Public safety can benefit when bad hackers go good 17th August 2011 Should the threat of cyber war be an issue that should be addressed before we build out a nationwide public-safety network? If we put all our eggs into that basket, does it leave us open to an attack that potentially could shut down emergency communications for police, fire and federal first-responder agencies?
Procurement issues hindering public-safety LTE efforts 2nd August 2011 No two 700 MHz waiver issues have been the same. However, the bottom line is that none of these proposed projects have progressed as quickly as hoped, which begs the question: Is there a better way to procure these projects, so these LTE deployments happen more efficiently?
Finding balance 1st August 2011 Private LTE is a technology that promises to deliver the key services first responders have been wanting. But it doesn’t have to be a choice between private and public networks. Indeed, in certain circumstances, there is a clear advantage to using both.
Flexible uses needed in 700 MHz proposals 28th July 2011 A larger FCC order on this topic is expected in the upcoming months, but some question whether the agency can interpret existing law to grant the kinds of flexible use of public safety’s 700 MHz broadband that would provide the greatest benefits to taxpayers.
Wilson, Verizon strike signal booster deal 27th July 2011 The key to the agreement is that Wilson believes these technical specifications drafted by the two companies should work for all cellular networks.
Look for Wi-Fi to play a bigger role in wireless 911 location 20th July 2011 Commercial location services have taken off, and mobile operators have a vested revenue-generating interest in making sure that these types of applications provide enhanced accuracy.
Motorola’s planned expansion of managed-services role makes sense 14th July 2011 Motorola is not the first company to have such a brainstorm, but it might be the one best-positioned to pull it off. It has the formidable managed-services experience and it has deep pockets.
Dish Network’s purchase of TerreStar could be a plus for LightSquared 13th July 2011 Dish Network could become an alternative source of spectrum for LightSquared’s potential wholesale customers. LightSquared might want to look hard at such a scenario, given that it is under fire from the GPS community over the fact that its operations could interfere with GPS signals.
700 MHz partnering may not be easy, but it could pay dividends 7th July 2011 Of course, partnering with critical infrastructure is much easier to propose in a column than it is to execute in real life. It has been a long, uphill climb for public safety to present a united front to Congress, so getting other sectors involved could be difficult, especially when key potential partners like utilities often are for-profit companies instead of non-for-profit government entities.
Invest in public safety, now 6th July 2011 The future of public safety in America is intrinsically inked with two words that you may not associate with police, fire, and EMS: “innovation” and “investment.” But these two words must be at the heart of the business of public safety in the very near future.
Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority? 2 24th March 2024
FirstNet Authority reauthorization needed as public-safety-driven network evolution proceeds 16th March 2024
