Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet

News

Florida agencies seek clarity on LMR system amid tightening timelines

Florida state officials indicate that they are talking with L3Harris about extending the statewide LMR contract, while at least one state agency has expressed concerns that the aging network deal is due to expire in 17 months, with no publicly stated long-term replacement plan and state legislators scheduled to end their annual session tomorrow. Almost […]

News

5G will see C-V2X explosion … maybe

An automotive research body is predicting an explosion in C-V2X capability with the roll-out of 5G. However, the statement announcing a study by ABI Research based on industry opinions, does make the sweeping assumption that 5G, which requires many times more aerials than the existing 4G networks, will have a far superior coverage. That’s somewhat […]

News

Ed Parkinson named as FirstNet Authority CEO

Ed Parkinson today was named by the FirstNet Authority Board as executive director—operationally, the chief executive officer (CEO)—for the FirstNet Authority, becoming the organization’s third full-time staff leader and its first in more than 17 months. FirstNet Authority Board Chair Ed Horowitz said that Parkinson was selected at the conclusion of a “comprehensive and thorough […]

Audio

RapidSOS: Tom Guthrie outlines ability to share gunfire-detection data with 911 centers

Tom Guthrie, senior vice president and general manager for the RapidSOS public-safety unit, highlights the information available to 911 personnel through his company’s newly announced partnership with SafeZone, a provider of indoor gunfire-detection technology, as well the eventual potential to share smart-building information with public safety automatically in the future.

News

FirstNet buildout 80% complete, serves 1.2 million subscribers, AT&T exec says

AT&T’s contracted FirstNet deployment of LTE equipment operating on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum is 80% complete—a year ahead of schedule—and the overall public-safety broadband system serves 1.2 million subscribers and more than 10,000 public-safety entities, an AT&T executive said this week. AT&T Chief Financial Officer (CFO) John Stephens made the statements during the Deutsche […]

News

Kymeta unveils new antenna, plans to offer hybrid satellite-cell connectivity

Kymeta this week announced the commercial availability of its new u8 mobile antenna platform—a software-defined solution supporting satellite connections throughout the Ku-band and cellular LTE service—that lets the company offer an always-on hybrid connectivity bundle, starting at a price of $999 per month. Bill Marks, Kymeta’s chief strategy officer, said the company hopes to make […]

Audio

TCCA: Tony Gray discusses organization’s TETRA history, work toward LTE future

As TCCA celebrates its 25th anniversary, TCCA CEO Tony Gray talks about the organization’s support of the development of TETRA—the LMR standard for public-safety agencies in Europe and many other parts of the world—as well its crucial role in helping get the 3GPP standards body to create public-safety standards within LTE technology. As public-safety […]

News

FirstNet suffers data-service outage in southeast U.S.

Data service for some FirstNet users was interrupted Thursday morning, but the issue was resolved, according to FirstNet contractor AT&T, which indicated that it is investigating the cause of the outage. “Early this morning, data service was affected for some customers in the Southeast region,” according to an AT&T statement provided to IWCE’s Urgent Communications. […]

News

Latest coverage figures, third-party data indicate AT&T narrowing 4G coverage, performance gaps with Verizon

Recent 4G LTE coverage figures from AT&T, Verizon and an independent third-party industry source reveal that Verizon holds about a 70,000-square-mile 4G coverage advantage nationally—a fraction of the 450,000-square-mile advantage touted by Verizon in communications to public safety for years, and as recently as last month. Verizon’s web site includes a page stating that its […]

Partner content

In a new data decade, constituent experience reigns

Over the years, humans have predicted fantastical feats would be achieved by 2020, from robot servants to public space travel. Now that 2020 is here, some of the accomplishments are different—but still grand. In the decade ahead, transformational technologies that better meet constituent needs will define the missions of local government leaders. Advancements in 5G, […]

News

Florida agencies seek clarity on LMR system amid tightening timelines

News

5G will see C-V2X explosion … maybe

News

Ed Parkinson named as FirstNet Authority CEO

Audio

RapidSOS: Tom Guthrie outlines ability to share gunfire-detection data with 911 centers

News

FirstNet buildout 80% complete, serves 1.2 million subscribers, AT&T exec says

News

Kymeta unveils new antenna, plans to offer hybrid satellite-cell connectivity

Audio

TCCA: Tony Gray discusses organization’s TETRA history, work toward LTE future

News

FirstNet suffers data-service outage in southeast U.S.

News

Latest coverage figures, third-party data indicate AT&T narrowing 4G coverage, performance gaps with Verizon

Partner content

In a new data decade, constituent experience reigns

Commentary

Coronavirus is a wake-up call. Are you listening?

Verizon, AT&T withdraw from smart-city efforts

3 tips for mitigating the ransomware threat to government offices

Events

UC Ezines

IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

Twitter

The #COVID19 outbreak is forcing agencies to consider atypical measures to ensure the health of #publicsafety commu… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

High-power user equipment (HPUE) that promises to almost double the coverage range for @FirstNet subscribers using… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Are locals prepared to battle #COVID19? @AmerCityCounty surveyed its readership to find out. Here are some highligh… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

James Sim, CEO at @Drakontas, explains how his company's DragonForce command-and-control collaboration platform is… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

.@MotoSolutions agrees to acquire @IndigoVisionLtd for $37.2 million. IndigoVision is a Scotland-based provider of… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

AT&T announced @FirstNet PTT, a solution based on the 3GPP’s #MCPTT standard available for $10/month & that 2 high-… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Tom Guthrie, Senior VP & General Manager for @RapidSOS public safety unit, highlights the information available at… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Successful tests of communications between @LynkTheWorld's LEO nanosatellites—acting as a “cell tower in space”—and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…