RFSTUF

Digital TV Switch And Its Impact On Public Safety

2009-11-13T16:51:00.001-05:00

The Digital TV Switch And Its Impact On Public Safety

A clearer picture wasn’t the only good thing to come out of the switch to digital TV on June 12, 2009. In fact, it was a pivotal day for police and public safety technology in general. It was the date all primary over-the-air TV broadcast transmitters ceased transmitting analog signals and moved to new channel assignments broadcasting in a digital format.

Why did this event have such an impact on law enforcement agencies with technology projects, such as those funded under the COPS Technology Program? …

Remarks of Commissioner Copps, FCC Field Hearing on Broadband & Public Safety

2009-11-13T12:44:00.000-05:00

Remarks of Commissioner Copps, FCC Field Hearing on Broadband & Public
Safety, Georgetown University Medical Center
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-294632A1.pdf>

...Some jurisdictions have-understandably, given the time this is
taking-requested waivers to proceed with building their own local
networks. That is another option, but it strikes me that without
guarantees that these systems can become part of a nationally-connected
and interoperable system sooner or later-preferably sooner-such an
approach falls far short of the potential for broadband to create
something that really delivers for the safety of the people. So this
kind of option would surely require explicit standards to guarantee
interoperability. Here our challenge becomes agreeing on such standards
when we still don't have the configuration of the broadband public
safety system clearly in mind. ...

November 2009 MHz Update: Money in Kentucky, fusion in Michigan, and data ...

2009-11-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

November 2009 MHz Update: Money in Kentucky, fusion in Michigan, and data
Police News
Mobile BIS's law enforcement and public safety applications are reportedly in use in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and New York. ...

Solving the interoperability issue

2009-11-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

Solving the interoperability issue
Security Director News
In October, three counties in western Maryland began developing the…

FCC Broadband Role in Improving Public Safety Workshop Agenda

2009-11-09T16:49:00.001-05:00

FCC ANNOUNCES AGENDA FOR NOV.12 FIELD HEARING ON BROADBAND'S ROLE IN

IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. Event

to be Hosted in Conjunction with Georgetown University Medical Center.

News Release. News Media Contact: Robert Kenny at (202) 418-2668, email Robert.Kenny@fcc.gov or Mark Wigfield at (202) 418-0253, email:

Mark.Wigfield@fcc.gov PSHSB

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-294549A1.pdf

Channelized vs. Broadband

2009-11-07T19:01:00.001-05:00

Channelized vs. Broadband

Saturday, November 07, 2009 Andrew M. Seybold

People brought up in a channelized world are often confused when faced with the new broadband technologies. Those of us who grew up with wired and then analog cellular phone systems know that a channel is a single voice path that is created when we dial a call. We have our own circuit or channel back to the hub (a wired switch) and outbound from that switch until our call is completed. ...

AT&T and Verizon Introduce One Voice Standard for Voice/SMS Over LTE

2009-11-05T09:55:00.000-05:00

AT&T and Verizon Introduce One Voice Standard for Voice/SMS Over LTE
PhoneNews.com
The CSFB standard as proposed by the 3GPP would allow LTE devices to revert to GSM or UMTS for incoming/outgoing voice calls as well as SMS. …

Broadband stimulus awards delayed

2009-11-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

Broadband stimulus awards delayed
Urgent Communications
... including public-safety entities. Governors' offices and state broadband program officials around the nation were charged with advising the NTIA on ...

Dispelling LTE Myths

2009-11-04T09:51:00.001-05:00

Dispelling LTE Myths
Wireless Week
However, 3GPP recognizes that adoption of both LTE and IMS will not occur overnight. For this reason 3GPP provided a transition solution for voice called CS ...

…VoIP support for emergency calls (including location support) is specified as part of Rel 9. This fulfils the last regulatory requirement separating VoIP from CS in 3GPP networks. A transition solution exists which is falling back to 3G/2G for completing emergency calls. This solution has existed since IMS was introduced (Rel 5). …

Three benefits of VoFi - Voice over Wireless

2009-11-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

Three benefits of VoFi – Voice over Wireless

By WildPackets on November 3, 2009 3:00 AM

The use of VoFi, or Voice over Wireless, has been rather limited. But now, with the newly ratified 802.11n standard, we're expecting to see a surge of interest in this technology since 802.11n and its increased throughput and range is what makes VoFi feasible. …

Report: Interoperability Requires Improvements in Governance

2009-11-03T12:23:00.000-05:00

Report: Interoperability Requires Improvements in Governance

Nov 2, 2009, News Report

Creating interoperability in the governmental context requires government leaders to take responsibility for improving the capabilities of government agencies to effectively partner with other agencies and governments as well as the private sector, non-profit groups, and research institutions according to IT Governance Capability: Laying the foundation for government interoperability released by The Center for Technology in Government (CTG) at the University at Albany-SUNY.

FCC Field Hearing to Focus on First Responder Needs Nov 12

2009-11-03T09:24:00.001-05:00

FCC Field Hearing to Focus on First Responder Needs Nov 12
BroadbandCensus.com
... a broadband field hearing in conjunction with Georgetown University Medical Center on The Role of Broadband in Improving Public Safety Communications ...

Three Maryland Counties and State of Maryland Sign ARINC to Build Public

2009-11-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

Three Maryland Counties and State of Maryland Sign ARINC to Build Public
Media Newswire (press release)
“Recognizing that State and Local budgets are tight, we coordinated efforts to obtain funding for the project under a US Public Safety Interoperable ...

Jumping on the bandwagon: Introducing the next generation multi-band radios

2009-11-02T17:47:00.000-05:00

Jumping on the bandwagon: Introducing the next generation multi-band radios
PhysOrg.com - Evergreen,VA,USA
As the construction of public safety systems consumed all the available channels ... observes that interoperability issues have become more important in the ... Starting in November, 14 agencies across the country will have the opportunity to try out this leading edge technology with fellow first responders through 30-day pilot projects.

Ashley Strickland, a captain at the Pittsboro Fire Department in Indiana who tested out an early multi-band radio prototype, observes that interoperability issues have become more important in the last decade as first responders now routinely respond to emergencies outside their official jurisdiction. …

ETSI's standardization of Reconfigurable Radio Systems gets underway

2009-11-02T15:44:00.000-05:00

ETSI's standardization of Reconfigurable Radio Systems gets underway
PRLog.Org (press release) - TX,USA
Currently, public safety communications are characterized by patchworks of ... SDR can provide solutions for the required interoperability of such systems, ...

2009-11-02T11:59:00.002-05:00

NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL PETITION FOR STAY OF INTERIM NARROWBAND IMPLEMENTATION DATES

(DA No. 09-2364). Released: 11/02/2009.

Comments Due: 11/23/2009. Reply Comments Due:

12/03/2009. WTB . Contact: Melvin Spann at (202) 418-1333, email:

Melvin.Spann@fcc.gov or Zenji Nakazawa at (202) 418-7949, email:

Zenji.Nakazawa@fcc.gov

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2364A1.pdf

2009-11-01T14:14:00.004-05:00

Who is Seeking Broadband Stimulus Grants in Your State?

Interested in who and what projects are proposed for your state?

Search the applications on the NITA website link below:

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/applications/search.cfm

2009-11-01T09:05:00.002-05:00

Critics say Schweitzer-endorsed Internet plan won’t extend services

By MIKE DENNISON IR State Bureau

Gov. Brian Schweitzer's recommendation that one firm get $70 million in federal stimulus funds to expand high-speed Internet service is being blasted by Montana telephone companies and regulators, who say the project won't extend new service to underserved areas. …

New technology, stimulus funding help revive municipal broadband

2009-11-01T08:33:00.000-05:00

New technology, stimulus funding help revive municipal broadband

Oct 1, 2009 10:10 AM, By Lynnette Luna

…Mark Meier, Oklahoma City's chief technology officer recently indicated that the city has derived approximately $10 million in value from its broadband network to date. "Some of our critical public safety applications required redundant wireless connectivity, but the cellular data cards have remained virtually unused and handle less than 1 percent of our traffic which has resulted in significant cost savings for the city," he says.  

City departments using the network include police, fire, transit, public works and IT. And the network has more than 200 applications concurrently running over it. Devices include laptops, handheld devices, traffic controllers and video cameras.   

In most cases, public safety is the anchor-tenant of the network and other government agencies come along for the ride, Settles says. Public safety benefits the most from a variety of applications, ranging from video surveillance to web-based crime database access. … 

Wireless at work

2009-11-01T08:31:00.000-05:00

Wireless at work

Apr 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Jennifer Grzeskowiak

The latest technology moves public services from the office to the field…

…New York had a video system at the scene, and the Fire Department's Command Tactical Unit vehicle sent video back to its Operations Center and the Office of Emergency Management to help mobilize vehicles and organize equipment. "Having real-time data and not having to wait for the media to arrive and send back data for us helps make quicker decisions and save lives," says Nick Sbordone, director of external affairs for NYC Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications (DoITT).

The video system was possible because of New York's unprecedented, $500 million, high-speed wireless data network, known as NYCWiN, that covers all five boroughs. …

2009-10-30T16:46:00.001-04:00

Consortiums will be likely winners of broadband stimulus funding
GovPro Media
... NTIA asked Governors' offices and state broadband program officials to recommend first round project funding in their states. Their support for local government-run or nonprofits created for public-private partnerships runs from 30 percent to 50 percent, says Craig Settles, founder of Successful.com. …

In plain English

2009-10-29T21:52:00.000-04:00

In plain English
Worcester Telegram
The Department of Homeland Security is tying grant money to agencies using plain language in the push for interoperability, said Chief Horn, president of ...

FCC announces more 800 MHz channels available for public safety

2009-10-29T18:02:00.000-04:00

FCC announces more 800 MHz channels available for public safety

By Donny Jackson

Public-safety entities seeking 800 MHz spectrum next month will be able to apply for interleaved frequencies being cleared by Sprint Nextel as part of the rebanding process, the FCC announced in a public notice released yesterday.

FCC mandates county to upgrade radio communications system

2009-10-29T18:01:00.001-04:00

FCC mandates county to upgrade radio communications system
Pine Journal
Most current public safety radio systems currently use 25 kHz-wide channels, but beginning in 2013, the FCC will require that all non-Federal public safety ...

PSHSB chief: 700 MHz waivers are a priority

2009-10-29T16:38:00.000-04:00

PSHSB chief: 700 MHz waivers are a priority
Urgent Communications - Overland Park,USA
“If 700 MHz and the national public-safety broadband plan were the only jobs ... use the public-safety broadband spectrum currently licensed to the PSST for ...