Audio NATE: Todd Schlekeway previews highlights of annual event 23rd January 2019 Todd Schlekeway podcast Todd Schlekeway, executive director for the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), talks about his organization’s annual trade show, which will be conducted this year Feb. 4-7 in Grapevine, Texas, near the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. The event will include sessions about 5G, drone use in tower industry and scheduled speeches from FCC […]
News FirstNet official urges local governments to issue smartphones to first responders 21st January 2019 All first responders should have government-issued smartphones to ensure that public-safety personnel can access wireless broadband capabilities and that any data or evidence captured is stored appropriately and securely, according to a FirstNet Authority official. “I have very specific advice for mayors, county executives and elected officials: Give your first responders smartphones—city-, county- or state-issued […]
News Public-safety LMR licensing activity sets new low during 2018 3rd January 2019 Land-mobile-radio (LMR) licensing activity remained relatively flat in 2018, with public-safety licensing hitting an all-time low for the second straight year and business-industrial activity experiencing a modest increase above last year’s record-low level, according to the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) database. Exact figures for the number of LMR licensing applications granted typically would not […]
Commentary Change is coming: Location-technology predictions for 2019 19th December 2018 It’s that time of year again, when CEOs pull out their crystal balls to predict what will happen in our respective industries in the coming year. I won’t pretend that all my past prognostications have exactly come true, but I do take pride in the fact that the location-technology industry is constantly changing in reaction […]
News MCPTT ‘no longer just a theory,’ but off-network questions remain, according to webinar speakers 19th December 2018 Mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT) services already have been deployed in real-world situations, and users should be confident in MCPTT voice when on a purpose-built LTE network, although the path to robust MCPTT when users are off network remains unclear, industry experts said during a recent webinar. AT&T has announced that FirstNet users should be able to subscribe […]
News FirstNet ‘primarily’ being used for voice communications to date, AT&T exec says 12th December 2018 Most FirstNet public-safety subscribers are using their broadband connectivity to support voice communications, and AT&T is utilizing the installation of gear to support operations on the 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum licensed to FirstNet to help prepare the carrier’s introduction of 5G services next year, according to an AT&T executive. AT&T President of Operations Scott […]
News PoC can replace LMR under certain circumstances, but not for mission-critical voice, speakers say 27th November 2018 Push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) technology can allow enterprises to halt investment in LMR systems for non-mission-critical users today, but PoC solutions and broadband networks need to evolve before similar decisions could be made for mission-critical personnel, panelists said during a recent IWCE webinar. Brad Stoddard, director of Michigan’s Public Safety Communications System, said PoC certainly can be […]
News Todd Early appointed as new chair of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) 20th November 2018 Longtime public-safety-broadband proponent Todd Early of Texas is the new chair for the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), FirstNet Authority Chair Ed Horowitz announced today. Early, who has been a PSAC member since 2015 and has been serving on the PSAC executive committee, replaces Interim PSAC Chair Paul Patrick, who recently was selected to serve […]
Video Cradlepoint: Todd Krautkremer highlights purpose-built edge solutions 14th November 2018 Todd Krautkremer, chief marketing officer for Cradlepoint, outlines the need for critical-communications entities to utilize appropriate edge solutions to complement subscription to dedicated LTE services offered by carriers that prioritize traffic. Krautkremer also highlights the company’s offerings to address interoperability and deployable challenges, as well as plans to provide customers with a migration path to […]
News Speakers: Next-generation 911 progressing, but key questions remain 9th November 2018 CHICAGO—Next-generation 911 (NG911) standards and development continue to progress, but the much-anticipated emergency-calling technology still faces a host of funding and policy challenges, according to speakers at this week’s IWCE’s Critical LTE Communications Forum. Brian Fontes, CEO of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), said the need for NG911 is especially apparent as first responders […]
Latest 3GPP standards-development work includes new classes of HPUE, progress on mission-critical services 1 22nd April 2024
Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority? 3 24th March 2024
Video Check out key takeaways from Disaster Management Symposium webinars, register to view archives Video: Opening of the Expo Hall on day three of IWCE 2023 Lynk CEO Charles Miller: The sky’s the limit