https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Wireless Networks


Bay Area nixes proposed broadband network’s Urban Shield participation

Bay Area nixes proposed broadband network’s Urban Shield participation

UASI project management director claims site-enhancement work, not procurement concerns, caused the delay.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 5th October 2010

Plans for the San Francisco Bay Area’s much-anticipated pilot 700 MHz LTE network for public safety to be operational in time for the Urban Shield regional interoperability exercise in two weeks have been scrapped, according to an official with the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program.

“[Project Cornerstone] is still planned to go forward, but sadly, we will not be moving forward in time for Urban Shield,” said Heather Tannehill-Plamondon, the Bay Area UASI’s director of contract administration and project management. “We’ve had some issues with some electricians doing some of our site-enhancement work, so we will not be ready to display anything for Urban Shield.”

During the past month, officials for the city of San Jose — the largest city in the Bay Area — and the county of Santa Clara have expressed concern with the procurement process used in selecting Motorola as the vendor for the Project Cornerstone 10-site pilot network and a $50.6 million broadband stimulus grant. The matter reportedly is being investigated by the San Francisco city attorney’s office.

“[The Project Cornerstone delay] has nothing to do with any of the other ancillary things that are happening,” Tannehill-Plamondon said. “It truly has everything to do with electricians and not being able to get work scheduled, because of the fact that they’re putting equipment into a mission-critical room.

“We’ve just had some timing issues with electricians and getting purchase orders cut for electrician, getting them in to get their work done. We’re anticipating probably a few weeks delay.”

In terms of the concerns raised about member jurisdictions’ concerns about the procurement process, the California Emergency Management Agency is reviewing the procurement process and is expected to deliver a report on its findings this week, Tannehill-Plamondon said.

“I think there is a lot of misinformation that’s being taken out there and moved around,” she said. “We’re very confident in the process we went through; it was a competitive selection to choose the vendor that we partnered with for BTOP. The vendor that we partnered with for BTOP was the applicant and the successful recipient of an NTIA grant.”

In a letter last month, Bay Area UASI Executive Director Laura Phillips wrote that the vendor-selection process was “fair and neutral” and criticized the high-profile release of procurement concerns to the media and key officials before an inquiry into the matter was completed.

“These activities demonstrate a lack of commitment to regional collaboration and processes and cast a shadow of doubt on the entire regional public safety community as united in the efforts to achieve an interoperable broadband network for the region,” Phillips said in her letter.

But Santa Clara County Executive Jeff Smith responded with a letter in which he described Phillips’ explanation as “inaccurate, misleading and non-responsive,” claiming that Phillips — a former Motorola employee, as are many key members of her staff — acted without direction from the approval authority that governs the process.

“It is time for you to stop trying to justify and divert attention —it is time to start over with a transparent process,” Smith stated in the letter.

Phillips is on sick leave until at least Oct. 12.

“[Phillips] is out. She had some previously scheduled appointments that she was taking care of, and it has absolutely nothing to do with any of the issues that are going on,” Tannehill-Plamondon said.

Bay Area UASI officials “absolutely hope” the Project Cornerstone pilot network — to be funded with $6 million in UASI grants awarded to the cities of San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland — will be operational by December, Tannehill-Plamondon said.

Tags: content Wireless Networks

Most Recent


  • Verizon officials highlight role of 5G tech for responders during IWCE keynote
    LAS VEGAS—As the public-safety sector continues to expand its use of data-intensive applications, developments in 5G can provide the low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity to meet these needs, Verizon officials said yesterday during a keynote address at IWCE 2023. Bryan Schromsky, managing partner for Verizon’s public-sector unit, noted that the carrier plans to complete its deployment of […]
  • Rescue 42 launches miniCRD deployable for FirstNet
    Rescue 42 yesterday announced the launch of its miniCRD (mCRD) for FirstNet, which provides much of the functionality of the company’s Compact Rapid Deployable at a much lower cost.and in an even more portable form factor—two ruggedized cases that are about the size of checked luggage. Rescue 42 CEO Tim O’Connell said the mCRD (pictured […]
  • IWCE 2023
    Safer Buildings Coalition conducts annual event at IWCE 2023
    A common theme ran through the Safer Buildings Coalition’s annual meeting Monday night during IWCE 2023 at the Las Vegas Convention Center—strength through collaboration. “The perception is that the challenge is ‘out there,’ and someday, maybe the challenge will come here,” said Billy Bob Brown Jr., executive assistant director for emergency communications within the Cybersecurity […]
  • Bay Area nixes proposed broadband network’s Urban Shield participation
    IWCE speakers debate state of public-safety interoperability
    LAS VEGAS—Achieving comprehensive interoperability for mission-critical communications used by U.S. public-safety agencies continues to be an elusive goal, according to speakers addressing the topic during a Monday session at the IWCE 2023 event in Las Vegas. Some view interoperability as the technical ability for one person to communicate with another, no matter what device or […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • The battle over connected cars drags on
  • UK officials revamp ESN plans again, target Airwave-to-LTE transition for end of 2026
  • PSCR: Dereck Orr highlights features of June 21-24 virtual event
  • FirstNet buildout on pace for March 2023 completion, AT&T official says

Commentary


Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023

How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Gallery: The last day of IWCE 2023 dlvr.it/SllQKJ

30th March 2023
UrgentComm

Video: Opening of the Expo Hall on day three of IWCE 2023 dlvr.it/SlkyNy

30th March 2023
UrgentComm

Verizon officials highlight role of 5G tech for responders during IWCE keynote dlvr.it/Slkh9n

30th March 2023
UrgentComm

Day three of IWCE 2023 features the opening of the Expo Hall dlvr.it/Slhgvr

30th March 2023
UrgentComm

Gallery: The Expo Hall opens on day three of IWCE 2023 dlvr.it/SlhfPT

29th March 2023
UrgentComm

Rescue 42 launches miniCRD deployable for FirstNet dlvr.it/SlgdtY

29th March 2023
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: 📽️ More sights from Day 2 at #IWCE23. It's been a fantastic start so far... Thanks to you! Tomorrow is another awesome spea…

29th March 2023
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: Ildefonso De La Cruz Morales, Principal Analyst-Critical Communications @OmdiaHQ takes the stage and kicks off tonight’s Keyn…

29th March 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.