Networks & Systems Commentary

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

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

Reflections on recent LTE outages

Rogers Communications Canada experienced a national service outage on July 8, 2022, that halted LTE communications for millions of Canadians, including public-safety agencies counting on mobile broadband for operations. In light of this jarring failure, should public-safety leaders rethink plans to collapse all wireless communications onto a single wireless technology platform operated by a service […]

Commentary

FirstNet’s public-safety-first approach to 5G and evolving the first-responder network

You would be hard-pressed to read the news today and not find a headline about 5G. It has been an exciting year for the telecommunications industry as a whole, with initial 5G services becoming more available on smartphones and tablets — including some of the devices our first responders use during emergencies and everyday operations. […]

Commentary

Complacency is not an option

A rising tide of public-safety broadband networks (PSBN) around the globe creates opportunities for agencies delivering police, fire, and emergency medical services. But along with the chance to rethink traditional voice communications and add new broadband-enabled tools, agencies must assess and plan for the risk of network failure. Networks designed for public-safety operations incorporate layered […]

Commentary

For public-safety communications, our past guides the future

Reflecting on past innovation can inspire industry to deliver more for first responders. As the country honors first responders today, those of us in the public-safety community bear a special responsibility to recognize the valor of those who keep the public safe, protected, and healthy. We must show them our gratitude by making their jobs […]

Commentary

New technologies drive code advancements for in-building public-safety communications

In-building coverage is a significant challenge for first-responder emergency communications, according to an International Fire Chiefs Association report based on a Safer Buildings Coalition survey conducted in 2018. According to the report, 98% of emergency responders said that they were having problems with their communication because of dead spots in a building, while 56% said […]

Commentary

Unfinished Business: Why NFPA and IBC fire codes need to kill the fire phone

In the human body, the appendix seems to serve no functional purpose. Why did the organ appear? How can it come out of people’s bodies with no harm? Much as a person’s appendix is a mystery organ with no value, the North American fire codes contain a similar useless bygone artifact. The omnipresent-but-never-used wired two-way […]

Commentary

Unlocking the power of ESInets: Different NG911 provisioning approaches exist; level of control is key differentiator

Next-generation 911 (NG911) systems represent a quantum leap forward for the public-safety community and the citizens that it serves. Internet Protocol (IP)-based and broadband-enabled, such systems are capable of considerably more than legacy 911 systems, which is why many emergency communications centers (ECCs) from coast to coast are clamoring to implement them. The broadband capabilities […]

Partner content

Ransomware? Let’s call it what it really is: extortionware

Just as the targets of these attacks have shifted from individuals to corporations, so too has the narrow focus given way to applying force and pressure to pay. No one needs reminding that ransomware has reached incredible proportions; one widely reported statistic from Purplesec suggests that $20 billion was paid out in 2020. That’s almost double its […]

Networks & Systems Commentary

Commentary

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

Commentary

Do smart cities make safer cities?

Commentary

Reflections on recent LTE outages

Commentary

FirstNet’s public-safety-first approach to 5G and evolving the first-responder network

Commentary

Complacency is not an option

Commentary

For public-safety communications, our past guides the future

Commentary

New technologies drive code advancements for in-building public-safety communications

Commentary

Unfinished Business: Why NFPA and IBC fire codes need to kill the fire phone

Commentary

Unlocking the power of ESInets: Different NG911 provisioning approaches exist; level of control is key differentiator

Partner content

Ransomware? Let’s call it what it really is: extortionware

Commentary

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

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

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

Events

UC Ezines

IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

Twitter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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…

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