Cover Story

Reality game

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Lynnette Luna

The standards development process, as it exists today, requires participants to watch their backs as they try to outflank competitors in order to advance their own proprietary interests. No wonder it takes so long...

Features

More than a flash in the PAN

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

With Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultrawideband and near-field communications already existing in the short-range sector, Nokia's decision in October to introduce...

A new blueprint for an old problem

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Doug Mohney

In 1991, Burbank, Calif., became the first U.S. city to pass an ordinance requiring new buildings to ensure adequate first responder communications. Since...

AWS auction spawns spectrum shuffle

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Asad Zoberi

Last year's auction of advanced wireless services, or AWS, spectrum (MRT, October 2006) has generated great enthusiasm on the part of commercial mobile...

An introduction to 4.9 GHz

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jay M. Jacobsmeyer, P.E.

Starting in 2003, the federal government has made available 50 MHz of new radio spectrum between 4.940 MHz and 4.990 MHz for public-safety use. This spectrum...

MCVs have come a long way

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By James Careless

There was a time when mobile command vehicles, or MCVs, were little more than converted trucks. In those early days, a law enforcement agency would take...

Look for success where it can be found

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jim Szalajeski

Interoperability currently is a hot topic and a big buzzword in the public-safety communications sector, but it isn't anything new. In fact, the minutes...

News

Report: N.Y. system costs much higher

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

A recent comptroller report indicating that local agencies in the state of New York could pay almost 800% more than anticipated to access the new state...

Federal court sides with FCC on VoIP E911

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Glenn Bischoff

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled that the FCC's order that established a 120-day window for voice-over-IP,...

FCC modifies amateur radio rules

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Glenn Bischoff

The FCC issued an order last month that eliminated the Morse code requirement for the three classes of amateur radio licenses. On a basic level, the action...

Congress mandates release of money

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

Public-safety entities will be encouraged to invest in interoperability solutions in the near future after Congress passed a measure requiring that $1...

Rebanding still behind schedule

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

Rebanding mediation activity dominated the latter portion of 2006 for many Wave 1 800 MHz public-safety licensees with mixed results, and many involved...

Once more, with feeling

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

Debate on the merits of a public/private partnership building a nationwide broadband network will escalate after the FCC unanimously approved a notice...

Tower site hits roadblock in California county

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Mary Rose Roberts

Controversy is brewing over a wireless tower site in Sonoma County, Calif., that allegedly has operated without a valid zoning permit since 1999. At issue...

Detention facility uses RFID to track juveniles

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alanco Technologies will provide a Wi-Fi-compatible, RFID inmate-tracking system for the Indianapolis, Ind.-based Marion County...

LGC Wireless pays $15 million for Alvarion unit

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

In-building wireless solutions vendor LGC Wireless announced it has closed a deal to pay $15 million for Alvarion's cellular mobile unit, or CMU, that...

University to study spectrum use

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Progeny LMS commissioned Purdue University to study the company's proposed use of spectrum it holds in the multilateration, location and monitoring service...

Bank network purchases emergency satellite communication service

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

SES Americom announced that several bank branches in Louisiana purchased REDiSat Network services, which include a satellite-delivered emergency communications...

Nissan invests in RFID

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

WhereNet Corp. announced that Nissan North America is deploying its standards-based WhereNet active RFID, real-time locating system to automate its inbound...

University health system sends sonographs wirelessly

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Toronto's University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital have deployed SonoSite's MicroMaxx system across three emergency rooms. The system offers...

xG Technology sets 2007 deployments

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Citing strong demand for exclusive territories for its xMAX mobile voice-over-IP solution, Florida-based xG Technology announced it would increase the...

iPass users now access Wi-Fi at McDonald's

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

iPass and enterprise-mobility management company Wayport have expanded their relationship by providing iPass users with access to Wi-Fi in more than 7500...

Qualcomm buys Airgo, Bluetooth assets of RF Micro Devices

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Wireless technology vendor Qualcomm announced it would acquire wireless LAN provider Airgo Networks and the majority of RF Micro Devices' Bluetooth assets...

Motorola lands contract for TETRA PDAs

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Motorola announced it has signed a contract with Airwave O2 Limited to supply Motorola MTC100 PDAs that operate on TETRA networks. The agreement is the...

DoD invests in P25 radios

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

EFJ subsidiary EFJohnson received a $76 million order from the U.S. Department of Defense for its Project 25 radios and accessories....

VeriWave opens a WLAN testing facility

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

VeriWave opened a wireless LAN testing facility in San Jose, Calif., dubbed WaveLab. The lab will test large-scale enterprise and metro-size deployments...

Cohda Wireless demonstrates advantages in Australia trial

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Cohda Wireless announced that trial deployments of its technology in Adelaide, Australia, demonstrate significant advantages in using its advanced receiver...

Coast Guard to deploy wireless intercom system

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Telephonics received a five-year contract for its Tru-Link Wireless Intercommunication System from the U.S. Coast Guard. The wireless intercom system...

Wi-Fi Alliance certifies access points

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Meru Networks announced its Access Point 200 Series products for 802.11x and WPA2 have been re-certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance....

Articles

A history lesson

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Glenn Bischoff

The Founding Fathers were utterly amazing. The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, authored more than two centuries ago, have stood the test of...

Apply the litmus test to new technology

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By David P. Storey

Public-safety agencies depend on radios as basic tools, especially in emergencies. That fact remains as true today as it has for decades. Newer technologies...

Reconfiguration milestones, momentum

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Sandy Edwards

For those of us who've lived and breathed the 800 MHz reconfiguration process, Dec. 26, 2006 was a date with special meaning it marked 18 months since...

FCC errs on latest rebanding decision

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Alan Tilles

Last year was turbulent in many ways. Most significantly for the land mobile radio industry, it marked the beginning, in earnest, of 800 MHz rebanding....

Products

Rugged device offers multiple tools

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Mary Rose Roberts

Mobile communications solutions provider Z5 Technologies introduced the Nomad-1800, the latest addition to the company's series of rugged, command-and-control...

Playing catch

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Mary Rose Roberts

Catcher Inc. recently released the Catcher, a hand-held portable computer built for the enterprise and first responder markets. The 5.8 pound device transmits...

Atheros' new solution reduces 802.11g costs

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Donny Jackson

Atheros Communications launched the AR5007EG chip, an integrated 802.11g PCI Express solution designed to provide cost-effective wireless local area network,...

January '07 Products

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Replacement battery for Mag Ones Wireless Accessories Unlimited now offers a replacement battery for the Motorola BPR40 Mag One radio. The 1400 mAh NiMH...

Other

Website showcase

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Aeroflex's www.p25.com Web site is designed to keep you up-to-date on Project 25, the public-safety communications standard dedicated...

Corrections

Jan 1, 2007 12:00 PM

In the article, Professor might have solved SDR, (MRT, November 2006) Charles Bostian was identified as being with the University of Virginia. He actually...