As the end of the year approaches FirstNet continues to say that it is on course to release the RFP by years end. However, those who might be potential bidders that I am talking to (and of course not one of the companies is a declared bidder and we won’t know for sure who has submitted a bid until the RFP responses are due), are still not happy with the RFP, many companies have commented that my approach and that of others who are asking for a friendlier RFP for a FirstNet partner would push them off the fence if they were interested in bidding. I am still very concerned that not many companies or group or partnership of companies will step up to spending the $billions it will take to build the network in the short term for unpredictable spectrum sharing benefits and a return on that investment in the future.
One item which should be of interest for all to watch is the issue of radio interference. There are outside sources of interference, like the ones that NPSTC is tracking: Some LED lights, some Florescent light ballasts and other devices which emit RF and may not meet the FCC’s rules and regulations, especially since companies are permitted to self-certify their devices. However as more and more of the available spectrum is converted to broadband because in our nation’s capital the words broadband and spectrum have become interchangeable, the more chance there is for interference to those services adjacent to the broadband systems.
Broadband tends to raise the noise floor around its assigned portion of the spectrum. Also we are facing more and more cheap Chinese handheld radios which are being shipped into the United States already on Public Safety channels in some cases, and most of them are capable of both transmitting and receiving on Public Safety channels and can be programmed on a PC.
NPSTC and others have already fought the battle with the FCC regarding the closing of many FCC field engineer facilities and won a partial victory when the FCC agreed to leave some of them open and to provide SWAT teams of engineers which could be dispatched for severe interference problems. If the range of your LMR system seems to be getting worse over time, the mobiles and portables not hearing the base station in places they used to, or the base station not being able to receive a transmission from the field where there used to be solid coverage, or even if areas where the transmissions were solid and are now a little noisy, chances are your channels are being affected by the increasing noise in the spectrum. LMR and other radio systems are designed to “hear” radio signals at very low levels or just above what is normally the noise floor, if the constant noise in a given band or portion of the band gets higher, the systems will appear to be degraded, and it is time to investigate what might be causing the problem. Over time these interference issues are only going to get worse, not better. Have a Great Week-end Andy
APCO, FCC Representatives Discuss Interference Concerns – mccmag.com via Google Alerts Nov 6 03:20 The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International filed an ex parte notice with the FCC under proceeding 12-40 …
FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Seeks Comment on FirstNet’s Incumbent … – Benton Foundation via Google Alerts Nov 5 19:30 The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on the ex parte proposal made by the …
S.2227: A bill to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration … – OpenCongress via Google Alerts Nov 5 04:07 Official government data, breaking news and blog coverage, public comments and user community for S. 2227: A bill to amend the National …
Finnish and Russian agencies agree on use of 700 MHz band – Telecompaper via Google Alerts Nov 4 11:01 … regarding use of the 700 MHz band in the border area for wireless broadband networks in Finland and for aeronautical radio-navigation in Russia.
Pennsylvania Initial Consultation Highlights Current Capabilities, Need for a Dedicated US Public … – lte-applications.com via Google Alerts Nov 3 16:15 State public safety officials also presented use case scenarios to demonstrate how the nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN) could …
GSMA CTO warns on challenges ahead – Mobile World Live via Google Alerts Nov 2 23:50 To fulfil that potential, Sinclair wants to see a strong focus on prompt development of IoT standards, particularly around the use of Narrowband-LTE …
Emergency Management Specialist (Public Safety) – All-Acad.com via Google Alerts Nov 2 22:15 Duties: Provides advice and consultative services for FirstNet’s National Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) communications program; …
In connecting public safety, FirstNet also innovates on LTE – Investor Village via Google Alerts Nov 2 20:15 In connecting public safety, FirstNet also innovates on LTE – and eyes 5G. (good info here)…
FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee recommends open internet consumer disclosures – Lexology via Google Alerts Nov 6 08:50 Mobile broadband consumer disclosures must include the price of offerings based on the data allowance of a single line smartphone service plan, …
Commissioner Pai Remarks at 4G Americas’ Technology Symposium – FCC via Google Alerts Nov 5 18:10 REMARKS OF FCC COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI AT 4G AMERICAS’ TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: THE FUTURE OF MOBILE BROADBAND IN THE …
FCC to tackle broadband privacy in ‘next several months’ – The Hill via Google Alerts Nov 5 12:45 The FCC’s expanded role to protect broadband customers’ privacy remains one unsettled issue under the net neutrality order approved earlier this …
Canada expands Arctic satellites – Shephard Media via Google Alerts Nov 5 12:15 Canada is expecting to release a Request for Proposal (RfP) in June 2016 for its Tactical Narrowband SATCOM (TNS) requirement. The requirement …
detailed description of the invention – Free Patents Online via Google Alerts Nov 5 09:35 The method includes pairing, over a master-less communication link, a narrowband communication device operating in a narrowband communication …
Global Wireless Broadband in Public Safety Market 2015-2020 – Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Service Providers, Others Breakdown of the $22 Billion Industry – PR Newswire Nov 5 08:40 DUBLIN, Nov. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sjmxq7/wireless) has announced the addition of the “Wireless Broadband in Public Safety Market by Type (Fixed, Mobile, Satellite), by End User (Police Department, Fire Department,…
Today’s Events – CU-Boulder Events Calendar – University of Colorado Boulder via Google Alerts Nov 5 04:36 Please visit the FCC/CU Boulder Public Safety Cyber Summit website for more information. Registration is required to attend this event.
- 2227 – GovTrack.us via Google Alerts Nov 5 04:07 Administration Organization Act to permit the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to authorize Federal agencies to accept …
FCC faces seventh net neutrality lawsuit – WebTechReview via Google Alerts Nov 4 16:20 Broadband provider CenturyLink has abutting the continued account of ISPs and barter groups suing the U.S. Federal Communications Commission …
Top GOP senator: Net neutrality budget riders unlikely – The Hill via Google Alerts Nov 4 14:10 Republicans are almost universally against the Federal Communications Commission’s new Internet regulations, which reclassify broadband service …
Public Safety Mobile Broadband Network for PSA’s – Push2Talk via Google Alerts Nov 3 15:10 As the Federal Government works through the process of how they might design, build and pay for a Public Safety Mobile Broadband Network …
Sorry Net Neutrality Chicken Littles, Title II & Net Neutrality Still Haven’t Hurt Broadband Investment … – Techdirt via Google Alerts Nov 3 12:45 As net neutrality opponents continue to hold a series of show pony hearings intended to shame the FCC for daring to stand up to ISPs, the claim that net neutrality is the anti-Viagra to sustained broadband spending continues to play …
Deutsche Telekom & Huawei strike back with a ‘pre-standard’ NB-IoT trial – TelecomTV via Google Alerts Nov 3 09:30 Deutsche Telekom has announced that it will break from the pack and get its cellular network-based, narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) …
Ericsson, Intel and Nokia backing new IoT standard – BetaNews Nov 3 06:15 Internet of things devices need a communication standard, a universal type of communication which would allow these devices to communicate, no matter who the maker is. The standard is now also a subject of debate, as US and European makers are backing one type, while Huawei and other vendors are backing another one. As Lightreading writes in a report, Intel, Ericsson and Nokia are backing Narrow-Band Long-Term Evolution (NB-LTE). At the same time, Huawei is…
Nokia Networks Unlocks Full Potential of Mission-critical LTE for Public Safety – Communications Today via Google Alerts Nov 2 22:15 LTE mobile broadband enables a whole new level of efficiency for public safety, offering: real-time communications; high-quality video streaming to …
Is FirstNet the network of the future? – Tech Investor News via Google Alerts Nov 2 20:15 The wireless spotlight has been on FirstNet for some time as the government, mobile operators and first responders interrogated the organization on …
FCC Enforcement; Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, and LTE-U, Vol XII, Issue 44 – The National Law Review via Google Alerts Nov 2 17:35 Section 64.3001 and 64.3002 of the Commission’s rules require carriers to transmit a 9-1-1 call to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), designated …
Is FirstNet the network of the future? – FierceWireless via Google Alerts Nov 2 14:10 The wireless spotlight has been on FirstNet, the First Responder Network Authority, for some time as the government, mobile operators and first …
Deutsche Telekom and Huawei trial narrow band cellular IoT solution – Wireless via Google Alerts Oct 30 03:30 NB-IoT is one of the ‘clean slate’ options for cellular low power wide area networks for the Internet of Things which is being championed by Huawei.
Sigfox to deploy Internet of Things network in San Francisco – Wireless via Google Alerts Oct 30 03:25 San Francisco will be the first city in the US to implement a Sigfox low power wide area network for IoT using ultra narrow band technology.