Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

Additions and corrections continue to trickle in for the new Paging Service Provider Directory. If your company is not listed, please take a moment to send in your contact information. You can check it out by clicking on the Directory button above.

There are two letters to the editor, near the end of this issue, about USA Mobility raising the wholesale price of paging service to their resellers.

As reported last week:

Colleges will now be required to "immediately notify" their students and staff upon confirmation of a significant emergency on campus, such as an active shooter situation, under higher education legislation signed into law Thursday by President George W. Bush.

No matter what type of notification system that they implement, all colleges and universities, should have many LED signs connected to pager/modems. These signs can all be on the same capcode so that one message goes to all signs immediately. Small signs can be installed in dorms and classrooms and large signs in student gathering places like auditoriums, stadiums, and student union centers. The signs don't have to be used only for emergencies. Routine announcements can be sent to all students to make sure that the system is always working—so that when an emergency does occur everyone gets the message.

Several of the advertisers in this newsletter can supply the equipment necessary to do "sign paging." Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

I am afraid that a lot of money will be wasted on less-than-effective notification systems. For example, I hate sirens. When they go off, all they do is create stress and confusion—that something bad is about to happen—but what is it? Or maybe is is just another test?

The other one that I don't like is the auto-dialer system, sometimes called: "Reverse 911." These goofy systems dial out to all the telephones in a given area and deliver a recorded announcement to each telephone that answers. If you are near the end of the list, you are out of luck. It takes so long to get to you, that they might as well mail you a letter. Like this:

"Dear Citizen, if you are not dead yet, please take cover as we are about to be attacked by Al-Qaeda."

Paging is the only technology that can send a common message to an unlimited number of recipients at the same time. Click on the Pagerman in the right-hand column to find out why.

Now on to more news and views. . .

Wireless Messaging Newsletter
Emergency Radio Communications Wireless Messaging Critical Messaging Telemetry Paging VoIP Wi-Fi WiMAX Location-Based Services	WIRELESS MESSAGING

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.

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.)

The local newspaper here in Springfield, Illinois costs 75¢ a copy and it NEVER mentions paging. If you receive some benefit from this publication maybe you would like to help support it financially? A donation of $25.00 would represent approximately 50¢ a copy for one year. If you are so inclined, please click on the PayPal Donate button above. No trees were chopped down to produce this electronic newsletter.

Summer is over, so now it is time to start planning for your next fall “business/vacation” trip.

“If you think networking is just for computers … you should attend join AAPC at Enterprise Wireless 2008 and experience the real power of human networking.” —Jim Nelson, Prism Paging

Register Today [CLICK] and join your AAPC colleagues at Enterprise Wireless 2008 for a 2-day information packed forum to share new ideas, network with one another, and develop fresh solutions. Conference highlights include:

• New Technologies, New Competitors and Now a New President … What Should I Know?, Dr. Coleman D. Bazelon, Principal of The Brattle Group
• Selling into Healthcare—Who Really Owns This Industry?
• Supporting Multiple Devices on Multiple Networks—Making It Work, Scott Ferguson, Inilex
• 2008 Innovator’s Showcase featuring Raven Systems, Myron Anduri
• 2155-2180 MHz—Expanding Opportunities for Carriers, John Muleta, M2Z Networks
• Paging Beyond the U.S., Derek Banner, EMMA
• Commercial Mobile Alert Systems (CMAS)—What Impacts Your Business, Ken Hardman, Esq., Counsel to AAPC
• FCC Forms 101, Interactive Workshop, Ken Hardman, Esq., Counsel to AAPC
• Paging Technical Committee Meeting
• AAPC General Membership Meeting
• Annual Golf Tournament
• Vendor Exhibition and Networking Reception

Click here for a detailed schedule.

Hotel Accommodations — Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort This hotel will sell out—make your reservations early by calling 800.222.8733. Please be sure to reference the Enterprise Wireless event to receive the discounted rate of $159/night. If you prefer to make your reservations online, you may do so by entering EWA as the group code at: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/PHXSJDT-EWA-20081104/index.jhtml.

“Attend and expand your sales horizons by networking with a whole host of potential new customers that you haven’t met that should know about your products and services.” —Mark Crosby, Enterprise Wireless Alliance

Thanks to our Gold Vendor member!

PRISM Paging

Thanks to our Bronze Member Vendors!

• Commtech Wireless
• Critical Response Systems, Inc.
• Hark Technologies
• Inilex, Inc.
• Microspace Communications Corporation
• Minilec Service, Inc.
• Nighthawk Systems, Inc.
• Raven Systems
• United Communications Corporation

Car-Fi and VoIP

August 28, 2008
By Doug Mohney
FierceVoIP

Microsoft is testing WiFi usage in vehicles, an effort that is shedding new light on public wireless networks and how VoIP calls might get transmitted - or not.

Testing is being conducted around Seattle, and the biggest advantage to tapping into a community WiFi network is lower cost of access. Plus, every mobile device has built-in WiFi these days .

However, WiFi has a big problem with hand-offs between base stations; not so good for an in-progress VoIP call over a cheaper WiFi network. (You may queue your WiMAX commercial here in a limited number of second-tier U.S. markets). There's also the assumption that there's a nice big WiFi network available for use; the muni WiFi market has had its ups and downs of late.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, the University of Washington and Microsoft have worked up a solution to talk to multiple access points at once. The "Vi-Fi" (Vehicle WiFi) system would treat one access point as an "anchor" primary reception point and use other base stations in the system as auxiliary paths. Some tricky math allows the system to figure out the chance a packet received by an auxiliary base station wasn't received by the anchor; if true, the aux base station relays the packet to the anchor as a backup.

For more:
• Seattle P-I newspaper reports on Microsoft Vi-Fi research efforts. Article

Related articles
Chrysler offers WiFi-equipped SUV and minivan
Wireless penetration will reach 300 percent

Advertiser Index

10 Selectable Alerting Tones
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New alerting and warning system launches today

By Capt. Margo Bennett, UCPD, and Marie Felde, Media Relations
25 August 2008

BERKELEY – The University of California, Berkeley, announced today (Monday, Aug. 25) that it is launching a new alerting and warning service that can provide immediate notification to individual students, faculty and staff of situations on or near campus that may pose an immediate threat to their safety and provide instructions on what to do.

Called "WarnMe," the new service can contact individuals by phones, text messaging and email to help keep the campus community safe in an immediate crisis, such as a major accident, natural disaster or an assailant on campus, said campus officials.

The new mass notification service is the latest addition in the campus's continuing efforts to improve safety and emergency response. WarnMe will be used in conjunction with other elements of UC Berkeley's emergency communications system, including the campus-wide siren system that is tested on the first Wednesday of each month.

In all emergencies, natural disasters and other crises, information will be posted on the campus homepage and on the off-site emergency Web site at emergency.berkeley.edu. Information will also be recorded on the toll-free emergency number, 1-800-705-9998, and broadcast on the campus radio station, KALX 90.7 FM.

The new WarnMe system uses contact information provided by students, faculty and staff. Emergency alerts and instructions on what to do can be sent via cell phone, text messaging, email, and office and home phones, including TTY devices. In all, individuals may choose to receive messages on up to seven communication devices.

The service is an opt-in program, and a campaign is underway to encourage the campus community to sign up. Students were able to enroll beginning in late July. Faculty and staff started to sign up over the weekend. Already, 11,200 on campus have signed up. A campus identification number is required to enroll.

Last fall, UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau charged a task force to plan and implement a phone and text-based alerting and warning system by the fall 2008 semester. WarnMe will be operational by the start of classes later this week.

To ensure reliable service around the clock, UC Berkeley is working with a commercial provider that specializes in rapid public notification and has redundant infrastructure located at multiple sites around the country.

More information on WarnMe is available at warnme.berkeley.edu.

The new RAVENAlert answers the need for a fast, intelligent, and dependable indoor alerting device. Features include:

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• Battery or line powered
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• FLEX or POCSAG in all frequency bands
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RAVEN PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE + YOUR AIRTIME = NEW OPPORTUNITY

Update: Operators Respond to Gustav Head-On

By Rhonda Wickham
WirelessWeek - September 03, 2008

At the last minute, Hurricane Gustav spared the New Orleans area a direct hit. Although the storm paled in comparison to 2005’s Katrina, there were still numerous power and service outages from the Category 3 storm. Yet wireless operators proved they had gone to school on previous hurricanes and hit the ground running with crews focused on infrastructure restoration and customer support.

For instance, AT&T had nearly 2,000 employees assessing damage and completing repairs to restore service for affected subscribers. Crews continue to work around the clock to repair damage and reroute traffic, making sure that all of its cell sites are functioning normally.

Before Gustav made landfall, a number of the operators – Alltel, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless – had taken steps to prepare for the hurricane’s wrath. In the end, most operators reported that fewer than 1% of their cell sites were affected.

Not all cell sites were damaged, but rather affected by power outages. The dispatch of extra backup generators and fuel eased the network outage.

Also, Verizon Wireless sent a fleet of Cells on Wheels (COWs) Cells on Light Trucks (COLTS) and generators on trailers (GOaTs) to be rolled into hard-hit locations. It also dispatched its new Disaster Response Trailer to be used as a temporary customer service location.

“Hurricane preparedness is an important component contributing to our network reliability,” said Kay Henze, Verizon Wireless’ Houston/Gulf Coast region president, in a statement. “Advance preparation enables us to implement a comprehensive plan to make sure the network stays strong and calls go through when and where they’re needed most.”

New ReFLEX Telemetry Module

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	RF Protocol:
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	Interface Protocol with host:
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	Parameter Settings:
		PPS Software (PC application)
	Message size—Transmit and Receive:
		Up to 8 Kbytes, depending on the carrier)

Download the complete specification here.

CONTACT:
Michelle Choi
Director of Sales & Operations
Sun Telecom International, Inc.
Telephone: 800-811-8032 extension 120
Fax: 678-541-0442
E-mail: michelle.choi@suntelecom.com
Web site: www.suntelecom.com

Schlage introduces Web-controlled door locks

by Peter Cohen
Macworld.com
Sep 3, 2008 8:44 am

Door lock manufacturer Schlage on Wednesday introduced a new line of deadbolt locks that can be operated remotely using a Web browser or mobile phone.

Schlage LiNK deadbolts operate using keyless entry with four-digital access codes on an 11-digit keypad. The LiNK deadbolts can also be operated using Schlage’s LiNK Web portal, which employs Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protection.

Schlage LiNK deadbolts leverage Z-Wave, a wireless home automation technology that helps to unify home electronics into a single integrated wireless network using Z-Wave accessory modules — everything from lighting to temperature control, pool systems and more.

The Z-Wave “Bridge” plugs into an Ethernet port on the household Internet router or model to connect the locks, which are powered by regular batteries. The devices communicate using RF signals encrypted using AEC 128-bit protocols.

A “starter kit” comprising a bridge and lock cost $299; additional deadbolts and locks cost $199 each. Users are also charged $12.99 per month for access to the LiNK online portal and mobile applications; that price includes 100MB of storage for IP camera video, if it’s installed with the system.

Schlage is offering LiNK deadbolts in brass, satin nickel and aged bronze finishes.

[Editor: Why can't we do this over paging?]

Regional safety communications system taking shape

By William Jackson
GCN 09/05/08

Washington state’s Military Department Emergency Management Division has launched a satellite-based mutual aid radio talkgroup that will provide interoperable emergency communications for state, federal and local responders in Washington, Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming.

Service for the NorthWest Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup (NWSMART) is being provided by Mobile Satellite Ventures of Reston, Va. The service will provide interoperable push-to-talk radio and satellite phone service throughout the region that will not be affected by local terrestrial conditions.

NWSMART is the fifth in a planned network of nine regional locally managed talkgroups being set up throughout the country.

Participants in any group also would be able to communicate with members of other regional talkgroups being set up with the Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) service, as well as with a national pilot system being set up by the Homeland Security Department’s National Communications System.

MSV is a joint venture between Mobile Satellite Ventures LP, owned by SkyTerra Communications Inc., and Mobile Satellite Ventures (Canada) Inc.

The talkgroup network is a dedicated system for authorized users, who will use equipment from MSV. The groundset used for satellite calls consists of a 9-inch automatic tracking L-band antenna and a handset, both connected to a transceiver somewhat larger than a laptop computer. It is not a handheld device, but is portable and can be installed in a vehicle or carried in an emergency go-kit.

The groundset connects with one of two MSV satellites in geo-synchronous orbit over North America, which act much like a repeater for a traditional radio in push-to-talk mode. The signal is relayed from the satellite to a MSV ground station. There the network identifies the radio and the talkgroup being used, looks for other talkgroup members who are on the air, summons their radios to a common frequency, then sends the signal back up to a satellite and down again to the radios of the talk group.

The groundset also can be used to make satellite phone calls to other MSV users that do not go over the Public Switched Telephone Network, although phone calls also can be made to non-MSV phones by being transferred to the PSTN for delivery.

“We expect the entire system of nine regional talkgroups to be up within four to six weeks,” said MSV spokesman Tom Surface.

Regional multi-state talkgroups already established are:

• Central United States Earthquake Consortium: A partnership of the federal government and eight states most affected by earthquakes in the central U.S., Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
• Mid-West Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
• Gulf States Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
• Mid-Atlantic States Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroups: Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

“The Gulf States group saw a lot of activity” during Hurricane Gustav, Surface said.

Talkgroups are being established for the Southwest, West, Southeast and Northeast. The regions will have overlapping coverage to facilitate communications during emergencies. Because the talkgroups require special satellite communications sets they will not replace traditional communications systems used by public safety agencies for day-to-day work, such as terrestrial radio and telephone. But the satellite talkgroups will have the advantage of not being effected by conditions that can destroy or overload wireline and cellular phone systems during emergencies, and of being interoperable among agencies, unlike many traditional radio systems.

The National Communications System in May announced a three-year pilot program with MSV to give key government and industry facilities access to advanced satellite communications during emergencies. Through the Satellite Priority Service, DHS will provide funds for one groundset each to 65 critical facilities with three years of service. Participating facilities now are being identified by NCS and probably will include emergency operations centers for federal, state and local government agencies as well as critical infrastructure providers.

VDOT updates Web site on roads

Thursday, September 4, 2008
Star Staff Report

The Virginia Department of Transportation’s updated www.511virginia.org Web site launched recently to offer a comprehensive set of tools to help travelers.

The 511 system, introduced in 2002, provides continuously updated traffic and travel information for any time, any place.

Data can be obtained at www.511virginia.org; through e-mail, text pager, Blackberry, PDA, or other mobile device; or by calling 511 from a cell phone or land line.

Through VDOT’s free 511 service, motorists can receive personalized information including:

• Accident and incident alerts.
• Live traffic camera images.
• Bridge and tunnel reports.
• Road construction updates.
• Free mobile alerts — e-mails or text messages sent whenever conditions change on the roads you most often travel.
• Driving directions.
• Gas-saving tips on how to get where you’re going by using trains, buses, subways, ferries, and bike paths.
• Weather conditions.

The heart of the system — a customized “511 Control Room” — lets you set up your own personal traveler information resource. You can select cameras, maps, traffic reports, and construction information tailored for roads or areas that interest you.

You can also get detailed trip-planning resources that include driving directions, anticipated delays on selected routes during hours of travel, and suggestions about alternative forms of transportation.

Bold, Thunder, Flip: BlackBerry Maker Begins Key Rollouts

Wednesday August 20, 6:25 pm ET
Brian Deagon

Research In Motion has begun what analysts call its most important BlackBerry rollout season ever, with its first touch-screen model and first flip phone on tap.

But first up is the BlackBerry Bold, RIM's highest-performance smart phone yet. Rogers Wireless is expected to launch Bold sales and service on Thursday in Canada, the latest in an ongoing global rollout of the handset. In the U.S., AT&T (NYSE:T - News) — for now the exclusive U.S. service provider — is expected to launch Bold service and sales in mid-September.

The touch-screen phone dubbed Thunder and flip phone called Kickstart are expected to hit the market in a month or so. Research In Motion (NasdaqGS:RIMM - News) has yet to acknowledge the existence of either phone, but analysts and other observers say both products are about ready to be introduced.

"RIM is on the cusp of their strongest, most robust product cycle," said Matt Thornton, a research analyst at Avian Securities. "It should bring an onslaught of new customers.

"Now it's a question of whether the execution is there and will they have enough quantities, can they deliver on time and will they manage expenses appropriately?"

Bold is the first RIM phone with high-speed third-generation, or 3G, technology, which provides faster Web browsing and data communications. The screen has the highest resolution of any RIM phone.

RIM introduced the Bold in May. Rollout has depended on the readiness of carriers and just started this month. Among the first to offer the device were T-Mobile in Germany, Orange in the U.K. and Movistar in Chile.

That AT&T has yet to launch in the U.S. might be a result of unresolved software issues, says Jim Suva, an analyst with Citi Investment Research.

In a research note issued Wednesday, Suva said he had spent the previous 12 hours testing the Bold.

"We are positive on the Bold (strong product but not a complete game changer)," he wrote. "We believe it will appeal to business users, especially those that travel internationally, but less so to consumers given its likely high price."

According to reports, Canada's Rogers Wireless will sell the phone for $399 with a three-year service contract. Thornton says AT&T will more heavily subsidize the Bold, offering it for less than $250 with a two-year service contract.

Suva wrote that Bold's 3G features are a big improvement from RIM's Curve and Pearl, two popular BlackBerrys targeted at consumers.

"The bold is very feature-packed," said Ramon Llamas, an analyst at research firm IDC. "The design is very sleek and eye-catching, with very sharp picture quality. It's not for every road warrior, though I think it will appeal strongly to the serious wireless aficionado."

Global unit sales of smart phones will rise about 40% this year, vs. a 10% increase for cell phones overall, IDC says. Smart phones have more advanced data services than cell phones. In the U.S., RIM had 44.5% of the smart phone market in the first quarter, IDC says. Apple's iPhone, out less than 14 months, already has 19% and is No. 2. Second-quarter figures aren't yet available.

Apple rolled out its second-generation smart phone, with 3G, in July. AT&T also is its exclusive U.S. carrier. Others with 3G smart phones in the U.S. market include Nokia (NYSE:NOK - News), Samsung and LG Electronics.

Tech blogger BoyGeniusReport.com recently compared the Bold and the iPhone and called it a draw, depending on user needs.

"While the Bold certainly has improved media and other consumer features, it really is a business device at the end of the day," he wrote. The iPhone still has its strongest appeal among consumers, he wrote.

Avian's Thornton expects the touch-screen Thunder will arrive in October and be carried by Verizon Wireless, with a price of $199.99. The touch screen has proved popular for the iPhone.

"But comments that Thunder will be an iPhone killer are overstated," said Thornton. "Touch-screen phones are a popular and growing segment and all the cell phone makers need a presence there."

Thornton expects the RIM to introduce the Kickstart flip phone, aimed at consumers, in late September. He says T-Mobile USA will be the carrier and will offer the device at a subsidized price of $49.99 with a year or more service plan.

The Best in Paging Is Also the Biggest!

Zetron’s Model 2700:
Our largest-capacity paging terminal.

• Supports over 1,000,000 subscribers.
• Fully redundant design features RAID-1-mirrored, hot-removable disk drives.
• Supports remote access to Windows®-based user-management software.
• Supports E1 trunks, T1 trunks, analog trunks, and dial-up modems.
• Includes extensive voice-messaging features.
• Provides Ethernet interface for e-mail and paging over the Internet.
• Provides an ideal replacement for Unipage or Glenayre™ systems.
• When used with the Model 600/620 Wireless Data Manager, a simulcast network can be connected to the Model 2700 over Ethernet links.

Contact Zetron today to discuss your paging needs.

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Fax: 425-820-7031
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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 CLICK TO E-MAIL

U.S. 3G adoption surpasses Europe

September 4, 2008
By Sue Marek
FierceWireless

When it comes to 3G adoption, the U.S. has caught up with Europe. Research firm Comscore says that 28.4 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers have 3G devices vs. 28.3 percent of European mobile subscribers in the largest countries in Europe.

During the past year the number of U.S. subscribers with 3G devices has grown to 64.2 million while European subscribers with 3G devices total 63.4 million. The only major European countries to exceed the U.S. in penetration are Italy and Spain, the research firm says.

However, Comscore's numbers do differ slightly from Informa. In May, Informa Telecoms & Media reported that the number of WCDMA subscribers in Europe totaled 101.5 million.

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Detroit Mayor Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Resign

Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick of Detroit will step down after months of defiantly holding onto his job leading the nation's 11th-largest city.

By SUSAN SAULNY
The New York Times
Published: September 4, 2008

DETROIT — Kwame M. Kilpatrick, the charismatic mayor of Detroit who has been embroiled in legal problems stemming from a sex scandal since the beginning of the year, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and agreed to resign Thursday morning as part of a deal with prosecutors.

He agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice, pay restitution to the city of $1 million, give up his law license, forfeit his state pension and serve 120 days in the Wayne County jail. His resignation is to take effect within 14 days. All other charges were dismissed, and the judge scheduled sentencing for Oct. 28.

“He understands fully the agreement and agrees to be bound by it, judge,” a lawyer for Mr. Kilpatrick, Gerald Evelyn, told Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David A. Groner.

Judge Groner asked Mr. Kilpatrick, “Is this something you are ready to do today?” He added, “Do you have any questions?” “I have no questions about what’s going on today,” Mr. Kilpatrick told Judge Groner. Later, he said, “I lied under oath.”

Mr. Kilpatrick had been facing 10 felony charges in two criminal cases that involved allegations of perjury and assault. Despite being under pressure for to step down for months, Mr. Kilpatrick, 38, clung to his office, even telling residents in a live television appearance, “I will never quit on you. Ever.”

His refusal to resign delighted a certain segment of this city’s mostly poor, mostly black population, who felt pride in Mr. Kilpatrick’s rise from the Detroit public schools to the mayor’s mansion. But others here found Mr. Kilpatrick arrogant and stubborn. Some of his most loyal supporters turned on him in recent weeks, angered to see Detroit dragged through a long and tawdry affair that distracted the region from more pressing matters in a time of serious economic trouble in Michigan.

In contrast to his recent court appearances, in which he seemed defiant and jovial, Mr. Kilpatrick, a former college football star, walked into the small courtroom where he took the plea looking dejected. He hugged his lawyers and seemed to be fighting back his emotions.

As he answered questions from the judge in the case, however, he smiled occasionally and joked.

The president of the Detroit City Council president, Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr., will take over as mayor. Mr. Cockrel’s late father was a prominent political figure in Detroit, and his stepmother, Sheila M. Cockrel, is also a member of the council.

Despite the legal closure for Mr. Kilpatrick, many people in Detroit see his departure as the beginning of a new chapter of challenges for the city. The council does not have a reputation for working well together, and the F.B.I. is investigating whether illegal payments were made in one of its recent multi-million dollar contract approvals.

How the city will be governed in the immediate future is an open question. “It will be a long time before anyone can say we recovered from this crisis and are fully back on track,” said John R. Chamberlin, a professor at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. “It will be measured in months and years, not weeks.”

The city government became progressively more paralyzed as the scandal surrounding Mr. Kilpatrick played out in headlines and courtrooms over the past eight months, stemming mainly from the revelation that the mayor had conducted an extramarital affair with an aide and from his efforts to keep the affair secret.

He was accused of forcing three police officers out of their jobs, and then, when they sued the city over their dismissal, of using $8.4 million in public funds to, in effect, buy their silence, by settling the suit on favorable terms before the affair could be disclosed in court testimony.

The affair became public anyway, when The Detroit Free Press published steamy text messages sent from a city-owned pager that detailed much of the romance between Mr. Kilpatrick and the aide, Christine Beatty, his chief of staff. The messages and the affair contradicted testimony that both Mr. Kilpatrick and Ms. Beatty had given under oath last year.

Mr. Kilpatrick, a two-term mayor who had brimmed with promise early in his career, was charged with eight felonies including perjury and misconduct in office. Ms. Beatty, who was also charged with felony counts, resigned in January.

Earlier this month, the Michigan attorney general, Mike Cox, charged Mr. Kilpatrick with two more felony counts, this time of assault against police officers. According to Mr. Cox, the mayor interfered with the officers, shouting and shoving, as they tried to serve a subpoena on one of his friends.

The Detroit City Council, which has no power to remove the mayor, voted to censure him and to request his resignation; in May, after Mr. Kilpatrick refused, the council asked Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, who does have that power, to intervene. Governor Granholm scheduled a hearing on the issue that began on Wednesday after court challenges by Mr. Kilpatrick’s lawyers failed to block it.

Both Mr. Kilpatrick and Ms. Granholm are Democrats, as are all the members of the city council.

Officials push students to join safety notification system

MU students are now asked to enter cell phone and texting information when signing on to MyZou.

By Zach Toombs
University of Missouri - Columbia
Aug. 28, 2008

MU is making student safety a priority with its changes to the Emergency Mass Notification System.

This week, the UM system is encouraging students at its four campuses to register their cell phone, text message and pager information with their schools. MU students can register through their myZou accounts for use by the notification system.

In the next few days students opening their myZou account will be given the option to enter their information or to opt out.

"Student, faculty and staff safety at all four of the university's campuses is a top priority," UM system spokeswoman Jennifer Hollingshead said. "All UM students are encouraged to enter their data for the mass notification service."

In the event of an emergency, the system would activate a sequence of alerts. The first alert would be a call to students' cell phones, followed by a text message and then an e-mail. Students would have to confirm the alert by either responding to the text or by pushing a number on the dial pad for calls. For e-mails, alerts will contain a confirmation hyperlink.

The service also has the capability to send messages to alternate personal e-mail addresses, local phones and numeric and alphanumeric pagers.

"This represents the best opportunity for the campus to reach them in the event of a major emergency on campus and the best opportunity to keep them safe in light of the emergency," Hollingshead said.

Although the UM system first instituted the system last November, registering the information was an opt-in rather than an opt-out option. Missouri Students Association President Jim Kelley said he's been pushing for this change since his first day in office.

"The process we had was a burden and was difficult to navigate," Kelley said. "We wanted something that would make it easier for students throughout the UM system to register this information and we think this change will do that."

As of Tuesday, 29 percent of MU students had registered their cell phone numbers and 13 percent their text numbers. This is up from 12 percent and 2 percent, respectively, in December. Kelley said the registration of cell phone and texting information gives the system "the ability to give students accurate information about the emergency in a timely manner."

Although the sequence of alerts has never been tested at MU, Information Technology Director Terry Robb estimates the service would take roughly four hours to finish completely.

"Since we've never tested it, it's impossible to know for sure how long it would take," Robb said. "There have been discussions of testing the sequence in October but nothing is final yet."

The alert system is provided by the National Notification Network, or 3N, which the university has contracted with since last August. The contract ends in 2010.

The 3N system allows certain "group leaders" to phone into the system and activate an alert.

"There are 18 group leaders capable of sending a message to the entire campus," Hollingshead said.

Those groups include the MU Police Department, Campus Facilities, the MU News Bureau, Environmental Health and Safety and the Division of Information Technology.

NEWS FLASH — SATELLITE FAILURES

• January 11, 1997—Telstar 401 suffers a short in the satellite circuitry—TOTAL LOSS
• May 19, 1998—Galaxy 4 control processor causes loss of fixed orbit—TOTAL LOSS
• September 19, 2003—Telstar 4 suffers loss of its primary power bus—TOTAL LOSS
• March 17, 2004—PAS-6 suffers loss of power—TOTAL LOSS
• January 14, 2005—Intelsat 804 suffers electrical power system anomaly—TOTAL LOSS

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TIF Tax Removed From Phone Bills

The TIF tax is coming off Texans' phone bills this month. Those who had a phone bill of $50 will see a savings of 63 cents.

The Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, a 1.25 percent surcharge, had been assessed on monthly wireless, long-distance, local telephone and paging bills.

The Legislature repealed the surcharge during the last session. It was created in 1995 to pay for the expansion of broadband Internet and digital communications networks in the state, especially in rural areas.

In recent years, the tax generated about $200 million annually, according to information from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

Legislators and consumer groups had said the TIF had accomplished its goal and called for its repeal.

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IPG Internet Paging Gateway No Moving Parts Such as Hard Drives or Fans to Fail Supports 10Base-T Network Connection to Internet Accepts HTTP, SMTP, SNPP, and WCTP from Internet Sends TAP or TNPP to Your Paging Terminal

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ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately?

Compiled by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
Managing Editor
jkleinman@arrl.org

August 29, 2008

This feature — including convenient Web links to useful information — is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of August.

As Gustav approached the Gulf of Mexico, ARRL division and section leaders in the Gulf states, with support from ARRL Headquarters staff, prepared for the possibility of a major hurricane.

There will be contested elections in the ARRL Delta and Great Lakes Divisions. Ballots will be counted November 21.

The October issue of QST, the first issue with a Radiosport theme, was released to the printer, as was the 2009 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications and the September/October issues of NCJ and QEX.

During a single week, Warehouse staff shipped 813 publication and product orders.

The revised Emergency Communications Level 1 online course was made available to students. Extensive revisions are being made to the Level 3 course.

ARRL responded to several concerns raised by repeater owners regarding the ongoing PAVE PAWS interference mitigation project in California.

A new 40 foot tower has been installed at W1HQ, the Laird Campbell Memorial HQ Operators Club at ARRL Headquarters.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for July is Jack Morgan, KF6T, for his article "Portable Two Element 15 Meter Yagi."

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, chaired a Technical Session at the IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) in Detroit.

These online course sessions begin September 5: Technician License Course (EC-010), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001), Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009), Analog Electronics (EC-012) and Digital Electronics (EC-013). These online courses begin September 19: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002); Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2); Antenna Modeling (EC-004); HF Digital Communications (EC-005); VHF/UHF — Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).

ARRL and Citizen Corps are teaming up to assist local school districts (if they need the help) to set up and register their NOAA Weather All Hazard Public Alert Radio.

On the air: The ARRL UHF Contest was August 2-3, and the ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest was August 16-17. Next up: September 13-15 — September VHF QSO Party; September 20-21 — 10 GHz and Up Contest and International EME Competition (2304 MHz and Up).

Staff travel: Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart and Steve Ewald, Supervisor, Field and Public Service Team, attended the annual Citizen Corps Leadership Forum in Oklahoma City. Chuck Skolaut spoke at the Kansas State Convention in Salina. David Sumner addressed the Halifax Hamfest in Nova Scotia. Dave Patton attended Ham Fair in Tokyo. Sean Kutzko spoke at the Dakota Division Convention in Rochester, Minnesota. Dan Henderson spoke at the Roanoke Division Convention in Jackson's Mill, West Virginia. Bill Moore attended the Huntsville Hamfest. Several members of the staff took part in the New England Division Convention in Boxboro, Massachusetts.

EMERGENCY AUTOMATION & NOTIFICATION

• 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.

FAS8

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PAGING & WIRELESS
NETWORK PLANNERS LLC WIRELESS SPECIALISTS

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Cell Phone: 631-786-9359

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From: Bob Day
Subject: Reseller rate increase
Date: September 3, 2008 12:51:29 PM CDT
To: Resellersales@usamobility.com
Cc: matt.hecei@usamobility.com

Dear Resellersales,

My business, Intouch Communications, has been a reseller of yours since 1994. I have always paid my invoices to you on time, and have done my best to promote you and the paging industry.

I am in total disbelief at seeing this letter from you on a HUGE rate increase to your resellers. I can understand a minor adjustment of prices from time to time, but this represents a 400% increase! I certainly cannot absorb this increase myself and will have to pass most or all of it to my retail customers. I doubt that most of them will want to pay this much more, about $4.00 per month, and will end up canceling their pager service. This will result in a loss of revenue for both of us, and will likely put me out of business.

We have both already seen most of our customer base lost to cellular phone technology. One advantage we had was the affordability of pager service, which will now be mostly negated by this price increase.

An additional point is the "Multi-zone up-charge" of $1.50 for statewide coverage. The rationalized channel that I am moving my services to, Channel ZA (929.6125) does not allow me to choose local coverage. My only coverage code allowed is "YDO" which is Florida statewide. Currently I am not being charged any extra fees for this. I feel this up-charge is very unfair since it is the only coverage I can choose.

I urge you to reconsider the amount of this rate increase. Your resellers are a valuable resource to USA Mobility and it would not be in your best interest to put most of us out of business.

Sincerely,

Robert T. Day
President, Intouch Communications
pagerpro@gmail.com

From: Bob Day pagerpro@gmail.com
Subject: Re: USA Mobility rate increase
Date: September 4, 2008 12:22:56 PM CDT
To: Brad Dye

Brad,I spoke to my account rep and he suggested that I send both an email and a written letter to them expressing my opinion on this ridiculous rate increase. I hope you can publish this info in tomorrow's newsletter. Maybe if we can collectively make enough noise they will reconsider.

The addresses are:resellersales@usamobility.com

and

USA Mobility
Attn: COO
6677 Richmond Highway
Alexandra, VA 22306

Thanks again,

Bob

From: Ben Riche
Date: September 3, 2008 9:13:32 AM CDT
Subject: USA Mobility
To: Brad Dye

Brad,

Just thought that I'd share some info with you about USA Mobility and their reseller program. In other words, I'm venting. I've been told that they are raising the price on all resellers, regardless of how many units are active. In my case, by 600% to almost 900% per unit or $1 to $5.95 and units with voice mail to $8.90. Sure, the rates were probably low in my case, but a percentage increase like that in any other business would be a silly thing to do. I know that I've had enough of USA Mobility. I had them a few years back when I had both Arch and Metrocall accounts that were merged into USA Mobility. They were nearly impossible to deal with, so I transferred most of my units to other companies and then let the rest die off. Now I'm forced to do the same once again. I was forced to be their customer again when they bought Heartland Communications. Since then, it's been problem after problem and then this rate increase. I've been in paging for 15 years and I have a very thick skin, so I can deal with this. I just have a question for you. Is USA Mobility trying to get rid of the resellers? I know that I'm going to run away as fast as I can from their company and I'll be their largest competitor in the Wisconsin market for years to come. Below is an e-mail that I sent to them letting them know what I think of their company. Thanks for your time.

Ben Riche
pagerman@pagermancommunications.com

Sent to Bill Ansel at USA Mobility, Subject "Rate Increase"

Hello Bill,

I received your letter stating that my digital air time rates are increasing by 600% and units with voice mail by almost 900%. If that's the way that you people do business, I can't say that it wasn't expected. You people are a joke! I was only forced to do business with you again because you bought Heartland Communications and I had units active with them. I had an account with you guys a few years back and you pulled this crap. I expected you to do it again and this time I am ready for it. I'm in the process of transferring all of my customers to a local paging company that we deal with. You know the old saying... Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, I should have transferred these units back in October 2007, but Stephanie assured me that you wouldn't be pulling this crap again. She said that the problems that I had with my old account were due to the Arch/Metrocall merger. Boy, you've got to give her credit. She tricked me into being your customer for a whole year! Good thing that I didn't add a few thousand customers on in the mean time. I can't believe that I actually had the plans to do that. THANK GOD THAT I DIDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would most certainly be out of business if I did. By the way, the next time that you send out a letter like this, instead of being a coward, you should include your contact information.

Sincerely,

Ben Riche
pagerman@pagermancommunications.com

With best regards,

Newsletter Editor

73 DE K9IQY

Brad Dye, Editor
The Wireless Messaging Newsletter
P.O. Box 13283
Springfield, IL 62791 USA