
University police choose MobileCop software
The Indiana University Police Department in Bloomington, Ind., awarded a contract to BIO-key for its MobileCop products, which will be deployed in all police vehicles for mobile, real-time access to local, state and national criminal justice database information.
Traffic-monitoring system test planned in Michigan
The Road Commission for Oakland County, Mich., the Michigan Department of Transportation and Motorola will test wireless communications between vehicles and road infrastructure slated to support the Federal Highway Administrations’ Vehicle Infrastructure Integration initiative. The initiative was developed to allow vehicles to communicate directly with road sensors and with other vehicles to reduce accidents and traffic congestion.