| FRIDAY - AUGUST 24, 2007 - ISSUE NO. 275 |
Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging, One of my earliest memories is about a terrible tragedy that occurred in the town where we lived. I was only five years old. On March 25, 1947, a mine exploded in Centralia, Illinois killing 111 miners. [source] Since I sincerely believe that paging technology (both one-way and two-way) can be used to save lives, news about mining tragedies and technology really catch my attention. Maybe someone reading this newsletter will have an idea for a new product that can be used far below the earth's surface — to save the lives of miners. Here is another news article about the recent tragedy in Utah: Tragedy to hasten work on devices that can save lives Messages of hope sent to miners on pager-like devices By Robert Gehrke In the hours and days after the Crandall Canyon mine collapse, rescuers sent repeated messages to the pager-like devices carried by the six miners trapped in the mountain: We're coming. No one knows, or will likely ever know, if the messages were received. And after more than two weeks of guesswork and punching a half-dozen holes, the miners still have not been found. Emerging technology, however, could allow real-time tracking of miners' locations and potentially allow two-way wireless communication with miners underground. Such advances, in this case, could have wiped away any uncertainty. "First, you would have been able to pinpoint the location of the miners," said Davitt McAteer, the former director of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. "That would have been able to focus your energy and efforts right there. Second, you could have made a more informed judgment [about the rescue]." Without that information, mine operators and federal regulators spent painful days punching hole after fruitless hole in a practice that mine co-owner Robert Murray referred to as "trial and error." And three rescuers were killed with six others injured trying to dig through caved-in tunnels without any idea where the miners were trapped or whether they were alive. "If you knew where those fellows were, that would have created a whole different dynamic," McAteer said. Last year, in the wake of the Sago and other mine disasters, Congress passed the Miner Act, which set a three-year deadline for all U.S. mines to install some sort of communication system - ideally a two-way wireless system - that could withstand a mine disaster. West Virginia set tighter deadlines, with companies expected to start installing systems by the end of the year. The Crandall Canyon miners were equipped with personal emergency devices - or PEDs - one-way text message devices that have proven life-saving. In 1998, a fire broke out in the Willow Creek mine near Price and the entire crew was evacuated within 45 minutes. Less than two years later, a series of explosions erupted in the same mine. Two men were killed in the initial explosions, but evacuation alerts allowed the rest of the miners to escape. Despite the success, there was no requirement that mines use the system and few mines have them today, although they could have been life-saving in both Sago and the Aracoma Alma mine disasters in West Virginia. In Utah, mining coal under 3,000 feet of mountain makes communicating difficult. So, rather than trying to blast signals through the earth, several companies are looking at relaying signals along the mine tunnels. Helicomm Inc., based in Carlsbad, Calif., has built a system similar to an underground cell-phone network, which relays wireless signals from receiver to receiver until it reaches the servers outside the mine. The display shows a miner's location within 100 feet and updates every 30 seconds. "What we can do is actually look down in the mine and see what's going on, know where everyone is with some pretty good precision," said Ken Hill, director of sales for Helicomm. The technology is installed in a demonstration mine in West Virginia. Virginia-based InSeT Systems' chief technology officer, Russell Breeding, who spent years on Navy submarines, developed a wireless tracking device using the same technology in the sub's missile guidance systems. The system can pinpoint the location of miners within three meters at any second, and works on a "mesh" system with multiple lines of communication designed to help it withstand potential disasters. "We expect to have damage and our system is designed for worst-case operations," said Breeding, who last month conducted an underground demonstration at American Century mine in Ohio, which is owned by Murray. "The goal in this whole thing is to get something on these guys to make sure stuff doesn't keep happening." J. Brett Harvey, president of Consol Energy Inc., which operates 20 mines, including several in Utah, said that communication technology is one area Congress should look at after Crandall Canyon. But his company has been working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to test systems and, "Our main conclusion was that there was no silver bullet technology yet available - meaning no one technology worked in all situations," Harvey said at the annual Utah Mining Association conference Thursday. NIOSH has tested more than 60 communication and tracking designs and reported that "presently no system has been demonstrated that meets the most basic requirement for emergency communications." There is reason for optimism, the agency said, but it's unlikely that any system will be able to reach all parts of the mine or survive the worst disasters, and implementation could take two to three years. "I think everyone understands there is a compelling need for this and it's an area where we've been trying to put a lot of emphasis," said Carol Raulston, spokeswoman for the National Mining Association. "I think in the interim, everyone is looking and is improving what they have already. So it's certainly better than it was; it's not as good as it could be." But McAteer says that mine operators shouldn't wait to install the best system just because no perfect system is available. "The problem one has is that the amount of information you have from underground is quite limited," he said. "The more information you can get, the better your chances of being successful or knowing when to stop." Now on to more news and views. . . |
A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter gets posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the Internet. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Data companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers—so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers' comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Data communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it. NOTE: This newsletter is best viewed at screen resolutions of 800x600 (good) or 1024x768 (better). Any current revision of web browser should work fine. Please notify me of any problems with viewing. This site is compliant with XHTML 1.0 transitional coding for easy access from wireless devices. (XML 1.0/ISO 8859-1.) Anyone wanting to help support The Wireless Messaging Newsletter can do so by clicking on the PayPal DONATE button above. | |||||||||||
| ENTERPRISE WIRELESS ALLIANCE |
| ENTERPRISE WIRELESS ALLIANCE |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AAPC BULLETIN |
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER |
| |||||||||||
This is a USB modem based on the G24 Data modem (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) — this equipment is for the transmission of data and voice using GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular technology. When it is connected to a USB port of a device like a personal computer, it allows the user to communicate over the Internet or to make telephone calls, anywhere in the world [system dependent]. GPRS technology facilitates data communication from 85.6 Kbps up to 236.8 Kbps using the multislot class 10 provision of the EDGE protocol. In addition to data communication, and voice-telephone calls, the USB modem can also communicate over CSD* connections, it can send and receive SMS messages, as well as all the "smart" functions of today's cellphones like call scheduling, call transfer, and others. Special Offer: $235.00
Llacom, S.A. de C.V. |
El módem USB esta basado en el Data módem G24 (GSM/GPRS/EDGE), es un equipo para la transmisión de datos y voz, utilizando la tecnología celular GSM/GPRS/EDGE. Cuando está conectado con el puerto USB de un dispositivo como una computadora personal, permite al usuario comunicarse a Internet o hacer llamadas telefónicas en cualquier parte el mundo. La tecnología GPRS permite la comunicación de datos a velocidades hasta de 85.6 Kbps y hasta 236.8 Kbps en multislot clase 10 para EDGE. El modem USB puede efectuar además de la comunicación de datos, llamadas telefónicas de voz, conexiones mediante CSD*, recepción y envió de SMS y todas las funciones sabidas de un dispositivo celular, como agenda telefónica, transferencia de llamadas, entre otras. Oferta Especial: $235.00 USD
Llacom, S.A. de C.V. | ||||
| * CSD Circuit Switched Data is the original form of data transmission developed for the time division multiple access (TDMA)-based mobile phone systems like Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). CSD uses a single radio time slot to deliver 9.6 kbit/s data transmission to the GSM Network and Switching Subsystem where it could be connected through the equivalent of a normal modem to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) allowing direct calls to any dial-up service. (Wikipedia) | * CSD (del inglés Circuit Switched Data). Es una tecnología de conexión de datos alternativa al GPRS. Una conexión CSD es considerada una "llamada de datos". Es muy similar a una llamada de voz, pero con la codificación/decodificación (codecs) de voz desactivados. Ocupa el mismo ancho de banda que una llamada por voz. |
| ||||||
Alaska Supreme Court Decision Could Impact Wireless Safety Issues By Teresa von Fuchs The Alaska Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board awarding an AT&T equipment installer 100% disability benefits due to his exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation at levels slightly above the FCC's safety limit. AT&T worker John Orchitt complained of headaches, eye pain and "mental slowing" following an incident where he was exposed to a 6 GHz signal operating at about 90 W. When Orchitt entered the job site, the amplifier was supposed to have been turned off, but he soon discovered that the wrong amplifier had been disabled. According to EMR Policy Institute, a consumer advocacy group specializing in wireless health issues, Orchitt's MRI after the incident showed, "tiny areas of hypersensitivity in the frontal lobes." Orchitt's RF exposure level was well below the FCC's recognized level of "thermal" harm. Though the FCC claims there are no scientifically established harmful effects to a person's health when exposed to RF levels below the thermal threshold, the Alaska Worker Compensation Board's decision agrees with medical experts' findings of adverse health effects occurring above the FCC safety limit but below the thermal threshold. AT&T appealed the workers compensation board's decision initially to Alaska's superior court and then to Alaska's Supreme Court, which upheld the board's original decision, stating, "The board has the sole power to determine witness credibility and assign weight to medical testimony. When medical experts disagree about the cause of an employee's injury, we have held that as a general rule, 'it is undeniably the province of the Board and not this court to decide who to believe and who to distrust.'" According to the EMR, "This precedent-setting case opens the door for any wireless industry or maintenance worker who has been exposed to antenna arrays on the job site that have not been shut off to file disability claims should they suffer similar cognitive and neurological symptoms. U.S. wireless service providers are not required to document compliance with FCC RF safety limits by on-site radiation measurements. Millions of workers occupy work sites on a daily basis where operating antenna arrays are camouflaged and where no workplace RF safety program is carried out." There are several other health-related suits facing the wireless industry across the country, and though the specifics vary, as EMR said, in a statement, this case, "could hold significant financial impact for the wireless industry going forward." AT&T declined to comment on the case, though an AT&T spokesperson did confirm that "All of AT&T's handsets and wireless towers " |
Source: WirelessWEEK
Wireless Messaging Software
| Newsletter repair prices—starting at:
**Special pricing on cellular and pager refurbishment**
Ask for Special Newsletter Pricing. Please call: (800) 222-6075 ext. 306 for pricing.
|
 The Best in Paging Is Also the Biggest!
Zetron’s Model 2700:
Contact Zetron today to discuss your paging needs.
| SATELLITE CONTROL FOR PAGING SYSTEMS $500.00 FLAT RATE TAPS—Texas Association of Paging Services is looking for partners on 152.480 MHz. Our association currently uses Echostar, formerly Spacecom, for distribution of our data and a large percentage of our members use the satellite to key their TXs. We have a CommOneSystems Gateway at the uplink in Chicago with a back-up running 24/7. Our paging coverage area on 152.480 MHz currently encompasses Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Kansas. The TAPS paging coverage is available to members of our Network on 152.480 MHz for $.005 a transmitter (per capcode per month), broken down by state or regions of states and members receive a credit towards their bill for each transmitter which they provide to our coverage. Members are able to use the satellite for their own use If you are on 152.480 MHz or just need a satellite for keying your own TXs on your frequency we have the solution for you. TAPS will provide the gateways in Chicago, with Internet backbone and bandwidth on our satellite channel for $ 500.00 (for your system) a month. Contact Ted Gaetjen @ 1-800-460-7243 or tedasap@asapchoice.com |
 |
For information call 480-515-2344 or visit our website | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NRG™ batteries by Motorola* |
| ||||||||||||||
| NEWS FLASH — SATELLITE FAILURES
DON’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SATELLITE OUTAGE Allow us to uplink your paging data to two separate satellites for complete redundancy! CVC owns and operates two separate earth stations and specializes in uplink services for paging carriers. Join our list of satisfied uplink customers.
For inquires please call or e-mail Stephan Suker at 800-696-6474 or steves@cvcpaging.com | New ReFLEX Telemetry Module
Download the complete specification here. CONTACT: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Want to help the newsletter? Become a SPONSOR Promote your company's image with one of these posters.
For more details, and pricing on the various advertising options please click here | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Connecticut colleges launch new security measures, alert systems 9:13 AM EDT, August 24, 2007 STORRS, Conn. (AP) — New surveillance cameras, flashing emergency lights, alert sirens and text-messaging systems will greet thousands of college students as they return to Connecticut campuses over the next few weeks. The University of Connecticut and other colleges have boosted their security procedures and technology in response to last spring's killings on the Virginia Tech campus, officials said this week. "Virginia Tech taught us that you couldn't rely on just one system to notify people," said Barry Feldman, the University of Connecticut's vice president and chief operating officer. UConn has retrofitted 220 emergency phones throughout its Storrs campus so they can flash emergency lights and broadcast urgent announcements, officials said. The campus siren system, which dates to the 1950s, also is being updated because the old sirens were not powerful enough to be heard throughout the entire campus, Feldman said. Eight new sirens were added on the Storrs campus, where they can play recorded messages or a live announcement through loudspeakers. The sirens have to be tested daily, which will be accomplished by playing music for one minute around lunchtime, Feldman said. UConn and several other colleges statewide also have started using new technology to send emergency messages to the cell phones, e-mail addresses and voice mail accounts of students, teachers and employees. Colleges and universities nationwide have revamped their emergency response and notification procedures since last spring's attacks at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people and committed suicide. Some colleges already had started revamping their security measures before the attacks. At Mitchell College in New London, for instance, a new alert system was purchased about a week before the Virginia Tech killings. It sends messages to students and families by telephone, cell phone, pager, e-mail and other technology. "The goal is to find the ultimate mode, and best mode, of communication," Mitchell spokeswoman Renee Fournier said. "It may be different for each student." The Connecticut State University system — made up of Eastern, Central, Southern and Western state universities — also has formed a task force to identify troubled students and develop ways to head off potential violence, said Mark McLaughlin, a Central spokesman. "Sometimes it's not your kid, but it's your kid's roommate. It's all about weaving the safety net very densely," Williams said. |
Source: Newsday.com
Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data WiPath manufactures a wide range of highly unique and innovative hardware and software solutions in paging and mobile data for:
I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for WiPath Communications. Please contact me directly for any additional information. |
SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Should You Sue Your Wireless Carrier? Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:08 AM PT Posted by Tom Spring Sick and tired of bad service and bungled bills from your wireless carrier? Amazingly wireless carriers, anticipating discontent, covered their rear ends when you signed up for service. Verizon's contract stipulates: "You agree that, by entering into this Agreement, you and AT&T are each waiving the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a class action." AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile include similar language in its wireless contract with its customers, according to an excellent BusinessWeek story "Cell-Phone Contract Disputes Heat Up." According the report a case brought against AT&T Wireless by its customers was dismissed by a judge based on an anti-litigation clause in the customers' contract. Disgruntled Win Small Victories According the BusinessWeek story written by Olga Kharif, consumers wishing to take their wireless providers to court – despite anti-lawsuit language in terms of service contracts – are finding success. A California court ruled that AT&T's contract banning customers from banding together in class actions, "is unconscionable, and, thus, unenforceable." The ruling, Kharif states, "could prompt an increase in the number of similar legal actions in other states." That could be good news for AT&T customers who purchased iPhones and are sueing AT&T and Apple because of the way it will handle iPhone batter replacements. The bad news, according to experts cited in the story, is that an uptick in legal cases will likely translate into higher wireless service fees. How do wireless carriers get away with this stuff? |
Source: PCWorld
GTES, LLC
GTES has recently made the strategic decision to expanding its development activities to include wireless location technologies; a market that researchers forecast could reach $3.6 billion by 2010. In support of this new strategic direction, GTES has developed SHERLOC™ a complete one-stop wireless location service, providing the flexibility of being protocol neutral and network agnostic. Targeted at business customers who need to track their high-value shipments or better manage their service or delivery fleets, SHERLOC™ is a hosted application that combines configuration flexibility with ease of use. GTES is offering SHERLOC™ services both directly and through authorized resellers. If your company has an interest in finding out how location services can enhance your revenue stream, and has the contacts and expertise to make you successful in the location marketplace, please contact us for further information at www.sherlocgps.com and select “Reseller Opportunities,” or call us at 770-754-1666 for more information. www.gtesinc.com GTES is the only Glenayre authorized software support provider in the Paging industry. With over 200 years of combined experience in Glenayre hardware and software support, GTES offers the industry the most professional support and engineering development staff available. Continued Support Programs CALL US TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT NEEDS
|
 Prism Message Gateway Systems Your Choice of Options
Popular Choice for Domestic and International
Logical Choice
Go ahead . . . be choosy . . . choose Prism Systems International
Streaming Video from the | |||||||||
| |
Cell phone ban for young drivers approved in Oregon August 20, 2007 Gov. Ted Kulongoski has signed a bill into law that enables law enforcement in Oregon to pull over the state’s youngest drivers for using cell phones. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2008. The new law, previously HB2872, prohibits drivers under 18 from using any cell phone, pager or BlackBerry-type device while at the wheel. Police could only ticket offenders for chatting on the phone after pulling them over for another traffic offense. Rep. Greg Macpherson, D-Lake Oswego, the bill’s author, said the intent of the legislation is to make sure new drivers stay off their cell phones. Violators would face up to $90 fines. At least a dozen states already ban or restrict young drivers from using cell phones. Currently, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have the only statewide laws restricting hand-held cell phone use for all drivers. In 2008, California and Washington are slated to implement their own rule. No state prohibits hands-free usage for all drivers. |
Source: Land line Magazine
We at Unication have listened and delivered.
About Unication Co., Ltd.
|
|
| BLOOSTON, MORDKOFSKY, DICKENS, DUFFY & PRENDERGAST, LLP |
BloostonLaw Telecom Update
FCC Sets 700 MHz Auction Date; Buildout Requirements Prove Unfriendly To Small, Rural Carriers Auction 73 Scheduled for January 16, 2008; Comments on Bidding Procedures Due August 31, Replies Due September 7, 2007 When the FCC adopted its 700 MHz auction rules at its July 31 open meeting, Commissioner Robert McDowell, in his partial dissent, said that the “majority has fashioned a highly tailored garment that may fit no one.” Although McDowell was referring primarily to the band plan and the “open access” conditions, his remark could easily apply to some of the onerous buildout requirements and sanctions buried in the 352-page text of the Commission’s Second Report and Order. In short, some of the strict build out restrictions applicable to small licenses will have an adverse affect on many small and rural bidders. As a result, we strongly suggest that our clients interested in the upcoming auction consider participating in a Petition for Reconsideration of these build out requirements. The Commission has also released a Public Notice announcing that the 700 MHz auction (1,099 licenses in the 698-806 MHz band), designated as Auction No. 73, is scheduled to begin January 16, 2008. In Auction 73, the Commission will make available 176 licenses over Economic Areas (EAs) in the A Block, 734 licenses over Cellular Market Areas (CMAs) in the B Block, 176 licenses over EAs in the E Block, 12 licenses over Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs) in the C Block, and one nationwide license, to be used as part of the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, in the D Block. BUILD OUT REQUIREMENTS In the text of its voluminous order, the FCC replaced the current “substantial service” requirements for the 700 MHz Band licenses that have not been auctioned with significantly more stringent performance requirements. These include the use of interim and end-of-term benchmarks, with geographic area benchmarks for licenses based on Cellular Marketing Areas (CMAs) and Economic Areas (EAs), and population benchmarks for licenses based on Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs). Licensees must meet the interim requirement within four years of the end of the digital television (DTV) transition (i.e., February 17, 2013). Failure to meet the interim requirement will result in a two-year reduction in license term, as well as possible enforcement action, including forfeitures. The FCC also reserved the right for those that fail to meet their interim benchmarks to impose a proportional reduction in the size of the licensed area. Licensees that fail to meet the end-of-term benchmarks will be subject to a “keep-what-you-use” rule, under which the licensee will lose its authorization for unserved portions of its license area, which will be returned to the Commission for reassignment. They may also be subject to potential enforcement action, including possible forfeitures or cancellation of license. The Commission also imposed certain reporting requirements intended to help the Commission monitor build out progress during the license term. The Commission said it expects that licensees will take these construction requirements seriously and proceed toward providing service with utmost diligence. It does not envision granting waivers or extensions of construction periods except where unavoidable circumstances beyond the licensee’s control delay construction. In addition, the FCC said the “keep-what -you-use” rule provides additional methods for making smaller license areas available, thus promoting access to spectrum and the provision of service, especially in rural areas. This rule ensures that others are given an opportunity to acquire spectrum that is not adequately built out and provide services to those who reside in those areas. Some of the new rules that may make it more difficult for small and rural carriers to successfully bid on and retain 700 MHz licenses include: 1. Geographic build out obligations for Cellular Market Areas (CMAs): The FCC’s decision to impose a 70% geographic buildout obligation on CMA licensees will likely prove impractical in many RSAs, were it may be possible to cover 90% of the population by putting a signal over less than 50% of the land area. 2. “Punishments” for failure to build out: The new rules provide that licensees failing to meet the interim build out obligation will have two years shaved off of their license term; and that licensees failing to meet the final build out benchmark will have the unserved areas of their license reclaimed and sold again at auction. These measures certainly provide an incentive to meet the construction benchmarks. However, the 700 MHz Order reveals that the FCC has reserved the right to issue monetary fines, reclaim unserved license areas after the interim benchmark, and cancel the entire license, if an auction winner fails to fully meet the construction benchmarks. No guidance is given as to the circumstances that will trigger these “extra” punishments, and how much any fines would amount to. Therefore, these sanctions create uncertainty in assessing whether and how much to bid in the auction. Does an auction winner have 10 years to complete its build out? Or will the FCC swoop in after only four years? 3. The auction rules provide that the FCC can reclaim unserved areas from a licensee for failure to provide the necessary coverage, but appear to provide no “buffer zone” to protect the licensee’s existing operations. Instead, the rules can be read to suggest that every square inch left uncovered by a licensee can be reclaimed and sold again. In the real world, co-channel operations must be separated by a sufficient buffer zone to prevent interference. 4. Tribal land coverage: The construction rules indicate that it is not generally necessary to count Federal, state or local government-owned lands in determining the geographic area that CMA and EA licensees must cover to meet their build out obligations. However, Tribal lands must be counted, even if they are federally managed. If a Tribal government is not cooperative, the licensee may not be able to meet its build out requirement. 5. Licensees will be required to submit two “interim” construction progress reports, at the end of the second and seventh years following the DTV transition (i.e., on February 17, 2011 and February 17, 2016). These reports will be in addition to the construction reports that must be filed within 15 days after the build out benchmark deadlines. These extra reports will only increase the regulatory burden on smaller licensees. As described above, we invite interested clients to participate in a Petition for Reconsideration addressing many of the above issues, as well as others that may surface as we examine the auction rules more carefully. In the meantime, our clients should keep the above issues in mind as they evaluate their auction strategy. Obviously, the FCC’s stricter construction rules, and potentially severe punishments, may force auction participants to focus their bidding only on those licenses for which they are reasonably assured they can meet the build out obligations. FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON AUCTION PROCEDURES In its August 17 Public Notice, the FCC has requested comment on detailed procedures for Auction 73, including, among other things, procedures for (1) anonymous bidding, to enhance competition by safeguarding against potential anti-competitive auction strategies; (2) applicants trying to combine multiple C Block licenses to place bids on packages of those licenses; (3) block-specific aggregate reserve prices, to help assure that the public recovers a portion of the licenses’ value; and (4) offering licenses for the relevant block(s) in a prompt subsequent auction in the event auction results do not satisfy applicable reserve prices. Our clients interested in the auction will want to participate in comments encouraging the FCC to award fair bid credit levels to small bidders. They will also want to encourage a reasonable reserve price for the smaller license blocks. Contingent Subsequent Auction: In the 700 MHz Second Report and Order, the Commission concluded that if licenses for the A, B, C or E Blocks are not assigned because the auction results for the licenses as initially offered do not satisfy the applicable aggregate reserve price(s), the public interest will be served by offering alternative licenses for the relevant blocks as soon as possible after the initial auction. Similarly, if the license for the D Block is not assigned because the auction results do not satisfy the reserve price applicable to that license, the license for the D Block may be offered again in a prompt subsequent auction. Any alternative A, B and E Block licenses will be subject to alternative performance requirements. With respect to the C Block, any alternative licenses will be based on different geographic areas and spectrum bandwidth. In addition, the alternative C Block licenses will not be subject to the open platform (i.e., “open access” or “wireless Carterfone”) conditions applicable to the licenses initially offered for the C Block. Comments in this AU Docket No. 07-157 proceeding are due August 31, and replies are due September 7. The BloostonLaw Telecom Update newsletter will be on vacation during the remainder of August. We will resume publication on September 12. |
Source: Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy and Prendergast, LLP
For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com
| BLOOSTON, MORDKOFSKY, DICKENS, DUFFY & PRENDERGAST, LLP |
| EUROPEAN MOBILE MESSAGING ASSOCIATION |
|
| EUROPEAN MOBILE MESSAGING ASSOCIATION |
CUSTOM APPLICATIONS
Please call me so we can discuss your need or your idea. Or contact me by e-mail for more information |
Advertise Here
|
|
• FIREHOUSES • SCHOOLS • PUBLIC FACILITIES • GOVERNMENT FACILITIES • EMERGENCY ROOMS • WHAT DO FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES, WISPS, HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ALL USE NIGHTHAWK. Nighthawk Systems Inc. manufactures low cost and reliable remote control products for fire house alerting, volunteer alerting, activation of warning signs and sirens, and a number of applications for public safety. The Company manufactures the EA1 and the FAS-8 which have been designed specifically for these applications. Both products are paging based and will work with any public or private paging network. They are available in all VHF, UHF, and 900 MHz paging frequencies. The products can serve as the primary notification system or an excellent, low-cost backup to existing systems.
The EA1 is the solution for remotely activating public warning signage. Examples include tornado sirens, flash flood warnings, fire danger, Amber Alert, icy roads, etc. The EA1 can also send text messages to scrolling signs. This can occur in conjunction with the activation of audible alarms and visual strobes. This is ideal for public notification in buildings, schools, hotels, factories, etc. The group call feature allows for any number of signs or flashing lights to be activated at the same time over a wide geographic area. In addition, the EA1 Emergency Alert is the perfect solution for low cost yet highly effective alerting of volunteer fire fighters in their home. When activated the EA1 will emit an audible alarm and activate the power outlet on the units faceplate. A common setup is to simply place the EA1 on a table and plug a lamp into the faceplate. When paged from dispatch or any touch tone phone the EA1 will awaken the fire fighter to a lit room. As an option the EA1 can be ordered with a serial cable, allowing for attachment of a serial printer. When paged the alphanumeric message will be printed out at the same time the alarm sounds and the outlet is activated. The EA1 is an ideal complement to alphanumeric belt pagers common to volunteers.
The FAS-8 is designed for activating one or more relays in a firehouse and if desired, printing the alphanumeric message to a serial printer. For this application the FAS-8 is set to activate upon receiving the proper paging cap code sent from 911 dispatch. Up to eight different devices can be activated all with individual time functions. The most common devices to turn on include the PA amplifier, audible wake up alarm, and house lights. The most common device turned off is the stove. The FAS-8 can accept up to 8 different cap codes and have separate relay and time functions per cap code. This allows for different alerting to be accomplished at the same physical location depending upon which cap code is sent. This can be very helpful when fire crews and medical crews are housed in the same building.
Put the innovative technology of Nighthawk to work for you. For more information on any of our products or services, please contact us. Nighthawk Systems, Inc. Phone: 877-764-4484 |
Please click here to e-mail Ayrewave. | |||||||
|
| ||||||||
Download Mr. Mercer's resumé. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
Complete Technical Services For The Ira Wiesenfeld, P.E.
| ||||||||
 |
Nokia extends lead in handsets as Motorola struggles August 23, 2007 1:12 pm ET Nokia tightened its grip on the global mobile phone market in the second quarter of this year, taking advantage of a stumble by Motorola and strong demand from emerging markets around the world, a market research study said Thursday. Motorola was the only one of the top five vendors to lose market share when compared against the second quarter of 2006, despite a strategy of cutting prices to save its second-place ranking, according to figures from analyst firm Gartner. The company ended up with a 14.6 percent market share, barely ahead of third-place vendor Samsung Electronics with 13.4 percent, followed by Sony Ericsson with 9 percent and LG Electronics with 6.8 percent. By contrast, Nokia used its dominant 36.9 percent share of the market to begin selling more-expensive products, such as the N95 it launched in March, a high-end phone with features like built-in GPS (global positioning system), a 5-megapixel camera and a MP3 music player. The company did stumble earlier this month when it issued a massive cell-phone battery recall after reports of overheating and then commit to offering free replacements for up to 46 million batteries. Overall, the cell-phone market saw sales rise by 17.4 percent to 270.9 million units in the second quarter of 2007, thanks largely to sales growth of 40.7 percent in Asia-Pacific and 24 percent in Latin America. Sales in mature markets were much slower, rising by only 7 percent in North America, 10.3 percent in Japan and 11 percent in Western Europe. Those trends will probably continue through the third quarter given that Motorola is unlikely to regain its previous market share in the 20 percent range until it makes substantial changes to its product portfolio, according to Carolina Milanesi, Gartner’s research director for mobile devices. Indeed, Motorola laid off 4,000 workers in May and announced a second-quarter loss of US$28 million in July. Executives promised to increase their investment in product development to recapture lost profits. However, any future forecast for the mobile phone market will include a new player, Apple, which launched its iPhone in the U.S. on June 29, just two days before the end of the second quarter. Because of that timing, Apple made very little impact on industry rankings for the period. That picture could change fast in the second half of 2007, since the iPhone saw strong sales in the U.S. and could launch in Europe as early as September, Milanesi said. |
Source: Macworld News
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
From: Stephen Oshinsky
Subject: Next Face-to-face Meeting
Date: August 20, 2007 1:43:40 PM CDT
To: Paging Technical Committee
It’s getting to be that time of year when we should be thinking about our next face-to-face meeting. During the last meeting in Myrtle Beach we discussed having the next F2F meeting on October 30th. It turns out that the EWA show is October 25-26 in San Antonio so we could meet a week earlier there (Oct 24th in the morning or 23rd in the afternoon). Please let me know if earlier would work for you.
Thanks,
Stephen M. Oshinsky
Director, Systems Architecture
601-460-3449
| UNTIL NEXT WEEK |
That's all for this week folks.
With best regards, 73 DE K9IQY | Brad Dye, Editor |  |  |
| Skype: braddye Telephone: 217-787-2346 E–mail: brad@braddye.com Wireless Consulting page Paging Information Home Page Marketing and Engineering Papers | | WIRELESS  MESSAGING |
| THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK |
|
| Anyone wanting to help support The Wireless Messaging Newsletter can do so by clicking on the PayPal DONATE button to the left. |
 | This newsletter is brought to you by the generous support of our advertisers and the courtesy of iland Internet Solutions Corporation. For more information about the web-hosting services available from iland Internet Solutions Corporation, please click on their logo to the left. |
| THE WIRELESS MESSAGING NEWSLETTER AND THE PAGING INFORMATION RESOURCE |
Membership Benefits: 
Stopwatch 
CLICK HERE 
CLICK HERE 
II 1 G EEx ia IIA T4
ICOM 
ATM300 
CLICK HERE 
If you see someone in the field (like salespeople, technicians, and delivery people) using paper forms, their company could probably save a pile of money, and get much better timeliness, accuracy and efficiency, by using converting to Outr.Net's Wireless Forms. Custom applications for as little as $995, delivered in just a few days.Outr.Net has a web page on Wireless Forms for Timeports at: 
