Commentary September 3GPP Plenary: 6G officially begins, Release 19 on track 15th October 2024 The 3GPP Plenary meetings took place September 9-13, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. 3GPP Radio Access Network (RAN), Service and System Aspects (SA) and Core Terminal (CT) groups continued to focus on the Release 19 (R19) work, while officially approving a study on 6G. The 6G work represents the next generation of wireless communications. While the […]
Commentary Latest 3GPP standards-development work includes new classes of HPUE, progress on mission-critical services 22nd April 2024 Highlights The 3GPP Plenary meetings took place March 18-22, 2024, in Maastricht, Netherlands. 3GPP Radio Access Network (RAN) and Core Terminal (CT) groups continued to focus on completing the work for Release 18 (R18). The specifications are functionally frozen (no new features will be added) and only minor exceptions remain. The specifications remain on track […]
Commentary Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority? 24th March 2024 Recently there was an article titled “LMR remains most reliable technology for public-safety communications,” written by the executive director of the Forestry Conservation Communications Association (“FCCA”). To some extent there are some truths to that, but it is not an absolute. Indeed, it is far from it. There were some assertions in the article that […]
Commentary Countdown to IWCE 2024: Your Last-Minute Guide 20th March 2024 With less than one week left until the grand opening of IWCE 2024, it’s time to gear up for an unforgettable experience at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. As excitement builds, here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know before the show kicks off: When and Where: Mark your calendars […]
Commentary FirstNet Authority reauthorization needed as public-safety-driven network evolution proceeds 16th March 2024 The recent announcement from AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) that an additional $8 billion is being invested into the system—for both 5G and additional coverage—is a quantum leap forward for public-safety communications in the United States. This investment and subsequent deployment of mission-critical technologies and additional cell sites will continue to […]
LMR remains most reliable technology for public-safety communications 13th March 2024 From the early beginnings of the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) concept, the network was considered supplemental to existing land-mobile-radio (LMR) communications systems. Certainly, it could be an important supplement to existing mission-critical systems by providing a variety of additional information to first responders, e.g. blueprints of a building for firefighters. The network was also […]
Commentary Things to know about IWCE 2024: Omdia to unveil Emerging Critical Tech & Innovation survey results 20th February 2024 IWCE’S official research partner, Omdia, will be unveiling the results of the Emerging Critical Tech & Innovation Survey across two Lunch & Learn sessions at IWCE. Omdia’s Physical Security, Public Safety & Critical Communication team will be actively participating throughout the IWCE 2024 schedule, with Omdia analysts participating in or moderating 10 sessions through the […]
Commentary 3GPP begins Release 19 work for public safety as Release 18 progress continues 17th January 2024 The 3GPP Plenary meetings took place Dec. 11-15, 2023, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Participants made continued progress on Release 18 (R18) features of interest to public safety. The Plenary meetings also included planning for Release 19 (R19) features, and the start of preliminary discussions for Release 20 (R20). The FirstNet Authority served as an active participant […]
Commentary Three keys to success for FirstNet 3.0 21st December 2023 We set a high bar for excellence at the First Responder Network Authority. That’s because our work supports public safety. Lives depend on it. Our mission is to deliver the best, most reliable communications for public safety. We stood up a nationwide broadband network with our network partner—AT&T—in record time. We have created a network […]
Commentary Things to know about IWCE 2024: Conference highlights 12th December 2023 We have revamped the conference track structure this year, organizing tracks by specific industries, as well as by technological topics. Whether you work for a utility, are responsible for the critical communications for a transportation network, or are among those making first-response effort a reality, you will find sessions organized in a track established for […]
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