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Land mobile radio (LMR) systems are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as any other networks used in the public-safety sector. Here’s what to do about it.

There was a time, not very long ago, when public-safety agencies and other public-sector organizations didn’t seem to fully appreciate the significant threat that cyberattacks pose to their operations and ability to fulfill their missions. But that began to change over the last couple of years, thanks to a spate of high-profile incidents. One occurred […]

Commentary

September 3GPP Plenary meetings feature Release 18 progress, Release 19 beginnings

The 3GPP Plenary meetings took place September 11-15, 2023, in Bangalore, India. The Technical Specification Group (TSG) reports below highlight continued progress on Release 18 (R18) features of interest for public safety, including steady development on the stage 3 protocol work, which is the last stage in 3GPP standards development. The Plenary meetings included planning […]

Commentary

Progress on Release 18 features continues at June 3GPP Plenary meetings; Release 19 remains on track

The 3GPP Plenary meetings took place June 12-16, 2023, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Technical Specification Group (TSG) reports below highlight solid progress on Release 18 (R18) features of interest for public safety, including the completion of the architecture (stage 2) and the steady development on the protocol work (stage 3). The Plenary meetings also included […]

Commentary

Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

Every time I read about a public safety agency being short staffed, with a burnt-out workforce, draining their overtime budget, I feel their pain. From New York to New Mexico and in communities all across the nation, police and fire departments routinely are forced to mandate longer shifts, which takes an emotional toll and raises […]

Commentary

While status for telecommunicators starts to improve, compensation continues to lag

National Telecommunicators Week is being celebrated nationwide this week—and rightly so. Telecommunicators represent the hub of the emergency-response wheel, and this has been the case for a very long time. When 911 service first emerged in the United States, which occurred in 1968, it was common for a secretary in a sheriff’s office to answer […]

Commentary

As 3GPP Release 18 advances, planning starts for Release 19

Highlights The latest set of 3GPP Plenary meetings concluded on March 24, 2023, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The meetings focused on the feature progress and schedule for Release 18 (R18) and included the initial discussions of Release 19 (R19) planning. The remaining stage 2 architectural work in R18 is advancing well and is expected to complete […]

Commentary

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

Editor’s note: A previous version of this column was posted that included only the first portion of the article—a mistake by the editor. IWCE’s Urgent Communications regrets the error and apologizes for any inconvenience. When first responders are called to action, they need reliable communications to coordinate an effective public-safety response. Public-safety personnel understand this […]

Commentary

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

As the new Congress begins its work in earnest, we look forward to continued progress in funding the transition to IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) technology. Our nation’s 911 systems are critical to ensuring the safety and security of our communities, and nationwide implementation of NG911 will ensure these systems can leverage the most advanced communications […]

Commentary

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

It’s a scenario we’ve all experienced: an ambulance with a blaring siren racing against time to get a person in medical distress to a hospital through traffic. What we don’t see is 5G connectivity enabling paramedics to communicate with hospital staff via video conference and coordinate care in real-time before arriving at the emergency room. […]

Commentary

Do smart cities make safer cities?

According to the United Nations, two out of three people will live in urban areas by 2050. This increase in city populations will undoubtedly put an even greater strain on government service providers. Faced with the growing demand of residents for increasingly agile and efficient public services, cities must be able to adapt quickly and […]

Commentary

Land mobile radio (LMR) systems are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as any other networks used in the public-safety sector. Here’s what to do about it.

Commentary

September 3GPP Plenary meetings feature Release 18 progress, Release 19 beginnings

Commentary

Progress on Release 18 features continues at June 3GPP Plenary meetings; Release 19 remains on track

Commentary

Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

Commentary

While status for telecommunicators starts to improve, compensation continues to lag

Commentary

As 3GPP Release 18 advances, planning starts for Release 19

Commentary

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

Commentary

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

Commentary

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

Commentary

Do smart cities make safer cities?

Commentary

Land mobile radio (LMR) systems are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as any other networks used in the public-safety sector. Here’s what to do about it.

September 3GPP Plenary meetings feature Release 18 progress, Release 19 beginnings

Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

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