Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

Wow! The weather here in the midwest has been really crazy lately. Cold one day and hot the next with tornados, thunderstorms, and hail. Our electricity went out on Tuesday which isn't usually a big deal, but when it's raining hard and the sump pump in the basement isn't running—well that is a big deal. So a quick dash to the home supply store and back with a new gasoline generator saved the day. It started on the first pull and I got the water pumped out before it overflowed onto the carpet in my finished (well—almost) basement.

I hope you enjoy the news that I have found for you to read this week.

The usual reminders for my loyal readers:

• Please recommend the newsletter to a friend or colleague
• Vendors please consider a display ad in the newsletter
• If you have been employed in the messaging/paging industry for a while, please consider contributing an article for the newsletter
  • Sales/Marketing topics
  • Operations topics
  • Engineering/technical topics
• If you haven't paid your bill for a while, please do so (Uncle Sam wants my tax payment)
• Please tell me if you like the newsletter and how I can make it better for you

Now on to more news and views . . .

Wireless Messaging Newsletter
VoIP Wi-Fi Paging WiMAX Telemetry Location Services Wireless Messaging	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.

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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.

AAPC Now an Affiliate Member of EWA*

Scott Forsythe AAPC president

LAST NOVEMBER, THE American Association of Paging Carriers (AAPC) became an affiliate member of EWA. AAPC’s primary reasons for this collaboration include the added voice at the FCC and the ability to share conference venues.

In this the first of many columns in Enterprise Wireless magazine to be focused on paging, I thought it was appropriate to review how the paging industry and AAPC arrived at this place. Someone recently asked, “Why does paging continue to survive?”

Clearly, a fickle consumer market was responsible for the rapid growth and the subsequent decline of “beepers” in the ‘90s. Yet the industry has survived, supported by core user groups that have relied on paging since the beginning and now fortified with new technologies promising a whole new world of applications for narrow-band data transmission.

Our core users—the healthcare, public safety, utility and government users who provide the backbone of critical response and infrastructure in America—view paging as a primary communications tool. These customers continue to agree that paging is still the most efficient and cost-effective means to communicate with their employees and volunteers.

Second, paging has proven reliable in times of crisis. During 9/11, the Katrina disaster, and, more recently, the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, paging was reported to have remained operational when most other communication networks were disabled. Paging is reliable. Paging is secure. Paging is fast.

Beyond “beepers,” it’s really about messaging and data. There are machines paging machines, computers paging automated alarms, pages to control lights, doors, irrigation systems, electrical service, oil rigs, and signs that display important messages to students, faculty and motorists. And, it’s the perfect technology for transmitting emergency information to the masses, as part of our revamped national emergency notification network.

AAPC, founded in 2002 by a small group of industry leaders who recognized the unmet need for common representation and the advantages of a dedicated paging organization, has grown to represent 90 percent of the paging carriers in the U.S., including two of the three largest nationwide carriers. AAPC joining with EWA will further enhance our efforts. Units in service are now estimated at 5-6 million, represented by the same core user groups that helped launch the industry. Many AAPC members are reporting growth.

AAPC’s very active 16-member Board of Directors is balanced with carriers, vendors, and industry leaders. Executive Director Linda Hoover guides AAPC toward meeting its goals and handles the myriad of details necessary for a successful organization. AAPC counsel, Ken Hardman, a Telocator veteran, keeps members informed on regulatory matters. Ken’s leadership on issues such as Katrina recommendations, emergency alert services, regulatory fees, the Universal Service Fund, interconnection and spectrum has proven invaluable to the members of AAPC.

Recently, AAPC has been successful in having key members appointed to the FCC’s Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee pursuant to the WARN Act of 2006, and the Joint Advisory Committee on Communications Capabilities of Emergency Medical and Public Health Care Facilities pursuant to the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

AAPC is also active in the development of the revamped National Emergency Notification System, administers the license for the popular FLEX™ and ReFLEX™ paging protocols, and plays landlord to the separate, but related, Paging Technical Committee that is at the heart of our technical advances.

Finally, it’s important to recognize that the individuals still in this business love what they do.

They stayed during the dark ages when common sense suggested other opportunities. They survived through bankruptcies, layoffs, and sequential mergers. They struggled to downsize their businesses to meet market demand. They have a passion and a commitment that ignores doomsday analysts. They see the future of paging.

They are the members of AAPC.

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

BEFORE THE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20554

To: The Commission, en banc

COMMENTS OF
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS
ON NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS (AAPC), by its attorney, respectfully submits its comments to the Federal Communications Commission in the captioned proceeding, in response to the Notice of Proposed Rule

making and Order (the “NPRM”), FCC 08-126, released May 8, 2008. In summary, AAPC agrees that retaining the previous fee of $0.08 per unit for CMRS Messaging Service is appropriate, as proposed in ¶5 of the NPRM, and likewise supports the Commission’s proposal in ¶30 of the NPRM to again eliminate the identification of individual CMRS call signs in the fee payment process, allowing CMRS providers to instead report aggregate subscriber levels for fee payment purposes.

As its comments in response to the NPRM, AAPC respectfully states:

In this proceeding the Commission seeks to establish the schedule of regulatory fees for FY 2008 so as to recover a minimum of $312,000,000 as mandated by Congress. Of principal importance to AAPC, the Commission proposes to maintain the CMRS Messaging fee at $0.08 per unit, the level initially established for FY 2002, and solicits comments on the proposal. (NPRM at ¶5).

AAPC is the national trade association representing the interests of paging carriers throughout the United States. AAPC’s members include a majority of the paging operators with nationwide licenses under Parts 22, 24 and 90 of the Commission’s rules; a representative crosssection of operators of regional and local paging systems licensed by the Commission; as well as equipment suppliers and other vendors to the carrier industry. Paging services are classified as CMRS Messaging services for purposes of the Commission’s schedule of regulatory fees; thus, the issues raised in ¶¶5 and 30 of the NPRM directly affect AAPC’s members.

With respect to the proposal to maintain the CMRS Messaging fee at $0.08 per unit, AAPC believes that holding the line at previous levels is the appropriate action the Commission should take under the principles set forth in Section 9 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. §159.¹ In FY 2002, when the Commission increased the CMRS Messaging fee from $0.05 per unit to $0.08 per unit over the objection of the paging industry, Commissioner Copps pointed out in his concurring statement:

[T]he Commission does not address when or how it would adjust regulatory fees to take into account changes to the cost of regulating various services. The paging industry argues that it faces a 60 percent per unit increase in regulatory fees this year due to a declining subscriber base, notwithstanding reduced regulatory resources devoted to paging. Today’s order . . . fails to address the underlying concern about revisions to the Commission’s methodology. I take some comfort, however, that the Commission plans to have in place a new accounting system in the near future . . . .²

In 2003 the Commission decided to maintain the CMRS Messaging fee at the FY 2002 level based on “unique circumstances” applicable to the paging industry,³ noting that “The Commission is completing design work on a new cost accounting system. As part of this process, we are evaluating methodologies for capturing data relevant to the regulatory fee setting process.”⁴

To date the Commission has not, however, altered its methodology for annual revisions to the regulatory fee schedule; and the “unique circumstances” applicable to the paging industry in 2003 still prevail. Under these circumstances, absent the Commission determining whether the fee for the paging industry properly should be reduced, as the industry believes it should, AAPC respectfully submits that maintaining the fee at the existing level is the reasonable and appropriate action the Commission should take again this year.

Separately, the NPRM notes that for 2006 the Commission “streamlined the CMRS payment process by eliminating the requirement for CMRS providers to identify their individual call signs when making their regulatory fee payment, requiring instead for CMRS providers to pay their regulatory fees only at the aggregate subscriber level without having to identify their various call signs” (NPRM at ¶30). The NPRM requests comment on the Commission’s proposal to continue the practice again in 2008. (Id.)

While the transition to geographic licensing under Part 22 has reduced somewhat the number of call signs licensed to paging carriers, it nonetheless remains the case that having to identify subscriber levels by call sign would be burdensome to the paging industry and would serve no useful public purpose. Therefore, AAPC strongly supports the Commission’s proposal to continue to allow reporting of aggregate subscriber levels for fee payment purposes.

Accordingly, for the reasons stated above, the American Association of Paging Carriers respectfully urges the Commission to maintain the CMRS Messaging fee at $0.08 per unit, as proposed in ¶5 of the NPRM, and to continue its previous practice of allowing CMRS providers to report aggregate subscriber levels without identifying individual call signs, as proposed in ¶30 of the NPRM.

¹ Section 9(b)(1) requires the Commission to “determin[e] the full-time equivalent number of employees performing [fee-recoverable] activities . . . , adjusted to take into account factors that are reasonably related to the benefits provided to the payor of the fee by the Commission’s activities”.
² Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2002 (Report and Order), 17 FCC Rcd 13202 (FCC 2002) (concurring statement of Commissioner Copps).
³ Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2003 (Report and Order), 18 FCC Rcd 15985, 15992 at ¶¶21-22 (FCC 2003).
⁴ Id. at ¶21 & n. 31.

Years After 9-11 and Katrina, Emergency Networks Still Inadequate

Posted by Carl Weinschenk on June 4, 2008 at 8:49 am

It’s intensely disheartening to find that this long after September 11, Hurricane Katrina and disasters in other countries — including, just within the last several weeks, the typhoon in Myanmar and the earthquake in China — emergency communications systems are still struggling to get the bandwidth and budgets they need to get built.

This Washington Post story says that the U.S. Capitol Police suffer dead spots and have trouble interconnecting with local police. Indeed, the phones went down during President Bush’s State of the Union address in January. In another incident, the police had to use their personnel cell phones when all the channels of the the emergency network crashed. The piece says that the U.S. Park Police are suffering similar troubles with their system, which is 20 to 30 years old, and that 84 percent of FBI radios nationwide are obsolete.

The 700 MHz auction held in January was designed in part to produce the spectrum for a nationwide emergency network. It didn’t quite work out that way. The D-block bidding didn’t meet the $1.3 billion reserve price and thus the plan was momentarily scuttled. Converge! Network Digest says that the FCC is trying again — perhaps in a couple of different ways — and is asking for comments on several issues in an effort to make the next initiative attractive to bidders. The questions are broad, and include such things as rules for governing public safety priority access to networks, performance requirements and license terms and the fee structure of the service.

The FCC isn’t the only agency at least appearing to address the issue. However, after its role in Katrina, it’s difficult to say whether the fact that The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — a unit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — is taking over development of a mobile phone alert system is good news or bad. That uncertainty notwithstanding, this RCR Wireless News story reports that FEMA will announce a common alerting protocol in a month or two and that the system will be operational in 12 to 18 months. There was some question about whether FEMA had the statutory authority to execute the project, which was signed into law by the President two years ago.

There are plenty of tools available in the private sector. One potential for first responder and emergency communications are wireless networks. It’s abundantly clear that the first iteration of municipal Wi-Fi has failed. However, proponents say the culprit wasn't the technology, but rather the business plan and the main service provider, Earthlink. The thinking is that using municipalities as the anchor tenants on networks with sounder business plans could give this sector a second life.

First responder networks are a key element of such projects. Moreover, a particular type of wireless network – mesh – is particularly promising. Such networks can be thrown up quickly and reconfigured in an agile manner.

Much of this information suggests great promise in the field. It seems, however, that we are always at the point of great promise and few results. This status quo simply is unacceptable on a topic as important as having fully functioning emergency and first-responder networks.

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Motorola close to naming new chief for cell phone division

Head of handset unit will face huge challenges.

JUNE 3, 2008: 12:05 AM EDT
By Paul Sloan, senior writer

(Fortune) — After hunting for more than four months, Motorola is in late-stage talks with a few candidates about running its troubled cell phone division, according to a person close to the process.

Whoever takes the job will have a chance at business stardom - the opportunity to return the famed division to its glory days. But he or she will also have one of the hardest jobs in corporate America. Motorola (MOT, Fortune 500), which just a year and a half ago was posting record profits and sales from its ultra-thin Razr phone, is now on average losing $12 on every phone it sells. With Motorola's stock is stuck around $9, Wall Street is valuing the handset division at a paltry $1 a share.

How is it that this 80-year-old American icon - the company that invented the cell phone - finds itself trying to convince investors not that its mobile business can thrive, but that it can even survive? And what can the company do to get out of this mess?

Even if CEO Greg Brown pulls off the plan to separate the cell phone business in 2009 - a strategy devised to help it fill the top handset job and to meet the demands of investor Carl Icahn - Motorola will be a shadow of its once proud self. Without the cell business, the company is left making products such as set top boxes for cable companies and communications gear for businesses and law enforcement. Those divisions, with combined revenue of $17.7 billion last year, are providing life support for the ailing mobile unit, which has lost $1.5 billion in the last five quarters.

Motorola has a long history of boom and bust. In the mid-1990s, the company dominated the nascent cell phone market only to miss the shift to digital and get clobbered by Nokia (NOK). In 2003, after deep cost cuts, a problem with the cameras on its line of flip-top Triplet phones left Motorola unable to ship millions of units for the Christmas season. The board eventually fired CEO Chris Galvin, the grandson of the founder, and brought in Ed Zander, a longtime No. 2 at Sun Microsystems (JAVA, Fortune 500).

The Zander reign, which ended last November, was filled with bitter infighting and backstabbing. Even now, while current and former executives won't talk on the record, privately they are quick to blame others. Plenty of people who once trashed Galvin now sing his praises. Others blame Zander. Or the board. Or Ron Garriques, who ran the handset division while it rode the Razr wave and then bolted to a top job at Dell (DELL, Fortune 500) just as sales began to slide in early 2007. After Garriques left, in fact, Zander told the board that Garriques created a mess deeper than he had ever realized, according to a person close to the board. Asked if he was blindsided, Zander told Fortune: "As CEO you're not supposed to be, but I was." (Garriques declined to comment).

First on the to-do list of the new head of the handset division: Visit all the carriers, and mend relationships with their execs. The last few years were filled with so many broken promises that top executives at the carriers privately say they feel burned.

The new leader needs to assure them that Motorola's products will show up on time. Motorola desperately needs the carriers help to get out of the hole. They subsidize the handsets, after all, and they sell them. An extra $25 dollar subsidy on a popular phone can turn a poor quarter into a profitable one. Working in Motorola's favor is that the carriers want competition. "Many would like to see us strong again as soon as possible," says Brown.

The oft-told storyline is that Motorola failed to come up with a hit product to replace the Razr. While that's true, the problems are deeper. Motorola doesn't need one hit product. It needs a line of solid products. And a number of miscalculations have left it scurrying to catch up.

When the carriers were upgrading their networks to what's called 3G - a system that's commonplace in Europe and Asia and is far faster for multimedia applications and surfing the Web - Motorola was almost entirely focused on its 2G phones. Making matters worse, it had an agreement to buy all its chips from the semiconductor business it spun off, Freescale. Some execs say that problems at Freescale stalled Motorola's efforts. In January, Motorola paid $276 million to get out of the agreement with Freescale.

Motorola also has been too focused on design - to the point where it lost sight of what consumers want to do with their phones. Consider the original Razr. The appeal was its sleek form. As a phone, it wasn't great. The software was limited, and the camera was lousy. It was good enough, but expectations change fast in this business. Today, people want to listen to music on their phones, access the Web and send quick text messages. That's the stuff of great software, which Brown says is now becoming a priority for Motorola.

The company is also playing catch-up as it tries to simplify its systems. Motorola long had an array of platforms - different software architectures - for its lines of phones, and it's been working to scale them back. That in turn should help the company produce phones on time. Still, it's a slog. Such an overhaul can take a couple of years to achieve. "We're working with a sense of urgency," says Brown.

Indeed, urgency is what the company needs. "No phone maker has ever had problems as deep as this," says Citibank analyst Jim Suva. "The bet now is whether Motorola's mobile business will completely go away or not."

Some industry execs and analysts are betting the business will die. "The spinoff is far fetched," says Edward Snyder, a longtime Motorola analyst who runs a firm called Charter Equity Research. "You can't spin off a division that losing $300 to $400 million every quarter."

History is full of cell phone companies that couldn't get out of such a situation, Snyder points out. Ericsson (ERIC), Siemens (SI) and Qualcomm (QCOM, Fortune 500) each gave up. Stale products crushed sales. They cut costs. Talent left. The business moved so fast that they failed to get back on track. Under that scenario, Motorola's handset business would end up getting bought; even some top Motorola officials have privately speculated it could end up a division of Research in Motion (RIMM) or one of the Korean makers. Or the company could end up licensing off the still-strong brand that is Motorola.

To be fair, though, Motorola could very well escape that fate. It still has a strong global sales channel and supply chain. And while the company is scurrying to get an array of 3G phones to carriers - competitors had theirs out in early 2007 - its engineers and designers in the Chicago suburb of Libertyville are toiling away on scores of new products that Motorola promises roll out later this year and in 2009.

And while investors are dubious, one of the biggest, Carl Icahn, has been building his position, which in May he upped from 6.4% to 7.6% of the company - just after Motorola reported that its first quarter sales of handsets had fallen 39%, to $3.3 billion. And as Brown likes to point out, this is a company used to a hard fight. "Motorola has a strong track record of reinvention and resilience," he says.

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Backup power ruling remains in limbo

Questions linger over court jurisdiction

By Jeffrey Silva
Story posted: June 5, 2008 - 5:59 am EDT

A dispute has erupted over whether a federal appeals court should delay ruling on the wireless industry’s challenge to the Federal Communications Commission’s backup power rule until Bush administration budget officials complete their review of controversial guidelines designed to respond to communications failures from Hurricane Katrina.

Based on new briefs filed by parties in the case, the law appears to back the wireless industry’s contention that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit can indeed decide the matter irrespective of OMB.

The latest feud between the FCC and the wireless industry in the backup power appeal dwells on the arcane particulars of how a federal regulation becomes official and the OMB’s role in the final stage of that process.

The day after the May 8 oral argument in the D.C. Circuit, the three-judge panel overseeing the case asked the parties — petitioners CTIA, Sprint Nextel Corp., USA Mobility Inc. and defendant FCC — to address whether a decision legally can be rendered before the Office of Management and Budget approves, or rejects, the backup rule. The court briefly wrestled with the OMB issue at an oral argument otherwise focused on the question of whether the FCC overstepped its authority in imposing the eight-hour backup power rule on the mobile phone and paging sectors.

The FCC, which appeared on the defensive throughout oral argument, conceded that case law — National Treasury Employees Union v. Federal Labor Relations Authority — indicates a D.C. Circuit ruling prior to OMB action would be legitimate. But the agency nonetheless urged the court to put the case on hold. Indeed, the agency argued “a decision by the court now would be premature and potentially unnecessary.”

The cellphone industry argued the D.C. Circuit is on solid ground insofar as issuing a ruling in the backup power appeal before OMB acts.

“First, National Treasury held that the legal question on appeal in that case was justiciable under the set of facts presented, and this case presents even strong facts demonstrating justiciability,” industry parties stated in a joint brief. They added that the “OMB possess only the limited power to review the discrete information collection requirements of the backup power ruled and, as result, the sole issue before OMB will be compliance with” the Paperwork Reduction Act.

In short, according to the wireless industry, OMB lacks the legal authority to speak to legal issues central to the backup power appeal before the court.

Cellular association CTIA and USA Mobility Inc. subsequently asked the court to disregard major portions of the FCC’s latest brief because those sections involve issues of law not raised at oral argument or by the court.

The backup power rule was approved last year, following recommendations in 2006 by the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks. The agency responded to protests by partially modifying the rule and extending auditing and compliance deadlines.

The new rule, which the D.C. Circuit stayed in February, calls for a minimum 24 hours of emergency backup power for telecom assets inside central offices and eight hours for other facilities such as cell sites, remote switches and digital loop carrier system remote terminals. There are about 200,000 cell sites in the United States, with tower companies operating about 115,000 sites and operators controlling 85,000 sites.

Wireless companies have six months to determine which assets comply with the new guidelines and to ascertain which facilities are exempted for safety reasons or conflicts with federal, state or tribal laws. Carriers with wireless facilities covered by the new rule, but not in compliance, must rectify the situation, or file an action plan within 12 months on how they intend to meet new federal requirements. The FCC has stated it does not regard the reporting requirements as burdensome, but the cellular and tower sectors argue otherwise.

Separate from the legal issues before the court is the potential economical impact of industry compliance with the backup power rule. Mobile-phone and tower companies estimate the cost could be in the hundreds of million of dollars.

In addition to the appeals lodged by CTIA and USA Mobility, a number of other parties have participated in the case, including Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA Inc., MetroPCS Communications Inc., wireless infrastructure association PCIA, the National Emergency Number Association and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.

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'Serving the Paging industry since 1987'

"Free" WiFi at Starbucks comes with a price

June 4, 2008
By Sue Marek

Yesterday Starbucks began offering free WiFi to coffee drinkers who visited its Card Reward webpage to either sign up for a $5 rewards card or register an existing gift card. Users who sign up before July 14 get a free drink and everyone who signs up can use two hours of AT&T WiFi in Starbucks shops free every day. The only catch is that Card Reward users have to make a purchase with their card at least once a month.

But this plan was complicated when customers overwhelmed the Card Reward site yesterday causing the company to put up a message saying that they were working on the problem and to please check back later. This morning the site was operational.

This latest offer follows Starbucks' announcement earlier this year that AT&T would start providing WiFi service in Starbucks stores. T-Mobile USA, however, continues to offer the service as well.

Local 9-1-1 Dispatch Fee on Phone Bills Questioned by New Court Ruling

Decision to be Appealed — Santa Cruz, Watsonville and County Impacted

By Shirley Wentworth

NetCom's maproom.

A new court ruling brings a government-imposed 9-1-1 fee into question again. Presently, the fee shows up on some phone bills in California, and is collected by some cities and counties to help offset the cost of modern-day computer-driven emergency dispatch operations. However, that may change if a recent appeal court ruling is upheld.

The California First District of Appeals in San Francisco struck down Union City's 9-1-1 user fee at the end of April, leaving some 40 to 50 cash-strapped agencies throughout California in fiscal uncertainty.

Santa Cruz County, and two cities, are among the municipalities that collect such fees. The proceeds go to cover the cost of emergency dispatch services at the Santa Cruz Consolidated Emergency Communications Center — also called Netcom — built nearly 15 years ago to consolidate a disjointed, non-centralized and non-computerized emergency response dispatch system.

In the Valley, fire districts, the local ambulance services and the county's Sheriff's Office use Netcom for emergency and non-emergency dispatch, along with some record management services.

Already, in the wake of the Union City court ruling, the city of Santa Cruz has decided to repeal its "fee" and go to voters asking for approval of a phone "tax."

The Union City Ruling

The Union City ruling decreed that the monthly charge on personal phone bills is considered a tax, not a fee. Union City had 60 days from the Apr. 29 ruling to file an appeal with the court.

Larry Cheeves, Union City's city manager, said the city council decided to appeal the ruling with the California Supreme Court.

Union City council members also decided not to speculate on what alternatives might work to fund the city's emergency services until they hear what the court determines. Cheeves said they should know by August if the court will hear the case or not. Agencies statewide have a stake in the outcome and are keeping a sharp eye on the proceedings.

The ruling affects Santa Cruz County along with the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville, all of which implemented the user fees to pay for some of their costs related to the emergency dispatch center. Capitola has never collected the fee, but a decision could limit that city's ability to charge such a fee in the future.

The area's communications center, Netcom, is jointly owned and operated by local municipalities (Capitola, Santa Cruz and Watsonville) and the county government, along with all the area's independent fire districts.

Additionally, agencies like the American Medical Response, which operates the county's exclusive emergency paramedic ambulance service, pay fees, but the availability and price of service may be affected by the ruling. The city of Scotts Valley is not part of Netcom and is not affected by the loss of the 9-1-1 user fees.

No State Funding for Modern Dispatch Centers

Funds from a statewide telephone surcharge cover only about 4 percent of the local center's budget.

Santa Cruz County is able to raise about $1.2 million from its 9-1-1 phone bill fee, but still must dig into its general fund to come up with another $500,000 to cover its share of the cost. Similarly, the city of Santa Cruz also raises about $1.2 million from its fee and contributes another $200,000.

Watsonville raises about $500,000 from fees and also pays another $500,000 from its general fund.

Capitola alone pays its approximately $500,000 share strictly from its general fund. Likewise, fire districts — including volunteer agencies — pay for services without a dedicated revenue stream.

For fee payers, county residents pay a $1.47 monthly surcharge, while those living in the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville pay $1.81 and $2.05, respectively. Some cities, such as Ventura, offer users a choice of paying a monthly fee of $1.49 per phone line or signing up to pay $17.88 each time they call 9-1-1 for a personal emergency.

Mike McDougal, the center's general manager, called the ruling a setback. It could mean county and city officials are going to have to stare hard into diminishing general fund budgets to make up funding allocations. Or it might mean asking hard-pressed taxpayers to approve a tax — a vote requiring a two-thirds majority.

However, there is some question about whether the Union City ruling will stand.

Santa Cruz County's 9-1-1 fee was challenged in court in 2003; an appellate court upheld the 9-1-1 charges as a fees, not as taxes.

Unfortunately, for folks like McDougal, there is a difference in the two rulings.

McDougal said that the Union City ruling comes packaged with a published legal opinion, meaning citations from that paper carry more weight than any from the unpublished opinion stemming from the Santa Cruz ruling. McDougal said he's waiting to hear about a similar lawsuit in Stockton, which could yield yet a different ruling.

More Dispatch Center Costs to Come

Complicating matters, the Santa Cruz emergency dispatch must also change or replace its radio equipment no later than Jan. 1, 2013 to comply with new Federal Communications Commission requirements — a project estimated at $20 million. With more and more users climbing on its high-frequency bandwidth, the FCC must make more room in its spectrum. McDougal said that's like having to convert a four-lane freeway into eight lanes and having to redesign cars to fit in smaller lanes.

McDougal projected having to raise the 9-1-1 fee by 66 cents per telephone wire to finance the new radio equipment, but now faces a nebulous funding future.

If the Union City ruling stands, it's likely the center must reduce staff and services. He doesn't know where those cuts might start, but said the core services of dispatch and sending out emergency responders would be the last to get cut.

The center, however, provides many other ancillary services such as law enforcement records management, automatic vehicle location for ambulances, providing mobile data for fire and law enforcement agencies, managing reporting systems and keeping track of evidence for court cases. That's where the cuts would start.

Could the local jurisdictions replace the lost fees?

"We're in big trouble with our [city's] general fund already and this makes it worse," said Dick Wilson, Santa Cruz city manager. "We're talking about awfully big numbers for a service that is essential."

Santa Cruz City Decides to Go to Voters

The Santa Cruz City Council decided last week to repeal its user fee and place a measure on a special election ballot that replaces the $1.81 fee with a $3.45 tax. When the user fee was originally established in 2003, it was set at $3.45 and it was amended to $1.81 this year.

A special election will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $150,000, roughly about what the user fee brings in monthly.

When the fee is repealed July 1, Wilson said the city could potentially lose a half-year of revenues, depending on when and if the user fee returns as a tax.

Dinah Phillips, spokeswoman for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, said the county's situation is very different than the one in Union City because voters here have already voted not to repeal the fee and because the issue has already been in court before.

"We're hoping our situation is different enough so that we don't have to worry," she said.

Phillips said county attorneys are weighing the issue, but the board of supervisors has yet to take a crack at it.

The county is already in the process of making significant cuts to its budget in response to the state's $24 billion deficit over this and the next fiscal year.

"We've had our nose to the grindstone just putting this budget together — which is in a lot of misery. We haven't even thought about alternative ways to fund (the 9-1-1 fee)," Phillips said earlier this month, adding that she hopes it does not necessitate a special election because of the high price tag.

Wilson said last week each of the local governing bodies is conducting a poll to see if there is support for one countywide tax rather than a separate one in each jurisdiction. He said it seems that everyone agrees in theory that a countywide measure should be proposed, but the topic is one under discussion this week at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting.

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America's Emergency Network to Enhance Florida's Emergency Communications

June 05, 2008
Anil Sharma, TMCnet Contributing Editor

America's Emergency Network (AEN), a wholly owned subsidiary of Brampton Crest International, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State of Florida's Division of Emergency Management to establish AEN's emergency communication system.

The AEN system, once fully deployed, will link Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in cities, towns, counties, school boards, and other government entities with the general public, media outlets, first responders, and other government agencies.

The MOU also envisages that during rapidly developing emergencies (tanker accidents, bio-hazards, etc.), the AEN system will provide an instant communications link directly to all subscribing media outlets. Critical information will reach the public much sooner since all subscribing media outlets will receive the text and video feeds immediately.

The satellite-based system is designed to operate before and after disasters, even when telephone, cell phone, and terrestrial internet systems have failed. The system will send video feeds of news briefings by emergency officials and critical text bulletins issued at any EOC in any location to all users instantly.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to demonstrate our system to the Florida Division of Emergency Management which has long been regarded as the leader in Emergency Management nationwide," said Bryan Norcross, president and CEO of AEN, in a statement.

"We are confident that the AEN system will not only increase the Division of Emergency Management's effectiveness, but will also save lives."

America's Emergency Network was designed by Bryan Norcross, the CBS network hurricane analyst, and Max Mayfield, the former director of the National Hurricane Center.

AEN's goal is to be sure that every emergency manager, whether from a large county or a small town, has an outlet to reach the public, the media, and other government officials.

The satellite-based AEN system is designed to continue to work after a disaster when the power lines, phone lines, cell phone towers, and terrestrial internet systems are knocked out.

Brampton Crest International is a publicly traded company which recently acquired America's Emergency Network, LLC. Brampton also owns and operates a wholly owned finance subsidiary.

NEWS RELEASE

June 5, 2008
Contact: Joe Farren
202-736-3207

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Reminds Consumers to Be Responsible Behind the Wheel

Don't Text and Drive

WASHINGTON, DC – As the school year winds down and the summer road-trip season begins, CTIA-The Wireless Association® and the wireless industry reminds consumers that safety should be every driver's top priority. Drivers should never take their eyes off the road, or their hands off the wheel for extended periods of time. When behind the wheel, a driver's most important responsibility is safety—don't text and drive.

"This week is National Wireless Safety Week, and I can't think of a better time to remind Americans to be responsible behind the wheel," said Steve Largent, CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO. "Text messaging equips wireless consumers with a unique safety tool that enables people to respond to emergency situations anywhere, anytime. But, there's a time and a place for texting, and when you're driving is not one of them."

More and more Americans are using their wireless devices to report emergencies, prevent crime and save lives. Everyday more than 290,000 calls are made from wireless devices to 911 or other emergency services. That's about 200 calls every minute. A wireless device is one of the best safety tools drivers can have with them on the road. However, when it comes to driving, the responsible and safe operation of a motor vehicle should be every driver's top priority and consumers should never allow their wireless device to distract them from driving safely.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® and the wireless industry encourages drivers to follow some basic do's and don'ts to ensure that their wireless phones don't become a distraction:

• Be responsible behind the wheel…don't text and drive.
• Get to know your wireless device and its features, such as speed dial and redial.
• Position your wireless device within easy reach.
• Dial sensibly and assess the traffic; place calls when you are not moving.
• Let the person you are speaking with know you are driving; if necessary suspend the call in heavy traffic or hazardous weather conditions.
• Do not take notes or look up phone numbers while driving.
• Use a hands-free device for convenience and comfort.
• Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations that might divert your attention from the road.
• Dial 911 or other local emergency numbers to report serious emergencies – it's free from your wireless phone.
• Use your wireless phone to help others in emergencies.
• Call roadside assistance or a special non-emergency wireless number when necessary.

National Wireless Safety Week: CTIA-The Wireless Association® and wireless carriers across the country have sponsored National Wireless Safety Week since 1990 to focus attention on the important issue of public safety and the numerous ways wireless technology can save lives, stop crime, and be of invaluable assistance during an emergency situation.

Check out the new radio ads from CTIA's Safe Driving public service announcement campaign, and learn more about Wireless Safety Week by visiting http://www.ctia.org/WirelessSafetyWeek08.

# # #

CTIA is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers.
http://www.ctia.org

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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.

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New 'AT&T Net Reach' Bundle Delivers High Speed Internet Solution for Customers at Home and On The Go

New Software Delivers Simplified Connectivity Across AT&T 3G, EDGE, High Speed Internet and Wi-Fi Networks

San Antonio, Texas, June 4, 2008

Imagine this: Your morning starts with an e-mail check at home before you head to the office. Later that afternoon, you arrive at an off-site client meeting and forward your presentation before entering the conference room. That evening, when pulling up to your child's baseball game, you connect one last time to confirm tomorrow's schedule. Sound familiar?

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced the launch of AT&T Net Reach, a bundle providing home and on-the-go high speed Internet services for the ever-moving consumer and small business customer. Combining the strengths of AT&T's wireless and wireline networks, Net Reach includes AT&T High Speed Internet and LaptopConnect services, in addition to free access to more than 17,000 hot spots with AT&T Wi-FiSM service. Plus, as part of the LaptopConnect service, new software automatically detects the strongest available AT&T signal from a nearby network — 3G, EDGE, Wi-Fi or one's AT&T High Speed Internet connection at home — making connecting simple and easy.

"We all move at a fast pace," said Brian Shay, senior vice president, Converged Services, AT&T. "Knowing that a reliable network virtually shadows you every step of the way gives consumers the peace of mind they need to stay ahead in today's busy world. That's exactly what AT&T Net Reach does."

As the nation's leading provider of high speed Internet and wireless service, AT&T Net Reach provides high speed Internet service at home, access to AT&T's 3G wireless network in more than 275 major metro areas, national coverage on AT&T's EDGE wireless network and free access to more than 17,000 Wi-Fi hot spots nationwide, including roughly 7,000 Starbucks locations.

The latest AT&T Communication Manager software, version 6.8, now pre-installed on the AT&T USBConnect 881, adds ease of use by picking up AT&T network signals directly from one's laptop. Customers may also download the new AT&T Communication Manager, at no cost, by visiting www.att.com. AT&T Net Reach plans are now available, starting at $79.95 a month, and may be ordered by calling AT&T or by visiting a local AT&T retail location.

"The strengths of our wireless and wireline networks — working together — are setting a new standard of connectivity for today's consumer," said Shay. "Whether it's high speed Internet at home, our wireless networks or our Wi-Fi hot spots, it's all about delivering the best experience for our customers."

AT&T Net Reach is available to new and existing residential and small business customers who subscribe to AT&T High Speed Internet and AT&T LaptopConnect services. Customers must also opt to combine their wireless and wireline services onto one billing statement.

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Verizon Wireless To Acquire Alltel; Will Expand Nation’s Most Reliable Wireless Network

06/05/2008

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Verizon Wireless has entered into an agreement with Alltel Corporation and Atlantis Holdings LLC, an affiliate of private investment firm TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners, to acquire Alltel Corporation in a cash merger. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD).

Under the terms of the agreement, Verizon Wireless will acquire the equity of Alltel for approximately $5.9 billion. Based on Alltel’s projected net debt at closing of $22.2 billion, the aggregate value of the transaction is $28.1 billion.

The parties are targeting completion of the merger by the end of the year, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.

Once this transaction closes, customers of both companies will have access to an expanded range of products and services, including a premier lineup of basic and advanced devices and an expanded IN Network calling community. Alltel customers also will benefit from advanced services including over-the-air downloadable music from a three-million-song library, and a network that is nationwide, for a uniform coast-to-coast experience. They also will be able to take advantage of industry-leading consumer policies, including Test Drive and Worry Free Guarantee®.

“This move will create an enhanced platform of network coverage, spectrum and customer care to better serve the growing needs of both Alltel and Verizon Wireless customers for reliable basic and advanced broadband wireless services,” said Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer.

Alltel serves more than 13 million customers in markets in 34 states. This includes 57 primarily rural markets that Verizon Wireless does not serve. The transaction puts the Alltel markets and customers on a path to advanced 4th generation services as Verizon Wireless deploys LTE technology throughout its network over the next several years. Alltel’s customers also will reap the benefits of Verizon Wireless’ Open Development initiative, which welcomes third-party devices and services to use the Verizon Wireless network.

Verizon Communications, the owner of the majority stake in Verizon Wireless, expects that the transaction will be immediately accretive, excluding transaction and integration costs. “This is a perfect fit, with Alltel’s high-value post-paid customer base, its solid financials, our common network technology, and significant, readily attainable synergies,” said Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon chief executive officer and chairman of the Verizon board. “Verizon Wireless’ acquisition of Alltel clearly provides opportunities for enhanced value for Verizon shareholders.”

Alltel President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Ford will continue in his current position as head of Alltel until the merger is completed.

“Both Alltel and Verizon Wireless have long track records of delivering a high-quality customer experience in the marketplace,” Ford said. “The combination of our two companies will continue and improve upon that heritage as, together, we can more quickly deliver an expanded range of innovative products and services to our customers.”

Verizon Wireless expects to realize synergies with a net present value, after integration costs, of more than $9 billion driven by reduced capital and operating expense savings. Synergies are expected to generate incremental cost savings of $1 billion in the second year after closing.

Alltel and Verizon Wireless both use a common network technology, which provides advantages of a seamless transition for Alltel customers, ease in integrating the two companies’ networks, and scale efficiencies in operating the larger integrated network.

Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Verizon Wireless on this transaction and is providing bridge financing. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP acted as legal advisor to Verizon Wireless.

Citibank, Goldman Sachs and RBS advised the sellers on the transaction. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as legal advisor to Alltel, and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Ropes & Gray LLP acted as legal advisors to the sellers.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Alltel
Alltel delivers voice and advanced data services nationwide to more than 13 million customers. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Alltel is a Forbes 500 company with annual revenues of nearly $9 billion.

About TPG Capital
TPG Capital is the global buyout group of TPG, a leading private investment firm founded in 1992 with more than $50 billion of assets under management and offices in San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, New York, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, Menlo Park, Washington, D.C., Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, Paris, Luxembourg, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. TPG Capital has extensive experience with global public and private investments executed through leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, joint ventures and restructurings. TPG Capital’s investments span a variety of industries including media and communications, financial services, travel and entertainment, technology, industrials, retail, consumer and healthcare. Please visit www.tpg.com.

About GS Capital Partners
Since 1986, Goldman Sachs has raised fourteen private equity and mezzanine investment funds aggregating $69 billion of capital and leverage commitments. GS Capital Partners is the private equity vehicle through which The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. conducts its privately negotiated corporate equity investment activities. GS Capital Partners is currently investing its GS Capital Partners VI fund. GS Capital Partners is a global private equity group with a focus on large, sophisticated business opportunities in which value can be created through leveraging the resources of Goldman Sachs.

NOTE: This news release contains statements about expected future events and financial results that are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following important factors could affect future results and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements: materially adverse changes in economic and industry conditions and labor matters, including workforce levels and labor negotiations, and any resulting financial and/or operational impact, in the markets served by us or by companies in which we have substantial investments; material changes in available technology, including disruption of our suppliers' provisioning of critical products or services; the impact of natural or man-made disasters or litigation and any resulting financial impact not covered by insurance; technology substitution; an adverse change in the ratings afforded our debt securities by nationally accredited ratings organizations; the final results of federal and state regulatory proceedings concerning our provision of retail and wholesale services and judicial review of those results; the effects of competition in our markets; the timing, scope and financial impacts of our deployment of fiber-to-the-premises broadband technology; the ability of Verizon Wireless to continue to obtain sufficient spectrum resources; changes in our accounting assumptions that regulatory agencies, including the SEC, may require or that result from changes in the accounting rules or their application, which could result in an impact on earnings; and the ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions.

####

Emergency Responders From Across PA Discuss Ways to Improve Crisis Communications

By Pennsylvania Office of Administration

STATE COLLEGE, PA., JUNE 4 — The Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, other state departments, and emergency officials from counties across the state today discussed ways to improve communications among emergency responders during the second annual PA Interop Conference.

State police and other state agencies are implementing a new public safety radio system for data and voice communications. The system, called OpenSky, is the backbone for the state's PA STARNET radio network and allows interoperability among different agencies and radio systems.

State Police Colonel Jeffrey Miller told conference attendees that the new system helped during the tragic shooting at an Amish school house in Lancaster County in 2006.

"Because of this new system, we were able to talk with local and state police who responded to this shooting, and we were able to decide what needed to be done sooner," Miller said.

"As those charged with protecting the public safety, we have to not only think about, but be prepared to act on, the unthinkable," Miller said. "If a shooting, like the one that happened at Virginia Tech last year, were to happen at Penn State, or any other college campus in Pennsylvania, state police would need to work with campus security and local police, and that means we would need to be able to talk to each other."

State police already use the public safety radio system for data transmission. The voice system is being phased in at state police barracks across the state.

"Our public safety radio system will help state police communicate better and more quickly with other state agencies, such as PEMA, PennDOT and the Department of Health, during emergencies," said Charles Brennan, deputy secretary for public safety radio in the Governor's Office of Administration. "It will also help our state agencies work better with local police, fire and other emergency responders, whether they join this system or not."

Many counties need to upgrade their emergency communications systems. The upgrades are critical to improving public safety, but they cost millions of dollars.

"The terrorist attacks on 9/11 showed the need for emergency agencies to be able to communicate reliably with one another during a crisis. The question confronting public officials is how to best achieve this goal within tight budgets at municipal, county and state levels," Brennan said. "One of the purposes of this conference is to bring emergency communications managers together to look at new technology, and talk with their peers about how best and most efficiently to get this technology into the field."

County emergency officials received briefings on how their current systems can work with the state OpenSky system, and looked at ways to upgrade their existing systems.

The need for communication among state, county and local responders is especially critical in Pennsylvania because of the state's local government structure. In addition to several state agencies, there are 67 county emergency offices, and thousands of local police and fire departments, hazardous materials teams and ambulance services that handle emergency situations.

"Pennsylvania citizens value small, local governments that are close to the people they serve," Brennan said. "But, we need to make sure our local emergency responders have the best communications equipment available to protect themselves and their neighbors when a disaster strikes."

Brennan pledged to take information gained from PA Interop II to offer local officials the best and widest options for upgrading their emergency communications systems.

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Motorola: Will The Handset Spinoff Be Scrapped?

June 5, 2008, 1:44 pm
Posted by Eric Savitz

What happens to Motorola (MOT) shares if they can’t get rid of the handset business?

Nothing good, is the answer. Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron raised that question in an extremely bearish note on the company this morning. He contends that the continued troubles of the business might force the company to scrap the planned spinoff of the handset operation. “To spin off the handset unit, MOT’s board has to be convinced that the handset unit can be sustainable on its own - not necessarily profitable but with a time line to profitability and enough capital (available or accessible) to get there,” he writes. “We are increasingly inclined to believe this process could be delayed or scrapped altogether.”

Kidron today cut his his rating on Motorola to Under perform from Perform. He now thinks the handset business is worse less than nothing to Motorola; the implication (which he does not say specifically) is that the company might simply be better off shutting it down.

Kidron says the company is not likely to reach its goal of Q2 handset shipments flat to up slightly from Q1. “Our checks suggest continued share losses globally with material losses in its core North American market,” he writes. Kidron also says that company-specific inventory build is developing in Southeast Asia and Europe. “With the handset business finding no bottom, we question whether its planned spin-off can still occur on time if at all. We’re inclined to believe MOT might have to keep its handset unit, which would hurt the stock. We now apply a negative value to the unit and see further downside to the stock.”

For 2008, Kidron now expects the company to post a loss of 2 cents a share; he had expect a loss of a penny. For 2009, he sees EPS of 28 cents, down from 59 cents.

Motorola today is up a penny, at $9.19.

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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Board told roof-top device emitting microwave radiation unsafe for patients

Posted By BY KATE SCHWASS, SUN MEDIA

Posted 1 day ago

The Norfolk General Hospital board of directors has been asked to consider removing a paging service from its roof because of the microwave radiation it emits.

"I'm sure other locations could be found in the community that could be safer," Anca Gaston said during a presentation to the board this week. "My recommendation would be to have it moved."

MEETS SAFETY CODE

Gaston, a masters student at Brock University, was appearing on behalf of Norfolk resident Frank Woodcock, who wrote the board with concerns about the paging system on top of the hospital. When the board replied in a letter that the system meets Health Canada's Safety Code 6, Woodcock asked to present something to the board.

Gaston's presentation was similar to one she had given at Norfolk County council several months ago when residents asked the county to remove the cellphone antenna on top of the Union Street water tower.

Gaston said that last June Industry Canada measured the pager system at the hospital and found it was emitting up to about 300 microWatts per square meter.

"It is actually more powerful, according to Industry Canada, than the cell phone antennae located atop the Union Street water tower," she said.

She presented several studies, including the Bio Initiative Report released last August. She said the hospital should be particularly concerned about the issues surrounding electromagnetic sensitivity.

"It's also a place where individuals are recovering from illness," Gaston said. "(Their) exposure to pollutants, including those we can't see or smell, should be minimized as much as possible."

NGH president and CEO Bill Lewis said the pager system was placed on the hospital because a previous system wasn't working effectively and staff members were missing pages, even if they were inside the hospital.

Board members said they appreciated the information, but weren't sure they needed to move the pager system.

"The issue isn't the paging system. The issue is Safety Code 6," Peter Hellyer said.

'EVERYONE SUFFERING'

Gaston said this was an opportunity to stand up and tell Health Canada that something needs to be done about the standard.

"You're in a position where you can say yes, Safety Code 6 is outdated," she said, noting it came into effect in 1999. "Everyone is suffering from this, whether Health Canada wants to admit it or not."

Dr. Mickel Macauley said he is "a little bit skeptical" because much of the information provided by Gaston was not from peer-reviewed articles. He said the "top of the line, peer-reviewed, scientific data" was missing.

"I am very skeptical. I think it is almost a political movement as much as a scientific one," he said. But, he added that there was enough information to make them question the location of the paging system.

"I would suggest we seriously think about moving it."

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Born Hot?

Good dispatchers: Born or made?

Posted: Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Updated: June 3rd, 2008 08:13 PM PDT

MICHELLE PERIN
Communications Contributor

"Not everyone's cut out for this job."

"It takes a special kind of person to be a dispatcher."

"You either have what it takes or you don't."

Most emergency communications operators have heard phrases like these many times over their careers. In my experience, it was relatively easy to determine if a new operator would be successful in this profession or not. Especially in reference to 9-1-1, it was obvious when someone was too sensitive or took things too personally to be able to handle the amount of heartache coming in over the phones. It usually wasn't long before that person took a job in another part of the police department. Police communications is a tough job. It is stressful. You often experience the worst side of people. The environment involves shift work, excessive overtime and often personality conflicts internally and externally. In some places, operators are highly paid, while in others, the pay hardly covers the cost of gas to get to work. So who are the people succeeding in this line of work? Are they born to be dispatchers? Is it training that makes them a hot commodity and good at what they do? It appears to be a combination of factors that make a good person a great emergency communications operator.

Dispatcher by Birth

Numerous theories attempt to decipher if personality type is determined by heredity, environment or both. In my opinion, the latter of the three seems most likely. Who we are internally, including the way we process our reality, begins at birth. As we grew into adults, our reality changed and our perception of reality changed. Our personality and behaviors adapted and evolved. Each emergency communication operator brings to the floor specific personality traits that make them unique.

Greek philosophers were one of the first to label personalities. Four temperaments were established:

• melancholy
• sanguine
• phlegmatic
• choleric

These types were so important medical procedures often revolved around the category you fell into due to the belief the temperament was determined by the amount of different body fluids, such as blood and bile, in the person's system. Next, new labels became common. These labels were Type A and B with Type A personalities thought to be more common and more successful in high-stress occupations. As personality psychology has changed, a more comprehensive evaluation developed. Currently, the Meyers-Briggs Test is often used to determine personality and includes sixteen categories.

"Many good dispatchers are born not trained," says Richard Mirgon, First Vice President of APCO. Sue Pivetta, founder of Professional Pride agrees, "I think (dispatchers) are already great."

"One of the things that is very key is life experiences," states Lt. Robert Graham, owner and lead instructor for Professional Dispatch Management. "You have to have enough life experience to know when a person is hostile, suicidal or a victim. And determine this without training whatsoever." But, is personality type the only factor that determines if a person will make it at the console? Looking around the radio room, at the variety of different people making the system work, I'd have to say no.

Honing the Skills

When I was a dispatcher, it was often noted how different I was from my best friend who also worked the console. I fell squarely into the Type A, Sanguine personality type while she was a softer, Type B, Melancholy. I was quick on my feet and didn't have a problem jumping into a situation with very little preparation. If a new detail came in, I would easily and comfortably learn how to handle the officers and the situation as I went along. My best friend on the other hand was more scrupulous and organized. She was most comfortable when she had an understanding of the situation and what was needed. She was meticulous.

Despite our differences in personality and how this affected our dispatching style, what we had in common was we were both good at our jobs. Our personalities allowed us to do the same job in very different ways but with positive results. Much of this ability can be attributed to training. Although he believes nature plays a role in making a good dispatcher, Mirgon adds, "Good training hones that skill set like a sharp sword. It puts them on the cutting edge." John Dejung, Assistant City Coordinator of 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 for the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center agrees, "Dispatching is both an art and a science. Many dispatchers will have the temperament, the personality that covers the art part of it. They are quick on their feet, can multi-task and maintain calm. Then there is the science part. They don't know how to work the gear, don't know the procedures. Even someone good at winging it will not be good enough. They need to have the science part; the book learning part." Good training is essential to taking the positive attributes of a dispatcher's personality and utilizing them in a way that person becomes great at what they do. This honing can mean the difference between life and death to a citizen in crisis or an officer in the field.

Personality will always play a part in whether someone is successful in emergency communications. I have no doubt certain people are cut out to do this job. Others are better off doing something else. Initial and continuous training takes those with a compatible personality and creates an exceptional operator. What's most important is how you feel about the work you do and the effort you put into it. So, whether your ability is nature or nurture, if you keep a passion for your work you will always be the hottest thing at the console.

Michelle Perin worked as a police telecommunications operator with the Phoenix (AZ) Police Department for eight years. Currently, she is working on her M.A. in Criminology from Indiana State University and writes full-time balancing between a suburb in Arizona and a small town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. For more information, visit www.thewritinghand.net

Wireless Communication Solutions

ISI-LX Internet Serial Interface with Protocol Conversion Converts Serial TAP message to SNPP, SMTP, or WCTP Pass through Serial Data to TCP/IP and TCP/IP back to Serial Supports Ethernet or PPP Connection to Internet w/Dial Backup Includes 4 Serial Ports for Multiplexing Traffic

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

PageTrack Inexpensive method of automating your paging monitoring Uses standard paging receiver Available in 152-158 POCSAG or 929 FLEX (call for others)

Omega Unified Messaging Server Full Featured Internet Messaging Gateway TAP Concentrator and TNPP Routing Functions w/TNPP over Internet Serial Protocols Supported: GCP, SMDI, SMS, TAP, TNPP Internet Protocols Supported: AIM, HTTP, SMPP (out only), SMTP, SNPP, and WCTP Full Featured, Easy-to-use Voice/Fax/Numeric Mail Interface One Number For All Your Messaging Optional Hot-swap Hard Drives and Power Supplies Available

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BloostonLaw Telecom Update

Published by the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP

[Selected portions reproduced here with the firm's permission.]

www.bloostonlaw.com

WTA Urges FCC To Retain High Cost USF Program Virtually In Present Form

In reply comments in the FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF) Reform proceeding, the Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) said it believes that the existing High Cost support programs for rural telephone companies have been the most successful and effective USF programs. Since the mid-1980s, WTA said, they have enabled small rural carriers with minimal financial resources to invest in, construct, operate and maintain the infrastructure necessary to provide quality, affordable and reasonably comparable telecommunications and information services to their rural service areas. They have accomplished these tasks in a highly efficient manner subject to substantial regulatory and private oversight and accountability, as well as with virtually no waste, fraud or abuse.

According to WTA, most rural telephone companies have been transitioning from “plain old telephone service” to the developing broadband network. They need continued specific, predictable and sufficient High Cost support in order to replace their copper lines with fiber optic facilities, and to make other network upgrades, as rural demands for telecommunications and advanced services evolve. WTA said they also need continued High Cost support to satisfy the service demands and bear the economic consequences of their Provider of Last Resort (POLR) status in many of the Nation’s most rugged, sparsely populated and high-cost areas.

WTA said it believes that the existing High Cost programs for rural telephone companies should be retained in substantially their present form. It also supports separate High Cost support programs under the overall VSF umbrella and contribution mechanism for (1) larger, non-rural POI (2) new broadband construction in unserved areas; and (3) wireless carriers in high-cost wireless service or study areas. WTA said it believes that separate High Cost programs for different industry segments will be much more effective and cost-efficient than “one-size-fits-all” solutions. Such separate programs should not be subject to integrated caps that may automatically divert support from one separate industry segment to others.

WTA said it opposes reverse auctions as a means of calculating and distributing support for any of the proposed separate High Cost programs. It said it believes that their investment disincentives, gaming opportunities and design complexities will harm rural telecommunications service and competition.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

HIGH COURT REJECTS T-MOBILE’s CONTRACTS APPEAL: The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected TMobile USA’s appeal in three cases involving the legal remedies available in millions of cell phone contracts. According to The Associated Press, the issue in the three cases is the same: whether state laws that limit the ability of companies to prohibit consumers from banding together to pursue class action lawsuits are preempted by federal law. T-Mobile had included a prohibition on class actions in a part of its contracts that also required consumers to resolve any complaints through arbitration. The AP reported that the company's lawyers argued that federal law, which generally requires that arbitration clauses be enforced, overrules those state laws that limit the ability of companies to ban class actions. Under contract laws in many states, class-action bans are considered inherently unfair and courts, including those in California, where the dispute originated, can choose to not enforce them. Companies generally support arbitration resolve disputes than litigation, according to AP. Clauses requiring arbitration are included in millions of consumer contracts issued by credit card, cell phone and cable companies, among others. A federal appeals court ruled in one of the cases, T-Mobile v. Laster, last October that courts can refuse to enforce arbitration clauses if they include bans on class actions. AP said the Supreme Court's decision, without comment, lets that decision stand and allows the case to proceed to further litigation. Consumer groups argue that class action bans are unfair, because in legal disputes over small amounts of money, individuals may not have the incentive to file suits. Banning class actions, as a result, could essentially allow companies to avoid liability for practices that cost large numbers of people small amounts of money, according to AP. The T-Mobile v. Laster case began when a woman named Jennifer Laster sued the company after buying a phone and signing up for wireless service in San Diego in 2005. She alleged that T-Mobile engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices by promising free and significantly discounted phones, while charging sales taxes based on the full price of the phone. The company responded that they were required to charge sales taxes on the full retail price under California law. Two companion cases, T-Mobile v. Ford, and T-Mobile v. Gatton, were also turned down by the court, AP said. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

SENATE PASSES CHILDREN INTERNET PROTECTION BILL: The U.S. Senate recently approved the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act (S. 1965), sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), and 19 other cosponsors. The bill would bring parents, industry, and educators together to address comprehensive online protections for children. “Keeping children safe on the Internet must be a multi-layered approach, both on and offline,” said Senator Stevens. “Parents play a vital role in supervising their children’s use of the Internet, but this bill will help keep America’s children safe and allow them to learn and grow in an ever changing online world.” According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in seven children online (10 to 17-years-old) have received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. S. 1965 includes the following provisions: (1) requires schools receiving E-Rate funds to offer education regarding online behavior, including social networking, chat rooms and “cyber-bullying” awareness and response; (2) creates an interagency working group to identify and encourage technologies and initiatives to help parents protect their children from unwanted content; and (3) requires a national public awareness campaign to be conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Senate also approved a resolution sponsored by Vice Chairman Stevens and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to declare June 2008 as “National Internet Safety Month.” The resolution, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, calls on Internet safety organizations, law enforcement officials, educators, community leaders and parents to increase Internet education and safety efforts. The measure notes that more than 35 million children in kindergarten through grade 12 have Internet access, and 80 percent of those children are online for at least one hour per week. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

FCC SEEKS COMMENTS ON KENTUCKY HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION ANTENNA RESTRICTIONS: The FCC has set comment dates for a Petition for Declaratory Ruling filed by William H. Culver, asking the Commission to determine whether antenna restrictions of the Northridge Farms Homeowners Association restricting installation and placement of television antennas and satellite dishes is preempted by Section 1.4000 of the Commission’s rules (Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule). The Petition alleges that the Association’s covenants, rules and regulations violate the Commission’s rule by establishing placement preferences and height restrictions that prevent the Petitioner from obtaining a signal. Northridge Farms is located in Crestwood, Kentucky. Parties may file responses to the Petition on or before July 2, and replies on or before July 17. Please place the case identifier, CSR-7925-O, on all filings. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Gerry Duffy.

AUGUST 1: FCC FORM 502, NUMBER UTILIZATION REPORT. Any wireless or wireline carrier that has been assigned an NXX code (10,000 numbers) or one or more 1,000 number blocks; and any wireless or wireline carrier that has received from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) or from another carrier one or more 1,000 number blocks must file Form 502. Such carriers should apply for an Operating Company Number (OCN) from NANPA if they do not already have one. Make sure you send your data to Gerry Duffy at BloostonLaw.

FCC Meetings and Deadlines

June 6 – Deadline for reply comments on EEOC forms (FCC Forms 395-A and B) (MM Docket No. 98-204). June 6 – Deadline for reply comments on assessment and collection of FY 2008 regulatory fees (MD Docket No. 08-65).

June 9 – Deadline for reply comments on VTel petition for declaratory ruling regarding interconnection rights for LECs, VoIP providers (WC Docket No. 08-56). June 10 – Auction Seminar, Auction 78 (unsold AWS- 1, broadband PCS licenses).

June 10 – Short-form application filing window opens for Auction 78 (unsold AWS-1, broadband PCS licenses). June 11 – Deadline for reply comments on broadcast localism NPRM (MB Docket No. 04-2333).

June 12 – FCC open meeting.

June 16 – Deadline for ILECs filing annual access tariffs on 15 days’ notice (carriers proposing to increase any of their rates).

June 17 – Auction No. 77, closed auction of licenses to provide cellular service in two different unserved areas, is scheduled to begin.

June 19 – Deadline for reply comments on Progeny’s request for waiver of M-LMS construction rule (WT Docket No. 08-60).

June 19 – Short-form application filing deadline for Auction 78 (unsold AWS-1, broadband PCS licenses). June 20 – Deadline for comments on 700 MHz D Block Second NPRM (WT Docket No. 06-150).

June 23 – Deadline for petitions to suspend or reject annual access tariffs filed on 15 days’ notice (carriers proposing to increase any of their rates).

June 24 – Deadline for ILECs filing annual access tariffs on seven days’ notice (carriers proposing to decrease all of their rates).

June 26 – Deadline for replies to petitions to suspend or reject annual access tariffs filed on 15 days’ notice (carriers proposing to increase any of their rates).

June 26 – Deadline for petitions to suspend or reject annual access tariffs filed on seven days’ notice (carriers proposing to decrease all of their rates).

June 27 – Deadline for replies to petitions to suspend or reject annual access tariffs filed on seven days’ notice (carriers proposing to decrease all of their rates).

June 27 – Deadline for comments on FNPRM concerning DTV consumer education initiative (MB Docket No. 07- 148).

June 30 – Annual ICLS Use Certification is due.

June 30 – Deadline for comments on NOI on fraudulent 911 calls made from wireless NSI phones (PS Docket No. 08-51).

July 1 – Effective date of annual access tariffs.

This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm.

Source: Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy and Prendergast, LLP
For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com

WiMAX spectrum given “mobility” status in Europe

BRUSSELS (WiMAX Day). The European Commission announced last week that it has adopted a decision aimed at harmonising the use of 3400 ~ 3800 MHz frequencies in Europe.

The Decision will have a positive impact for WiMAX network operators in Europe, where many use 3.5 GHz spectrum. According to Article 3 of the Decision, Member States of the European Community must allow this spectrum range to be used for “fixed, nomadic and mobile electronic communications networks,” by January 2012.

Almost all licenses for 3.5 GHz spectrum in Europe currently restrict usage to fixed or nomadic services. Few countries allow the spectrum to be used for mobility services, and other countries are in various stages of planning to open the frequencies for such usage.

The Commission has long supported the flexible use of wireless spectrum, with technical and service neutrality. In particular, the designation of the 3400 ~ 3800 MHz frequency band “is an important element addressing the convergence of the mobile, fixed and broadcasting sectors and reflecting technical innovation,” the Commission said.

As mobile wireless broadband services will become the principal service used with this spectrum, the Commission anticipated that further harmonisation would support roaming amongst these frequencies in Europe, “in the sense that users of such electronic communications service in one Member State could also gain access to equivalent services in any other Member State.”

The Decision document cited the CEPT report on Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) which concluded that “the deployment of fixed, nomadic and mobile networks is technically feasible within the 3400 ~ 3800 MHz frequency band under the technical conditions described in the Electronic Communications Committee’s Decision ECC/DEC/(07)02 and Recommendation ECC/REC/(04)05.”

The results of this report, said the commission, “should be made applicable in the Community and implemented by the Member States without delay given the market demand.”

Some European operators note the greater importance of the EC Decision because it validates the status of the spectrum conferred by the World Radio Conference (WRC) last year when 3400 ~ 3600 MHz frequencies were included in the expansion of the definition of IMT, the next generation of mobile technologies, known commonly known as “4G”.

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

Put the innovative technology of Nighthawk to work for you. For more information on any of our products or services, please contact us.

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Phone: 877-764-4484
Fax: 210-341-2011
E-mail: sales@nighthawksystems.com
Web: www.nighthawksystems.com

PAGING & WIRELESS
NETWORK PLANNERS LLC

WIRELESS SPECIALISTS

www.pagingplanners.com
rmercer@pagingplanners.com

R.H. (Ron) Mercer Consultant 217 First Street South East Northport, NY 11731
Cell Phone: 631-786-9359

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From: Paul Hunter
Subject: Nucleus II
Date: June 5, 2008 5:53:34 AM CDT
To: Brad Dye

Hi Brad,

Sorry to bug you, but maybe you can help.

I acquired miscellaneous Nuc parts and am trying to configure some Nucleus II transmitters for ham repeaters and have a couple issues. Several of the SCM boards which would normally show a frequency range of 927-944 Mhz show as 928-944 or 929-944Mhz so I cannot enter a 927.xxxxxx frequency. I assume the paging company changed this since one was 929 Mhz. Do you know if there is a way to get to that through software and change the range. These are the standard station control boards and not the advanced. I tried using FIPS but don't see it, so maybe I'm just being blind. I also tried changing the alignment ID so that the SCM and Exciter matched to get rid of the alarm light, and I couldn't seem to get that to work either. All the exciter modules I got show the same ID number and have SCM boards with miscellaneous ID numbers. Maybe that's not a function or requires special entry method, so I'm lost. I can live with the alarm light, but can't get it down to ham frequencies like other hams have done with the SCM boards they got. I thought all of the SCM boards went down to 927.000000. Any information would be appreciated on this project.

Thank you,
Paul Hunter
W1ASS
hunter.paul@comcast.net

From: Brad Dye

Hi Paul,

Let me run your message in the letters to the editor section of the newsletter this week and see if we can find someone who can answer your questions. I remember something about the SCM board and NUC Exciter must be a "matched pair" but don't remember the details. Getting old has some advantages but a failing memory is not one of them.

73s

Brad Dye, K9IQY

From: Paul Hunter
Subject: Re: Nucleus II
Date: June 5, 2008 4:14:54 PM CDT
To: Brad Dye

Yes, they are aligned as a matched pair, but I am lost to why the SCM boards have different frequency ranges where some are in 927-944 and others 928-944 and the real odd-ball 929-944, which the manual says the range is 928-944. I do have some matched pairs, but the frequency range is out of normal settings. I changed the band setting and it's in the ranges for other bands, so then changed back to proper band and still out of normal window. I'll play some more, and do some more searching and thank you for your response, and hopefully someone knows the scoop and how to change the range or ID number. The ID must be changeable because I have several exciters with different matched pair ID stickers, but the numbers are changed and are identical when I read them, and others are fine and match the SCM boards ID. I assumed the paging company set them up as spares with the same IDs.

73's

Paul Hunter
W1ASS
hunter.paul@comcast.net

From: Patricia Kelly
Subject: Thank You for Speaking With Me!
To: Ron Mercer
Cc: Paula Dressel <pdressel@justpartners.org>
Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2008, 10:56 AM

Mr. Mercer:

We are truly grateful for the information you provided about one- and two-way transmitter systems. As I explained, this information is being used in connection with materials JPI, Inc. is preparing for the Annie E. Casey Foundation http://www.aecf.org/. The primary mission of the Casey Foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s vulnerable children and families. In pursuit of this goal, the Foundation makes grants that help states, cities, and neighborhoods fashion more innovative, cost-effective responses to these needs.

As part of its work with the City of New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Casey is preparing a “toolkit” that will help communities develop web portals and other communications strategies for use after a disaster occurs. One-way transmitters were identified as one communications option, and my research on the topic led me to you.

Thank you for improving (or, rather, creating) my understanding of the benefits of one- and two-way transmitter systems for first-responders, public safety personnel, and governments. It was especially helpful to learn that these transmitters have excellent interoperability, and can not only interface with transmitter systems in other localities, but can be used to reach large numbers of the general population through “electronic billboards” like those found on U.S. highways.

The JPI report will reference you as the source of this information, with the following statement:

“Information on one- and two-way transmitters was provided by Ron Mercer during a June 3, 2008 interview. Mr. Mercer is the founder of Paging & Wireless Network Planners, LLC, and also serves on the Paging Technical Committee of the American Association of Paging Carriers.”

Again: an armful of thanks for your help!

Patricia Kelly

202-378-7869(cell)
pkelly@kellidge.com (e-mail)

With best regards,

Newsletter Editor

73 DE K9IQY

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

Thought for the week of June 6, 2008:

“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find 'tomorrow' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, 'If I had my life to live over again.' Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”

—Augustine “Og” Mandino (1923-1996)

Mandino was once the editor of a high school paper and planned to attend the University of Missouri's journalism school. But in the summer of 1940, before Mandino was able to enter college, his mother died suddenly from a massive heart attack. This happened while Mandino's mother was in the kitchen preparing his lunch. After the incident, Mandino decided to work in a paper factory until 1942. Afterwards, Mandino joined the United States Army Air Corps where he became a military officer and a bombadier. He flew for thirty bombing missions over Germany on board a B-24 Liberator during World War II. It was also during this time that Mandino flew with fellow pilot and movie star, Jimmy Stewart. Mandino kept a personalized 8 X 10 photograph of Stewart. This photograph hung on the wall of his home office where he wrote his books.

After his military duties, Mandino discovered that many companies were not hiring many former bomber pilots. As a result, he became an insurance salesman. Traveling on the road and sitting in bars at night, Mandino became an alcoholic. He was unable to keep a job. As a result, Mandino's wife, together with their only child, left him. One wintry November morning in Cleveland, Mandino almost tried to commit suicide. But as he sorted through several books in a library, volumes of self-help, success and motivation books captured Mandino's attention. He selected some titles, went to a table and began reading. Mandino followed his visit to the library with more visits to many other libraries around the United States. He read hundreds of books that dealt with success, a pastime that help him alleviate his alcoholism. It was in a library in Concord, New Hampshire, where he found W. Clement Stone's classic, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, a book that changed Mandino for the better.

Mandino eventually became a successful writer. His works were inspired by the Bible and influenced by Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, and Emmet Fox.

Source: Wikipedia