Drones in the news for two different reasons, first is that Fire Fighters in California are now permitted to use them if on duty and secondly because in several recent wild land fires drones flown by unknown people have grounded the air tankers and helos. The State of California is going to permit them to be taken down by jamming them or perhaps shooting them out of the sky.
Also not in this week’s news but of concern are the rising number of fiber cuts which are being made deliberately for some unknown reason. These cuts can cripple 9-1-1, Internet, Cable TV and yes cellular traffic in a given area. Northern Arizona was cut off for 18 hours and in Northern California there have been 11 cuts in the past month or so. Just another reason why I am not 100% sold on LTE being considered to replace LMR for voice. LMR has fall back modes and so far LTE’s fall-back modes are only on paper.
FirstNet will be receiving comments on the Draft RFP for partners to build the network on Monday the 27th. I expect a lot of comments to be filed and then it will take a long time for FirstNet to review the comments and implement some of them in the RFP or not. This RFP, scheduled for release at the end of December is the document which could seal the fate of FirstNet. A lot of good responses and FirstNet will become a reality, but lack of responses and interest could spell problems. I hope FirstNet will take many of the comments to heart and make the needed changes to attract more companies to respond to the RFP. Have a great week-end Andy
FirstNet developing base stations for police cars, but deployment still several years away – FierceWireless via Google Alerts Jul 23 20:45 Oremland said FirstNet is working with the Public Safety Communications Research lab to develop and test the base station technology, as well as …
South Korea plans to deploy mission-critical PTT over LTE this year … – Urgent Communications – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Jul 23 15:45 Public Safety Broadband/FirstNet. Related Media. Harris: CTO Dennis Martinez talks about the LTE standards process for mission-critical voice.
NTIA, FCC almost halfway to spectrum target – Fierce Mobile Government via Google Alerts Jul 22 20:22 On June 28, 2010, President Barack Obama issued a memo calling on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the …
Recent fires prompt new drone legislation – KUSI via Google Alerts Jul 22 17:50 The bill would allow first responders to disable or damage drones if they interfere. Drone users could also be looking at fines and possible jail time.
California Firefighters Might Shoot Down Drones – InformationWeek via Google Alerts Jul 22 17:50 A bill being considered in the California Assembly would allow first responders to shoot drones out of the sky if they are hindering their job. This is in …
FirstNet Evaluating Key Indoor Location Technologies to Help Solve – Broadband Matters via Google Alerts Jul 22 05:40 FirstNet Evaluating Key Indoor Location Technologies to Help Solve ‘Z-Axis’ Challenges for Public Safety. If you’ve ever tried to use a mobile device’s …
California turns to jamming tech to disable pesky drones | ITworld – ITworld via Google Alerts Jul 22 01:25 Use of cell phone jammers poses an unacceptable risk to public safety, according to a FAQ document on jammers by the FCC Enforcement Bureau.
T-Mobile Agrees to Pay FCC $17.5 Million to Settle 911 Outage Investigation | Kelley Drye … – JD Supra via Google Alerts Jul 21 21:15 As a wireless telecommunications carrier, T-Mobile is required to provide timely notification to all affected 911 call centers, or public safety answering …
California Legislation May Allow First Responders To Take Out Drones – Slashdot via Google Alerts Jul 21 15:50 In response, state officials have introduced legislation that would allow first responders to disable drones in emergency situations. A second bill would …
To enhance public safety by making more spectrum available to public safety agencies, to facilitate … – haltpdf.org via Google Alerts Jul 20 23:50 First Responders Protection Act of 2010 (2010; 111th Congress …
NTIA to address drone privacy, transparency, accountability early next month – FierceGovernmentIT – FierceGovernmentIT via Google Alerts Jul 20 09:50 NTIA to address drone privacy, transparency, accountability early next month …
Global Narrowband Land Mobile Radio Market Size, Analysis, Competitive Strategie… – SoForce via Google Alerts Jul 24 08:50 Acute Market Reports has announced the addition of the “Global Narrowband Land Mobile Radio Market Size, Analysis, Competitive Strategies and …
FCC Approval For York’s New Public Safety Radio System – WSBA via Google Alerts Jul 24 05:10 York County has been granted their request from the FCC for radio frequencies that will be used in a new public safety radio system. County officials …
Senate Advances Bill to Block FCC From Regulating Internet Rates – InsideSources via Google Alerts Jul 23 18:20 The U.S. Senate advanced an appropriations bill Thursday banning the Federal Communications Commission from regulating the price broadband …
Consumer groups say FCC conditions on AT&T-DirecTV merger fall short – LA Times – Los Angeles Times via Google Alerts Jul 23 13:40 As part of merger negotiations, AT&T agreed to expand its broadband …
Fiber network in planning stage – Roanoke Chowan News Herald via Google Alerts Jul 23 13:05 … spur technology-led economic development and improvements in education, healthcare, public safety and broadband access. This network, the two …
FCC to AT&T: We’ll OK DirecTV Deal With These Conditions – PC Magazine via Google Alerts Jul 23 06:21 … plans to acquire DirecTV in a $48.5 billion agreement that it said will provide more customers with mobile, broadband, and pay TV service bundles.
Intelsat to FCC: For the love of satellites, STOP ELON MUSK! – The Register Jul 23 06:01 Claims SpaceX boss’s birds could interfere with its own – Elon Musk wants to use his commercial SpaceX rockets to put satellites into orbit that will bring broadband to the next billion, but one of SpaceX’s own customers has thrown a wrench into the works.
FirstNet Video Discusses Importance of Data Collection – MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report … via Google Alerts Jul 22 23:30 The video reviews the key elements of data collection and explains the importance to FirstNet and public-safety agencies at all levels of government.
SACRAMENTO: SB 167, SB 168, first responders, drones – Emma’s Memos via Google Alerts Jul 22 20:50 SACRAMENTO: “Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Act,” …
Nine Senators Want FCC To Restrict Behavioral Advertising By Broadband Providers – MediaPost Communications via Google Alerts Jul 22 18:35 When the FCC released its net neutrality order, the agency said that the existing telephone rules don’t address many forms of “sensitive information” …
FCC chairman recommends approving AT&T-DirecTV deal – Rapid News Network via Google Alerts Jul 22 18:27 The acquisition of DirecTV gives AT&T scale in the pay-TV business, which it hopes to parlay into boosting its own U-verse broadband video service.
Former FCC commissioner calls for more spectrum – Watchdog.org – Watchdog.org via Google Alerts Jul 22 15:11 … next spectrum auction, where it looks to repurpose radio frequencies used by television stations for use by the growing wireless broadband industry.
The Public Safety Lte & Mobile Broadband Market: 2015 – 2030 – Smallcellhub.com via Google Alerts Jul 22 05:40 /PRNewswire/ — Due to the bandwidth limitations of their traditional voice-centric LMR (Land Mobile Radio) networks, public safety agencies are keen …
APCO Announces Approval of Minimum Training for Public Safety Telecommunicators – Public Safety Communications – APCO International via Google Alerts Jul 21 22:11 Alexandria, Va. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International received final approval from the American National …
Frontier continues to expand broadband in former AT&T, Verizon territories – FierceTelecom – FierceTelecom via Google Alerts Jul 21 14:55 Frontier Communications said in an FCC filing that it is on track with the broadband expansions it promised to make when it purchased Verizon’s …
Verizon’s Shammo: We don’t have a ‘great need’ for 600 MHz airwaves, remain focused on small … – FierceWireless via Google Alerts Jul 21 12:12 He noted that Verizon rolled out its macro LTE network using its nationwide 700 MHz spectrum. Shammo also noted that the FCC postponed its vote …
A Roadmap to Better Broadband – Governing via Google Alerts Jul 20 06:15 Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has been …
Critical Communications and Public Safety Networks – IEEE Communications Society via Google Alerts Jul 20 03:25 For example, the US Government has created in 2012 an authority to establish a national public safety broadband network called FirstNet; short for …
NTIA continues meetings to develop data privacy guidelines for facial recognition technology – Biometric Update via Google Alerts Jul 19 09:45 National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an agency …
Range one might expect with 700 MHz LTE? – Howard Forums via Google Alerts Jul 17 00:15 I was trying to get an idea of about how far apart towers could be practically spaced with 700 MHz LTE. Looking at CellMapper, it looks like the tower …