| FRIDAY - AUGUST 3, 2007 - ISSUE NO. 272 |
Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging, I hope you are enjoying the summer — those of you living north of the equator. I have a small garden this year and I am quite proud of my tomato crop.
It seems like the world of wireless takes new directions every day. Apple's new iPhone has caused a major change (for the better) in the cellphone market, and now Google is getting into the business as well.
Please check out the bilingual ad following, from my good friend Enrique Llaca of Llacom in Mexico City. We worked together for several years during my time of servitude at Motorola. He was the manager of paging product distribution in Mexico. There is a special offer for a wireless GSM/GPRS/EDGE-USB-modem device that will also make regular cellular telephone calls. (What'll they think of next?) 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. Everyone is welcome to use the Pagerman logo “for the good of the paging industry.” A slightly higher resolution copy is available for download here. | |||||||||||
| ENTERPRISE WIRELESS ALLIANCE |
| ENTERPRISE WIRELESS ALLIANCE |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS |
AAPC to send representatives to the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) Convention in August. APCO is the world’s largest organization dedicated to public safety communications, their members consist of emergency call centers, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, fire departments, forestry services, and others who work with communications systems that safeguard the world’s citizens. AAPC will be sharing a booth with one of our vendor members, Critical Response Systems to help promote the benefits of utilizing paging technology to this targeted audience. AAPC working with you to advance your business and the paging industry!
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| AAPC BULLETIN |
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER |
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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. |
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Hathaway (HWYI) Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Diabetes Detection, Inc. (DDI) Signs Development Deal with DAVISCOMMS (S) PTE LTD. Global Manufacturer to Develop Pager Technology with DDI to Detect and Monitor Diabetic Neuropathy Monday, July 30, 6:31 am ET PALO ALTO, CA—(MARKET WIRE)—July 30, 2007 — Hathaway Corporation (Other OTC: HWYI.PK - News), a company that focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing disruptive technologies in the telecommunications, medical devices, and software fields announced that their wholly owned subsidiary DDI has signed a product development and manufacturing deal with Daviscomms (S) Pte Ltd., a global player in design and manufacturing of wireless communications and electronic products. Under the terms of the deal, Daviscomms will integrate the patent pending DDI vibration technology into their pager units for the accurate detection and monitoring of diabetic neuropathy. A prototype of the device is anticipated as early as August 2007. DDI has already developed a prototype based on RIM’s BlackBerry® device. “We are excited to have an innovative global player in Daviscomms working closely with us in developing a pager unit that applies the DDI vibration technology. The device will be used by healthcare professionals worldwide to accurately detect and monitor diabetic neuropathy which can significantly increase a patient’s health outlook for years to come.” stated Mr. Reed Majors, President of DDI. “The DDI technology, coupled with our design and manufacturing capabilities, will deliver innovative telemedicine products that can assist healthcare professionals worldwide in the fight against diabetes. We’re proud to be associated with DDI and excited that this pioneering technology will ultimately impact millions of lives. We will readily assist DDI to penetrate global markets through our distribution partners worldwide.” stated Mr. KK Liew, Managing Director of Daviscomms (S) Pte Ltd. About DAVISCOMMS (S) PTE LTD Daviscomms is in the business of providing Contract Design and Manufacturing services for a wide range of high quality consumer and industrial wireless electronics products such as pagers and paging systems, telemetry modules, and mobile handheld devices. With customers all over the world, Daviscomms is at the forefront of the industry due to its commitment to leading-edge technology, cost-effective manufacturing and the highest degree of customer service. http://www.daviscomms.com.sg/index.htm About Hathaway Hathaway Global Inc. focuses on acquiring disruptive technologies in the telecommunications, medical devices, and software fields that can change or alter the way companies grow and service their businesses. Hathaway provides financial and infrastructural support to create revenue growth companies, positioning them to leverage the opportunities such technologies are typically capable of. Hathaway then offers the company on the public market or facilitates a buyout. To request further information about Hathaway, please email us at investors@hathawayglobal.com Safe Harbor This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approval for anticipated actions. Contacts:
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Source: Hathaway Corporation
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| 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 |
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Ooma Inc. Offers Free Domestic Calls By RACHEL KONRAD PALO ALTO, Calif. — A Silicon Valley startup wants to shake up the telecommunications industry with a $399 gizmo that provides free, unlimited domestic phone calls for homes with broadband Internet service. Ooma Inc. will also offer a free second line, conference calling, voice mail service and an online "lounge" where users may change their preferences or get voice mail in an e-mail format. The company will start selling the devices Thursday with an invitation-only offer to select U.S. residents. The company — backed by $27 million in venture capital — eventually hopes to crack the home-based and small-business niches. Engineers are working on a system that forwards calls to cellular phones. "It's nothing like anything a carrier can do currently," CEO Andrew Frame said. "Once you own the box, you don't have to pay ooma anything in the future." Frame and other executives assume, of course, that their company won't meet the same fate as other startups going up against telecommunication veterans. Earlier this week, Internet phone carrier SunRocket Inc. abruptly shut down, leaving more than 200,000 customers scrambling for alternate service. The No. 2 standalone Internet phone company after Vonage Holdings Corp. attracted customers with cheap plans and innovative features, but traditional phone and cable companies also lowered prices and started bundling their services. Now SunRocket customers are out of luck. Many signed up for prepaid service plans that cost $199 a year — and it's unclear whether they'll have any recourse. At Ooma's headquarters in Palo Alto, executives say the 43-person company will have a steady revenue stream from hardware sales and international calls. Ooma's rates start at 1 cent per minute to Europe and 8 cents per minute to India. Ooma, which has placed about 250,000 calls among 43 employees and 150 other "beta" testers, will compete against Voice over Internet Protocol services from companies such as eBay Inc.'s Skype division, which has 220 million registered users. Unlike Skype, which works best when the caller and recipient talk through their computers, ooma uses standard home phones. Domestic calls are free even if the recipient does not have the ooma box. Users plug in the so-called Hub — a white machine smaller than a macaroni-and-cheese box — to a broadband connection and primary phone. Ooma Scouts, which cost an additional $39 each, connect to every active phone extension — in the office, kitchen or kids' rooms. When you pick up the phone, you hear a melodic, digital dial tone. You place calls as you would normally and get voice mail by pushing a button on the Hub. You pay for international calls with a credit card online. The technology hinges on a patent-pending call-routing algorithm called "distributed termination," similar to peer-to-peer and distributed computing ideas. Traditional phone switches connect a local-toll or long-distance call through the public switched telephone network — but Ooma, which works with both cable and DSL, uses the Internet and P2P technology to connect the calls for free. Ooma's architecture allows it to bypass fees that most telephone providers pay to connect calls to landlines and cell phones. Ooma customers who maintain their landlines help enlarge the network by contributing their connections to a local calling area, allowing another ooma customer to use it to complete a call. Thanks to call-routing software, phone calls should not be affected if someone's line is being used by someone else. Frame said many customers would likely keep their landlines — if only because they want reliable 911 service. (Also, people who participate in the beta test must agree to keep their landlines.) If a user places a call through the landline without ooma, it would be subject to the regular charges. But even if a great majority of customers ditch their local phone lines, Frame said, there's plenty of unused bandwidth because so few people are at home during the day making phone calls. Patrick Monaghan, analyst for research firm Yankee Group, praised the programming-intensive approach to telecommunications, usually characterized by billion-dollar infrastructure investments and huge companies such as AT&T Inc. "Ooma is tapping into a category that is starving for a new solution," Monaghan said. EBay President and Chief Executive Meg Whitman, who oversaw the October 2005 acquisition of Skype for $2.1 billion, said ooma didn't threaten Skype. The division's second-quarter revenue was $90 million — 103 percent higher than the year-ago period. Skype members surged 94 percent in the past year. But Whitman said she's not surprised to have cross-town competition. Silicon Valley companies ranging from Mountain View-based startup Jajah Inc. to Cupertino-based Apple Inc. are engineering products that make established companies such as Verizon Communications Inc. and Motorola Inc. take notice. "Startups by their very nature try to launch products and services that are better for consumers — better functionality at lower cost," Whitman said, noting that eBay plans to aggressively invest in and expand Skype. "Like every startup, Skype needs our attention." |
Source: The Washington Post
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SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
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Springs attracts bids for citywide wireless access 3 firms show interest in building broadband networks By WAYNE HEILMAN Three companies are interested in building a citywide wireless broadband network, according to paperwork they have submitted to the city of Colorado Springs. Boulder-based Affinity Telecom Inc., Chicago area-based Federal Signal Corp. and Fort Collins-based Front Range Internet Inc. each proposed building such networks after the city asked companies to formally indicate interest. Their responses were due Tuesday. The three companies are the latest to show interest. In the past year, five other companies have approached the city about building wireless networks in the Springs. But none of those five — Azulstar Inc., EarthLink Inc., SpyPilot Networks Inc., Tropos Networks Inc. and Wav-Max LLC — submitted a proposal to the city. Several of those companies have found that such networks haven’t lived up to optimistic sales forecasts. So the companies have either stopped or curtailed new bids. The bids came a week before SkyTel Corp. will shut down two pilot networks Tuesday in downtown Colorado Springs and near Chapel Hills Mall. The networks had operated for 1½ years, but the company said they didn't attract enough customers to be profitable. Some potential bidders may not have responded because the city was asking companies only to formally declare interest rather than submit bids and award a contract, said André Sodbinow, who manages the city’s Information Technology office. “I’m not sure that the city is ready” to seek bids, Sodbinow said. “Companies are looking for a commitment from the city as an anchor tenant, and I just don’t think the city can commit to that at this point” amid budget shortfalls projected for 2008. More than 20 potential bidders, including Azulstar, Earth-Link, Tropos and WavMax, downloaded information packages from the city’s contracting Web site. Proposals from the three companies will be reviewed early next week by a committee, including representatives from city agencies and civic groups. The committee will recommend by early August whether the city should negotiate agreements with any providers, Sodbinow said. Both Affinity Telecom and Front Range Internet proposed citywide wireless networks that would sell service to consumers, businesses and government agencies. Bill Ward, Front Range chief executive, estimated such a network could cost up to $25 million to build. Front Range launched a pilot network Wednesday in downtown Fort Collins that is available free to anyone for 30 minutes, and after that sells for $29.95 a month for download speeds of up to 8 megabits per second. The service also is sold at hourly and daily rates. The company provides free access to the city of Fort Collins in exchange for waiving fees the city charges to attach transmitters to street lights. Front Range provides broadband and commercial fiberoptic services to 8,000 customers statewide. Affinity Telecom is best known for providing discount telephone and long-distance services to 5,000 Front Range consumers and local governments. The company would sell its wireless broadband service for $14.95 a month for download and upload speeds of 1.5 megabits per second. Fred Chernow, Affinity Telecom’s chief executive, said Wednesday that the company and its partner, Toronto-based Bel-Air Networks Inc., expect to sign a contract within days to build a network for a Denver-area city, which he declined to identify. Federal Signal on Monday won a contract to build a citywide wireless network that would begin operating by year’s end in the Indianapolis suburb of Beech Grove, Ind. The company was one of five bidders this month to build a wireless network in Albuquerque. John Segvich, a Federal Signal spokesman, said he was aware of the bid but did not know any details about what the company had proposed. |
Source: The Gazette
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
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e2Campus Partners with Alertus Technologies to Offer Simultaneous Emergency Notifications to Radio Controlled Alert Beacons, Mobile Phones, Email, Web Pages and More Posted : Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:24:56 GMT HOLLYWOOD, Fla., July 30 /PRNewswire/ — From the ACUTA 36th Annual Conference & Exhibition, Omnilert™, LLC, maker of the leading mass notification system for higher education called e2Campus™, today announced that their e2Campus technology will simultaneously broadcast urgent messages to radio controlled Alertus Notification Beacons. This will enable a wider transmission of time-sensitive mass communication to reach all visitors, students, faculty, and staff in campus buildings. Through a centralized interface, any authorized campus official can conveniently push an urgent message to the campus Web site, to Alertus Notification Beacons and digital signage systems around campus, and to the mobile phones, email accounts, and RSS readers of the entire campus community. This new mass notification delivery method is available today for purchase and implementation. Current e2Campus customers should contact Alertus Technologies for details to install alert beacons on their campus. Current Alertus Technologies customers should contact e2Campus to learn how they can setup a mass notification in less than an hour. The e2Campus service costs about $1 per user per year, depending on the total number of recipients to be covered. Alertus solutions can be purchased starting at $4,950 or may be leased. About e2Campus Endorsed by Security On Campus Inc. and used by schools around the country, e2Campus is the Web-based mass notification system that enables school officials to self-administer and send time-sensitive messages for a fraction of the cost and complexity of existing notification solutions. There is no traditional software to install, no hardware to buy and no additional phone lines needed. A school can set up a secure notification system in minutes to send routine, urgent or emergency notifications to their entire campus community or smaller groups, such as multiple campuses, residence halls, staff-only or sports news. e2Campus instantly and simultaneously sends mass alerts to a subscriber's mobile phone (via SMS text message), wireless PDA, text pager, e-mail accounts, and RSS reader, plus Alertus Notification Beacons, digital signage, and relevant Web pages. To learn more, visit http://www.e2campus.com/. About Alertus Technologies Alertus Technologies, LLC helps campuses solve the emergency response challenge of notifying thousands of students and staff occupying dozens or hundreds of buildings of a threat or crisis. The Alertus solution is a simple, easy to use, essential tool for instantly communicating with your campus community in any emergency — violent acts/terrorism, natural disasters, hazardous materials incidents, and epidemics. In seconds, safety leaders can deliver a clear, informative message to all or a select group of areas, buildings, or corridors by activating wireless wall-mounted Alertus Notification Beacons. Alertus Technologies was established in 2002 after a tornado ravaged the University of Maryland campus killing two students and threatening thousands of other students and staff. To learn more, visit http://www.alertustech.com/. About Omnilert Omnilert, LLC is the leading provider of selective mass communications for sending time-sensitive information to large groups of people. The self- service, Web-based system enables a single person to communicate timely information to thousands of people anywhere, anytime, on any device. It is ideal for announcing school closings, game cancellations, weather warnings, terrorist alerts, and marketing promotions. The system is built around a reliable SMS text messaging system that sends content directly to a mobile phone, as well as an e-mail address, Web page, pager, RSS reader, digital sign, or alert beacon. Omnilert solutions are sold under the names e2Campus, Amerilert, RainedOut and through resellers. The privately held company is headquartered in Leesburg, Va., and at http://www.omnilert.com/ online. Omnilert, LLC CONTACT: Bryan Crum of Omnilert, +1-800-936-3525 x703, |
Source: EARTHtimes.org
We at Unication have listened and delivered.
About Unication Co., Ltd.
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| BLOOSTON, MORDKOFSKY, DICKENS, DUFFY & PRENDERGAST, LLP |
BloostonLaw Telecom Update 700 MHz Order FCC Adopts “Open Access” For 22 MHz C-Block, Single CMA License In Lower Band, Plus Public Safety/Private Network Partnership Despite the efforts of BloostonLaw and other rural wireless industry advocates, the FCC, at its open meeting yesterday, July 31, declined to adopt more than a single Cellular Marketing Area (CMA) license for the upcoming 700 MHz Band auction in January. The Commission did adopt “open access” requirements for the 22 MHz C-Block in the Upper 700 MHz Band, and a public safety/private network partnership for the paired 10 MHz D-Block in the Upper Band. A total of 62 megahertz of spectrum, divided into five spectrum blocks, will be auctioned for commercial use. There will be strict build-out requirements and reserve prices for licensees. Until the full text of the order is released, we will not know the precise details of the auction rules. However, our clients interested in the upcoming auction should be prepared to move quickly to create their applicant entity in a way that maximizes any bid credits and otherwise most favors them under the rules. The CMA license is the paired 12 MHz B-Block in the Lower 700 MHz Band (704-710/734-740 MHz). The failure to create at least another CMA license block could be a negative for potential small and rural bidders. As Commissioner Robert McDowell put it in his separate statement, dissenting in part: “Unfortunately, the encumbered spectrum supported by the majority will force large, wealthy bidders away from the Upper Band and into the smaller, unencumbered blocks in the Lower Band. Smaller players, especially rural companies, will be unable to match the higher bids of the well-funded giants.” McDowell said that he has not heard a convincing argument why wealthy Silicon Valley companies are not as capable as bidding on unencumbered spectrum as other wealthy companies. “More importantly,” he said, “I remain unconvinced that the Commission must favor large companies over smaller entrepreneurs.” The Commission also adopted the much publicized “open access” requirements, but only for the commercial paired 22 MHz C-Block in the Upper 700 MHz Band (746-757/776-787MHz), which will be auctioned as Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAG) licenses. Although the FCC has not yet formally defined “open access,” it indicated that C-Block licensees will be required to provide a platform that is more open to devices and applications. “These licensees will be required to allow customers, device manufacturers, third-party application developers, and others to use any device or application of their choice on their networks in this band, subject to certain conditions,” the Commission said. Presumably, we will find out these conditions when the text of the Report and Order is released. However, Commissioner Michael Copps noted from the bench and in his separate statement that “open access” is essentially “wireless Carterfone.” After tracing how the term had grown from a historical curiosity to a front page headline, Copps said, “Wireless Carterfone, in short, is an idea whose time has come.” The Carterfone rules, which were enacted in 1968 during the old Bell System monopoly era, allow consumers to hook any device up to the landline phone network, so long as it does not harm the network. Prior to the Carterfone decision, AT&T provided all telephones and devices connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and it routinely sued companies that sold unauthorized products that could be attached to the network. The Carterfone itself was an acoustic coupler for land mobile radios. Invented by Tom Carter, it was used to allow radio-equipped oil field drill rigs to patch calls into the telephone network. (We have included an explanation of the original Carterfone decision, which we have published before, at the end of this article.) Commissioner McDowell and Commissioner Deborah Tate, however, disagreed with both Commissioner Copps and Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, as well as Chairman Kevin Martin on the open access issue. With respect to the 1968 Carterfone decision, McDowell said “there is a world of difference between the wireline industry of the 1960s and today’s wireless market.” He pointed out that (1) wireless carriers lack market or monopoly power; (2) unlike the old Ma Bell, wireless carriers have never integrated into the applications or equipment markets; (3) under common antitrust analysis, today’s wireless carriers lack the ability to exercise buying power over upstream handset suppliers, of which there are many competitors, which wield significant countervailing selling power; and (4) wireless carriers are not subject to price regulation in the market in which they are alleged to have market power, which otherwise might encourage them to seek profits in complementary markets. Commissioner Tate said she was hesitant to use the term “open access” because it means different things to different people. “Here, I interpret our decision to pertain to ‘unlocking and unblocking’ legal devices and applications as used by the consumer while also recognizing and specifically allowing for protection of the network, and nothing more.” She pointed out that none of us would want an E911 call to go unanswered because it could not find its way through a maze of music downloads or malicious software. “Thus, the network operator must be able to reasonably manage the foreign applications on its network,” she said. Both Commissioner Copps and Adelstein only concurred with the open access provision because it did not include a “wholesale” provision. As Commissioner Adelstein put it, “we could have done more to promote open markets by adopting a wholesale model to attract vigorous competitive alternatives. We have also lost an opportunity to provide crucial bidding credits to designated entities that wholesale fully built-out networks. Similarly, Commissioner Copps said that “requiring licensees to offer network capacity on non-discriminatory terms would have been an enormous shot in the arm for smaller companies—including those owned by women and minorities—that aren't interested in or capable of raising the huge sums necessary to build a full-scale network.” In short, this WT Docket No. 06-150 Second Report and Order does not appear to make very many people happy. As Commissioner McDowell put it, “the majority has fashioned a highly-tailored garment that may fit no one. It’s not what Silicon Valley wants; it’s not what smaller players have told me they want; and it’s not what rural companies want. To date, the Commission has received no assurances that any company is actually interested in bidding on the encumbered spectrum. Not one.” Highlights of 700 MHz Order: The “open access” or “wireless Carterfone” rule applies only to the 22 MHz C-Block in the Upper 700 MHz Band, and nowhere else in the spectrum. Additionally, new, more stringent performance requirements were adopted for commercial licenses that have not yet been auctioned in order to promote better access to spectrum and the provision of service, especially in rural areas. For licenses based on CMAs and Economic Areas (EAs), licensees are required to provide service sufficient to cover at least 35 percent of the geographic area of their license within four years, and 70 percent of this area by the end of the license term. For licenses based on REAGs, licensees must provide service sufficient to cover at least 40 percent of the population of their license area within four years, and 75 percent of the population of the license area by the end of the license term. If licensees fail to meet the four-year, interim geographic or population benchmark, the license term will be reduced from ten to eight years, thus requiring these licensees to meet the end-of-term benchmark at an accelerated schedule. Interim reporting requirements have also been adopted to ensure that buildout is timely. If licensees fail to meet the end-of-term buildout requirements, the FCC will automatically reclaim the unserved portions of the license area and make them available to other potential users. In other words, the licenses carry a “use it or lose it” warning. BloostonLaw can help clients to develop a strategy to minimize the potential impact of the strict new buildout rules, which may have the unfortunate consequence of making it difficult for licensees to serve truly rural areas (with very low population density) in a timetable that can be supported by a business case. Auction Procedures: In the upcoming 700 MHz auction, the FCC will use “anonymous” bidding procedures, in which any information that may indicate specific applicants’ interests in the auction, including their license selections and bidding activity, is withheld until after the close of the auction. These procedures will be used irrespective of any pre-auction measurement of likely competition in the auction. While this rule change will make it difficult for bidders to determine who is bidding against them, it is likely that the FCC will at least identify who is eligible to bid on the same licenses, as part of its “anti-collusion rule” disclosures. However, real time information about competing bidders’ actions will not be available, making it difficult to make strategic decisions based on the competition. The FCC will use “package bidding” procedures when auctioning the 12 licenses in the Upper 700 MHz Band C-Block in order to assist bidders that are seeking to create a nationwide footprint. The Order directs the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to establish reserve prices for the upcoming 700 MHz Band auction. However, if the reserve price is not met, the spectrum would be re-auctioned with weaker build-out restrictions. Additionally, if the reserve price of $4.6 billion on the C-Block is not met, the “open access” requirement will disappear. Public Safety/Private Partnership: The FCC’s Order establishes a framework for a 700 MHz Public Safety/Private Partnership between the licensee for one of the commercial spectrum blocks and the licensee for the public safety broadband spectrum. As part of the Partnership, the commercial licensee will build out a nationwide, interoperable broadband network for the use of public safety. This network will facilitate effective communications among first responders not just in emergencies, but as part of cooperative communications plans that will enable first responders from different disciplines, such as police and fire departments, and jurisdictions to work together in emergency preparedness and response. Under the Partnership, the Public Safety Broadband Licensee will have priority access to the commercial spectrum in times of emergency, and the commercial licensee will have pre-emptible, secondary access to the public safety broadband spectrum. Other conditions include the following:
The Partnership: The Upper D-Block commercial licensee and the Public Safety Broadband Licensee will form a Public Safety/Private Partnership to develop a shared, nationwide interoperable network for both commercial and public safety users. The terms of the Partnership will be governed both by FCC rules and by the details of the Network Sharing Agreement (NSA) to be negotiated by the Upper D-Block commercial licensee and the Public Safety Broadband Licensee. The NSA is subject to FCC approval, and must contain certain provisions such as service fees and a detailed build-out schedule for the network. Until the text of the order is out, it will not be clear whether the partnership rules most favor the model proposed by Frontline, or the proposal of Cyren Call. However, the FCC clearly bought into the concept behind these proposals. The Carterfone Decision The FCC’s Carterfone Order was adopted on June 26, 1968. Essentially, the case involved the referral of an antitrust suit from a federal district court (affirmed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans) to the Commission in which Carter Electronics Corp. alleged that AT&T was illegally preventing the interconnection of the Carterfone product to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). In its 1968 Order, the FCC defined the Carterfone device as follows:
AT&T, acting in accordance with its interpretation of tariff FCC No. 132, filed April 16, 1957, advised its subscribers that the Carterfone, when used in conjunction with the subscriber's telephone, is a prohibited interconnecting device, the use of which would subject the user to the penalties provided in the tariff. But the Commission decided that the “Carterfone fills a need, and that it does not adversely affect the telephone system.” As a result, the FCC held that AT&T’s tariff was “unreasonable” in that it prohibited “the use of interconnecting devices which do not adversely affect the telephone system.”
FORMER QWEST CEO NACCHIO GETS 6 YEARS FOR INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION: Former Qwest CEO Joseph P. Nacchio last week was sentenced to six years in federal prison, following his conviction by a Denver jury of 19 counts of insider trading based on sales he made from April to May 2001. As part of the sentence, Nacchio was ordered to pay a $19 million fine and forfeit $52 million in profit from stock sales he made at a time when prosecutors contended he knew Qwest was headed for a financial downturn, according to various press reports. Nacchio said he will appeal the ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Nacchio will have to serve at least 85% (or five-plus years) of his sentence. The basis of the charges against Nacchio was that he profited from his own stock sales while investors and company retirees lost billions of dollars during the early 2000s. According to press reports, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officials have reached financial settlements with the company and other former Qwest executives. In the coming months, they will begin returning $267 million to people who bought Qwest stock from July 1999 to July 2002.
VERIZON WIRELESS TO ACQUIRE RURAL CELLULAR CORP.: Verizon Wireless has announced that it will acquire Rural Cellular Corp for $757 million in cash to save on roaming costs and expand its customer base. Verizon Wireless said Rural Cellular shareholders will receive $45 per share in cash, a 16 percent premium to the average closing price for the last 10 trading days and 41 percent above last Friday's close of $31.88. The deal is worth $2.67 billion including the assumption of net debt, according to Verizon Wireless. It said it expects more than $1 billion in savings from reduced roaming fees and operating expenses as a result of the deal. Verizon Wireless said the acquisition, which it expects to close in the first half of 2008, would increase its customer base by more than 700,000 subscribers. Rural Cellular's network served 716,000 customers as of March 31, 2007, spread across five regional territories. Its networks are located in the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Alabama, Mississippi, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Rural Cellular utilizes both CDMA and GSM technology separately across its five regional markets. Verizon Wireless plans to deploy CDMA service in Rural Cellular's existing GSM markets and convert the GSM customers to CDMA service. Verizon Wireless, however, anticipates maintaining Rural Cellular's existing GSM networks to continue serving the roaming needs of other GSM carriers' customers. The acquisition is subject to governmental and regulatory approval and approval of Rural Cellular's shareholders.
OCTOBER 1: STATE CERTIFICATION OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT. State regulatory commissions must certify by October 1 that eligible rural carriers are using universal service support for the intended purposes. State commissions must file this annual certification with the FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) stating that all federal high-cost support provided to rural incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (CETCs) serving lines in rural ILEC service areas "will be used only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which the support is intended." Failure of a state commission to provide certification will mean that non-certified carriers in that state will not receive high-cost support for the first quarter of 2008. If you have any doubts about your state's status, contact your state commission immediately. Carriers not subject to state jurisdiction must certify directly to the FCC and USAC. |
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 |
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• 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 |
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Geek Dads, Moms & Kids to the Rescue By John Baichtal August 02, 2007 | 9:15:36 AM My mom drove over the bridge approximately the same time as the collapse, so naturally I called her cell phone to make sure she was alright. Guess what? Mobile service was completely disrupted, with calls not getting through or going straight to voice mail. And this was a relatively small and localized disaster. What would happen if something big happened? Well, something big did happen and communications were paralyzed -- not just for a couple of hours or so, but for days and days. Who came to the rescue? An estimated one thousand hams, creating a radio-based communication net to support government departments and private individuals. The bridge collapse crystallized for me the fact that our communications net is weaker than it's ever been. Most of us now rely on the easily-overloaded cell network. Fewer and fewer people have land lines, which are themselves vulnerable. So it's up to us, Geek Dads, Moms and Kids! Get licensed! Join an emergency communications group! If you're interested in learning more about Amateur Radio and its emergency services, check out the following links: (Unfortunately, every nation has its own rules regarding Amateur Radio so if you're not from the U.S., you'll have to do your own research. If you'd like, start here.) ARRL, the biggest ham radio organization in the U.S., with about 152,000 members. ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Services. RACES, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services. To get licensed, this is the absolute learning resource: ARRL Ham Radio License Manual: All You Need to Become an Amateur Radio Operator. |
Source: Wired Blog Network
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
From: m1candell@comcast.net
Subject: Fw: Mr. Ernie Oswalt
Date: August 2, 2007 8:24:57 PM CDT
To: Brad Dye <brad@braddye.com>
All,
More sad news. Not only did my Dad pass this Wednesday, but another paging alumnus has passed on.
Forwarded message—
For those of you who remember Mr. Ernie Oswalt, “the pancake man,” he passed away this morning.
He was as the church working with the pastor and had a heart attack.
We do not know any funeral arrangements at this time, but will pass them along as we get them.
He will be buried in Hattiesburg.
Jill Chastant
jill.chastant@skytel.com
Systems Analyst III
Work: 601-460-3194
Pager: 888-944-3194
From: Terry Poe tpoe@teletouchpaging.com
Subject: SYSTEMS TECH JACKSON, MS AREA
Date: August 3, 2007 9:31:20 AM CDT
To: Brad Dye
Brad,
We are looking for a Systems Technician experienced in paging that will cover Southern Mississippi. If you have any leads, please forward them to my attention. Thanks for the great newsletters each week.
Terry Poe
Teletouch Paging, LP
Technical Manager
Ph: (903) 595-8849
Fax: (903) 595-8844
| 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 |
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