Speakers: Smart meter sector needs help from regulators 

By: By Glenn Bischoff

ORLANDO--Currently, smart meter penetration nationwide is less than 5%, and use of the intelligent devices won’t proliferate—and consumers won’t reap their full benefits—until regulators change the way they think. So said two speakers yesterday at the Utilities Telecom Council’s annual conference...

Trilliant, Motorola partner on wireless meter reading system 

By: By Mary Rose Roberts

Trilliant, a provider of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) based on open standards, and Motorola announced that they have co-developed an advanced meter communications solutions for iDEN public and private utility customers...

Scrapping of ‘virtual’ border fence just rumor, DHS says 

By: By Mary Rose Roberts

A $20 million, 28-mile prototype (P-28) ‘virtual’ fence built by Boeing Co. developed to thwart illegal immigration along the Mexico-U.S. border hasn’t met border control agents’ needs, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported. However, the federal government has no plans to scrap the program as recently reported by the mainstream press, said Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Laura Keehner...

Florida EMS deploys wireless solution for mission-critical communications 

By: By Mary Rose Roberts

The Lake-Sumter (Fla.) Emergency Medical Services announced today that it has deployed Novatel Wireless’ Merlin PC720 modems and Junxion Box routers to bolster the effectiveness of its wireless, in-vehicle emergency response systems that connect ambulances to the county’s EMS communications center via Sprint’s network...

Federal Signal unveils public-safety suite 

By: By Mary Rose Roberts

Federal Signal’s Safety and Security Systems Group announced a suite of interoperability systems that support public emergency-warning systems as well as first-responder mobile data applications...

FCC approves rules for wireless text alerts 

By: By Donny Jackson

FCC commissioners this week approved an order to establish a program for commercial wireless carriers to deliver text-message alerts and critical information to their customers during disasters or other emergencies, although many questions remain regarding its implementation...

Firetide introduces tri-band mesh infrastructure 

By: By Mary Rose Roberts

Los Gatos, Calif.-based Firetide this week unveiled the tri-band capability of its HotPoint access points and HotClient client premises equipment to expand the functionality of its mesh nodes....

Motorola touts geolocation for TV 'white spaces' 

By: By Donny Jackson

Use of geolocation technology could help ensure that devices operating in TV “white spaces” spectrum do not interfere with broadcast signals, thereby potentially unlocking significant swaths of spectrum for wireless communications, according to Motorola...

Motorola announces plan to split company 

By: By Donny Jackson

Mobile wireless giant Motorola today announced plans to divide the company into two units, splitting the struggling handset division from the rest of the firm...

Verizon, AT&T emerge as big winners of 700 MHz auction 

By: By Donny Jackson

U.S. wireless giants Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility bought the most spectrum and spent the most money on airwaves in the recently completed 700 MHz auction, the FCC reported yesterday as part of the first disclosures regarding the bidding process...

700 MHz auction concludes with just one D Block bid 

By: By Donny Jackson

Bidding in the FCC’s 700 MHz auction concluded today after 260 rounds, with high bids for 1091 licenses totaling $19.592 billion but only one below-reserve price bid for the D Block tied to a shared-network proposal for a nationwide wireless broadband network for public safety...

Upstart announces plans for spectrum marketplace 

By: By Donny Jackson

After a year in stealth mode, Spectrum Bridge today announced the launch of its company, which plans to build an online, real-time spectrum commodities market to let spectrum holders monetize underutilized airwaves and allow entities to lease licensed spectrum for operations...

IWCE: Rugged encryption key management device 

By: By Glenn Bischoff

LAS VEGAS--Tait Radio Communications introduced during IWCE 2008 in Las Vegas this week its Key Fill Device that is designed to let a tactical squad or SWAT team quickly and efficiently load an encryption key onto radios in the field...

IWCE: Space Data keeps its feet on the ground to provide iDEN offering 

By: By Donny Jackson

LAS VEGAS--Arizona-based Space Data will use its nationwide 900 MHz spectrum to extend iDEN services in the United States, particularly in rural areas, the company announced this week at the International Wireless Communication Expo (IWCE) at the Las Vegas Convention Center...

IWCE: Motorola introduces new mobile DVR system 

By: By Donny Jackson

LAS VEGAS--Public-safety communications giant Motorola this week is announcing DigitalPatroller DP-2, a new in-vehicle digital video recorder (DVR) at the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) at the Las Vegas Convention Center...