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AAPC Wireless Messaging News

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FRIDAY — SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 - ISSUE NO. 474

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Paging and Wireless Messaging Home Page image Newsletter Archive image Carrier Directory image Recommended Products and Services
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Reference Papers Consulting Glossary of Terms Send an e-mail to Brad Dye

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Greetings Dear Readers, and Friends of Wireless Messaging,

Fall has arrived here in Southern Illinois. This is my favorite time of the year. As soon as I get this issue out, I am going outside to walk my dog and enjoy the beautiful sight, sounds, and smells of this season. I hope you have a great weekend.

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From: "Dave Risik WA3HSC" wa3hsc@juno.com
Subject: Help needed
Date: September 18, 2011 3:49:29 AM CDT
To: Brad Dye

Hi Brad,

I need a 1050 Hz, KLN6209 Vibrasponder.
Ideally two of them.
These are used in Micor Tone Control.
Could you help me find them?

Thanks, Dave WA3HSC
wa3hsc@juno.com

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Now on to more news and views.

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

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This is the AAPC's weekly newsletter about Wireless Messaging. You are receiving this because I believe you have requested it. This is not a SPAM. If you have received this message in error, or you are no longer interested in these topics, please click here , then click on "send" and you will be promptly removed from the mailing list.

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iland internet sulutions 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.

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A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account.

There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Messaging 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 Messaging 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.

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of AAPC, its publisher, or its sponsors.

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Newspapers generally cost 75¢ a copy and they hardly ever mention 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 willing and able, please click on the PayPal Donate button above.

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CONSULTING ALLIANCE

Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, and Vic Jackson are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects. Click here for a summary of their qualifications and experience. They collaborate on consulting assignments, and share the work according to their individual expertise and their schedules.

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If you would like to have information about advertising in this newsletter, please click here . Your support is needed.

USED PAGING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

Please click right arrow here left arrow for a list of used paging infrastructure and test equipment for sale from Ray Primack in Vancouver. Pagers, a big UPS, and other equipment as well. Check it out!

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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS

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aapc logo American Association of Paging Carriers

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Welcome to our newest member:
Contact Communications from Vermont!

Want to be a part of your industry association? Click here to join today.

Thanks to our current carrier members!

Please support our current vendor members.

Premier Vendor prism ipx
Prism-IPX Systems LLC
Silver Vendors

methodlink
Method Link, LLC

unication
Unication USA

Bronze Vendors

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AAPC Executive Director
441 N. Crestwood Drive
Wilmington, NC 28405
Tel: 866-301-2272
E-mail: info@pagingcarriers.org
Web: www.pagingcarriers.org
AAPC Regulatory Affairs Office
Suite 250
2154 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007-2280
Tel: 202-223-3772
Fax: 202-315-3587

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ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER

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Advertiser Index

AAPC—American Association of Paging Carriers Preferred Wireless
Daviscomms USA Prism Paging
Hahntech-USA Ron Mercer
Hark Technologies Product Support Services
HMCE, Inc. TC Promotion GmbH
Ira Wiesenfeld, P.E. UCOM Paging
Ivycorp Unication USA
Leavitt Communications United Communications Corp.
Northeast Paging VCP International
Paging & Wireless Network Planners LLC WiPath Communications
   

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Rally Organized to Protest Potential GPS Band Interference by LightSquared

September 13, 2011
GPS World

A rally in support of GPS on the LightSquared issue is being held September 22 at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Jackson Federal Building in Seattle. The rally is intended to support GPS and express concerns over a controversial application by LightSquared being considered by the FCC that would cause substantial interference for GPS users, say organizers.

According to Gavin Schrock, administrator of the Washington State Reference Network, similar rallies for the same day are being organized in other cities. "These rallies are in support of GPS as a critical public resource, and to voice end user concerns over the proposal being considered by the FCC that could cause damaging interference for high-precision GPS for end users like surveyors, aviation, construction, science, industry, and public safety (a.k.a. the "LightSquared" issue)," Shrock said.

"The rallies are being spearheaded by surveyors and surveying associations, but other end-user segments are pitching in, like precision agriculture, academia, aviation, and public safety. This is purely grassroots about this specific issue with no other agenda," he said.

Those wishing to organize their own rallies can contact Schrock for information and support materials.

In January 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a conditional waiver to operate more than 40,000 high-power terrestrial transmitters to build out a new 4G broadband network in radio spectrum traditionally reserved for much weaker satellite based transmissions. This spectrum is next to the band in which critical GPS signals reside, according to a press release by the organizers.

"The FCC ordered interference tests, completed in July, which show substantial interference for all types of GPS use. This unprecedented waiver was granted to LightSquared, owned by Harbinger Hedge Capital, that does not dispute the test results, but instead keeps offering counter proposals that depend on proposed technological solutions that have not yet been developed yet in the laboratory. If approved, the interference could force a return for many end users to legacy technologies for up to a decade while alternatives are developed. An example is the next generation of FAA traffic control; it takes seven years for the FAA to certify new technologies. It would be back to square one for innovations such as this and for decades of GPS-based research in earthquakes, flood control, tsunamis, and meteorology.

"The participants in these rallies do not oppose enhanced broadband, but there are serious issues of public safety, potential costs to the public, industry, and taxpayers, and the future of the U.S. leadership in satellite navigation. Until all of the issues of interference for the critical utility of GPS are resolved, these rally participants are urging the FCC and their elected representatives to halt this flawed plan."

Source: GPS World

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Ex-Apple CEO John Sculley talks about Steve Jobs

Puget Sound Business Journal
Date: Monday, September 19, 2011, 8:53am PDT

sculley
Former Apple CEO John Sculley, right, talks at the 30th anniversary celebration of the IBM PC in Boca Raton, Fla. With him is Ed Iacobucci, who led IBM's OS/2 software program before founding software company Citrix Systems.

During a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the IBM Personal Computer in South Florida, former Apple Inc. and Pepsi CEO John Sculley was asked if Steve Jobs really asked him whether he wanted to sell sugar water the rest of his life.

Sculley said he was on the balcony of Jobs’ apartment on New York’s Central Park West, as the sun was setting over the Hudson River, when he told Jobs he didn't think he was coming to Apple.

"Steve was dressed in his mock turtleneck, blue jeans and running shoes,” Sculley said. “In those days, he had very dark hair and deep brown piercing eyes. He looks at his running shoes a long time. Then he said, 'Do you really want to sell sugar water, or do you want to come with me and change the world?’"

Sculley was crucial to Apple's success because Jobs needed to prop up sales of existing computers to give him cash flow to develop the Macintosh.

Jobs was interested in his marketing experiencing and wanted to know how how Pepsi had surpassed Coke in sales, Sculley said. The Pepsi executive said it was all about the experience, such as the Pepsi generation, which he called the first lifestyle campaign, and the Pepsi challenge, in which Coke drinkers picked Pepsi in a taste challenge.

"Steve loved that because he was creating a product called Macintosh that was all about the experience," Sculley said.

At the time Apple was outsold by Commodore and Atari by 2 to 1, Sculley said. IBM had sales about equal to the Apple 2 and the Apple 3 introduced a year earlier had flopped.

After Jobs talked him into moving, Sculley said an IBM executive told him: "Have you lost your mind? Don’t you realize IBM has this product called the IBM PC and we are going to put Apple out of business?"

Well, the exact opposite ultimately happened, with IBM eventually selling its PC line to a Chinese company and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) recently rivaling Exxon as the nation's most valuable corporation.

Sculley recalled showing Apple's board the now famous Orwellian-flavored Apple ad that first aired during the 1984 Super Bowl.

"At the end of it, several of them put their heads down. Then they all turned and looked at me because I was the adult supervision. ‘You are not going to really run that thing?’" he was asked.

At one point, Apple asked its advertising agency to try and sell back the spot, which cost $500,000. Sculley thinks it didn't try very hard, which was good because the value of the publicity for the spot was later estimated at $45 million.

Sculley also gave insight into one of the first major stumbling blocks for IBM's PC business.

The OS/2 operating system was clearly a better product than Microsoft Windows, but Gates priced Windows aggressively and was able to make the money because of the Office software, while IBM hemorrhaged cash.

"Microsoft made more money on Microsoft Office per Macintosh than Apple made on the Macintosh," Sculley said.

Sculley coined the phrase “personal digital assistant” for the Apple Newton, Apple's first tablet, in 1987, but then took heat when it was a flop. He points out, though, that the sale of a microprocessor company associated with Newton later provided cash to acquire Jobs' NeXT computer. That led to Jobs returning to Apple after Sculley had left and ultimately leading the company again.

"There is no question that nobody but Steve Jobs could have brought the company back to life," Sculley said. "It shows there is a thin line between success and failure in technology."

Sculley said almost every tech company has undergone some near-death experience, and mentors can give the benefit of having learning from their mistakes.

A key concept is the importance of adapting, Sculley said. "Darwin never said survival of the fittest. He said the survival of the most adaptive."

Although Redmond-based Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has been a fierce rival of Apple for many years, nearly a quarter of the copies of Microsoft Office are sold to Mac users. Microsoft has a team of 200 employees tasked with developing software for Mac computers. Apple also has five retail stores in the Puget Sound region and another location in Spokane.

Source: Puget Sound Business Journal

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Based in Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth, and located just five minutes north of the DFW Airport, PSSI receives, repairs and ships approximately 4,000 discrete units each day.

  • PSSI is ISO certified and has comprehensively integrated robust lean manufacturing processes and systems that enable us to deliver timely and benchmark quality results.
  • PSSI is certified for Levels III and IV repair by a wide variety of OEMs including, for example, Motorola, Nokia, Sony/Ericsson, Samsung, Stanley and LG.
  • PSSI ’s service center is a state-of-the-art facility, complete with multiple wireless test environments and board-level repair capabilities.
  • PSSI’s state-of-the-art and proprietary Work-In-Process (WIP) systems, and its Material Planning and Warehouse Management systems, enable PSSI to track discrete units by employee, work center, lot, model, work order, location and process through the entire reverse logistics process. Access to this information can be provided to our customers so that they can track the real-time movement of their products.

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Using fMRI and computational models, researchers were able to decipher and reconstruct movies from our minds

September 23, 2011 12:27 PM

Researchers from the University of California-Berkeley have used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and computational models to watch clips of movies inside the minds of people who just viewed them.

[Editor's humor: This should be no surprise to some of the "druggies" around here who are already wearing aluminum foil hats so the government can't read their minds via satellites. These are the same people who pull their blinds down and then peek out to see if anyone is peeking in.]

[Click on the source below to read the whole article.]

Source: Daily Tech

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LEAVITT Communications

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its stil here

 

It's still here — the tried and true Motorola Alphamate 250. Now owned, supported, and available from Leavitt Communications. Call us for new or reconditioned units, parts, manuals, and repairs.

We also offer refurbished Alphamate 250’s, Alphamate IIs, the original Alphamate and new and refurbished pagers, pager repairs, pager parts and accessories. We are FULL SERVICE in Paging!

E-mail Phil Leavitt ( pcleavitt@leavittcom.com ) for pricing and delivery information or for a list of other available paging and two-way related equipment.

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Phil Leavitt
847-955-0511
pcleavitt@leavittcom.com

leavitt logo

7508 N. Red Ledge Dr.
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

www.leavittcom.com

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Apple’s Oct. 4 iPhone Reveal: A Preview

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011, 9:25 AM ET

By Mark Gongloff
The Wall Street Journal

apple campus Apple, now America’s favorite company, is holding a highly anticipated press event on October 4 where it is expected to unveil its latest golden goose iPhone.

Jefferies analysts today step out of their time machine after a journey into the future and offer a fairly detailed preview of what they think will happen:

We expect Apple to focus on iOS 5 and its cloud service capabilities. We also expect the announcement of an iPhone 5 (which could be called the “4S” as Apple appears to have vacillated on the name). We believe the iPhone 5 will have an A5 processor (the same as the iPad 2) a better camera, a slightly larger screen, and be slightly slimmer. We also expect the announcement of a lower-priced iPhone that will basically be a lower-cost 3GS.

We expect carriers (including Sprint, ~50M subscribers, ) to launch the phones starting in mid-Oct. We had believed that T-Mobile (~34M subs) would also carry the iPhone 5 in CQ4 but now believe this could be delayed, possibly due to the pending AT&T acquisition. Finally, we also expect an iPhone launch at China Telecom (~108M subs) in CQ1.

Apple shares are off just a little bit before the bell, clinging to the $400 level.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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TC PRO MOTION

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TC PRO MOTION

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Verizon begins limiting bandwidth of heavy 3G smartphone data users

September 19, 2011 — 2:08am ET
By Lynnette Luna
Fierce Broadband Wireless

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) has implemented what it calls a "network optimization" plan designed to limit the bandwidth for the operator's top five percent of 3G smartphone users who are on a grandfathered unlimited data plan.

Verizon is careful to state that network optimization is the not the same thing as data throttling since customers' data speeds will be reduced only when they are connected to a congested cell site.

"Once you are no longer connected to a congested site, your speed will return to normal. This could mean a matter of seconds or hours, depending on your location and time of day," the company said on its network optimization FAQ page.

The company identified the top 5 percent of users as those who use more than 2 GB of data in a billing cycle. For the time being, 4G LTE users aren't affected by the network optimization plan and neither will those users subscribing to 3G tethering plans.

Verizon said the offending customers will have their connections optimized for just two consecutive billing cycles in total, and they will be alerted on their monthly bill or My Verizon home screen that they may fall into the top 5 percent of data users.

The move was not unexpected. Back in February, a leaked Verizon memo detailed such plans.

Source: Fierce Broadband Wireless

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DAVISCOMMS USA

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PAGERS & Telemetry Devices
FLEX & POCSAG

(12.5 KHz or 25 KHz - POCSAG)

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Board Level to complete “Turn-Key”

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www.daviscommsusa.com
480-515-2344

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Daviscomms (S) Pte Ltd-Bronze Member-AAPC

 

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DAVISCOMMS USA

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Newsletter Supporter

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CANYON RIDGE Communications

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Premium Newsletter Supporter

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ProPage Inc.

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Newsletter Supporter

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PAGE ONE OF WYOMING

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Newsletter Supporter

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Cook Paging

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Newsletter Supporter

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MethodLink

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communication specialists

Newsletter Supporter

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Ira Wiesenfeld, P.E.

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Complete Technical Services For The Communications and Electronics Industries

Design • Installation • Maintenance • Training • Engineering • Licensing • Technical Assistance

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Consulting Engineer
Registered Professional Engineer

Tel/Fax: 972-960-9336
Cell: 214-707-7711
7711 Scotia Dr.
Dallas, TX 75248-3112
E-mail: iwiesenfel@aol.com

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Hahntech-USA

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PAGING & WIRELESS
NETWORK PLANNERS LLC

WIRELESS SPECIALISTS

www.pagingplanners.com
rmercer@pagingplanners.com

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Consultant
217 First Street South
East Northport, NY 11731
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Cell Phone: 631-786-9359

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Paging & Wireless Network Planners

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Declassified US Spy Satellites Reveal Rare Look at Secret Cold War Space Program

By Roger Guillemette, SPACE.com Contributor
Space.com | SPACE.com – Tue, Sep 20, 2011
This story was updated on Sept. 18 at 2:45 p.m. ET.

CHANTILLY, Va. — Twenty-five years after their top-secret, Cold War-era missions ended, two clandestine American satellite programs were declassified Saturday (Sept. 17) with the unveiling of three of the United States' most closely guarded assets: the KH-7 GAMBIT, the KH-8 GAMBIT 3 and the KH-9 HEXAGON spy satellites.

The vintage National Reconnaissance Office satellites were displayed to the public Saturday in a one-day-only exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport, Va. The three spacecraft were the centerpiece of the NRO's invitation-only, 50th Anniversary Gala celebration held at the center last evening.

Saturday's spysat unveiling was attended by a number of jubilant NRO veterans who developed and refined the classified spacecraft and its components for decades in secret, finally able to show their wives and families what they actually did 'at the office' for so many years. Both of the newly declassified satellite systems, GAMBIT and HEXAGON, followed the U.S. military's frontrunner spy satellite system CORONA, which was declassified in 1995. [See photos of the declassified U.S. spy satellites]

Big spy satellites revealed

The KH-9 HEXAGON, often referred to by its popular nickname "Big Bird," lived up to its legendary expectations. As large as a school bus, the KH-9 HEXAGON carried 60 miles of high resolution photographic film for space surveillance missions.

Military space historian Dwayne A. Day was exuberant after his first look at the KH-9 HEXAGON.

"This was some bad-ass technology," Day told SPACE.com. "The Russians didn't have anything like it."

Day, co-editor of "Eye in the Sky: The Story of the CoronaSpy Satellites," noted that "it took the Soviets on average five to 10 years to catch up during the Cold War, and in many cases they never really matched American capabilities."

Phil Pressel, designer of the HEXAGON's panoramic 'optical bar' imaging cameras, agreed with Day's assessment.

"This is still the most complicated system we've ever put into orbit … Period."

The HEXAGON's twin optical bar panoramic mirror cameras rotated as the swept back and forth as the satellite flew over Earth, a process that intelligence officials referred to as "mowing the lawn."

Each 6-inch wide frame of HEXAGON film capturing a wide swath of terrain covering 370 nautical miles — the distance from Cincinnati to Washington — on each pass over the former Soviet Union and China. The satellites had a resolution of about 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to nearly 1 meter), according to the NRO. [10 Ways the Government Watches You]

According to documents released by the NRO, each HEXAGON satellite mission lasted about 124 days, with the satellite launching four film return capsules that could send its photos back to Earth. An aircraft would catch the return capsule in mid-air by snagging its parachute following the canister's re-entry.

In a fascinating footnote, the film bucket from the first KH-9 HEXAGON sank to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in spring 1972 after Air Force recovery aircraft failed to snag the bucket's parachute.

The film inside the protective bucket reported contained high resolution photographs of the Soviet Union's submarine bases and missile silos. In a daredevil feat of clandestine ingenuity, the U.S. Navy's Deep Submergence Vehicle Trieste II succeeded in grasping the bucket from a depth of 3 miles below the ocean.

Hubble vs. HEXAGON

Former International Space Station flight controller Rob Landis, now technical manager in the advanced projects office at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, drove more than three hours to see the veil lifted from these legendary spacecraft.

Landis, who also worked on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope program, noticed some distinct similarities between Hubble and the huge KH-9 HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite.

"I see a lot of Hubble heritage in this spacecraft, most notably in terms of spacecraft size," Landis said. "Once the space shuttle design was settled upon, the design of Hubble — at the time it was called the Large Space Telescope — was set upon. I can imagine that there may have been a convergence or confluence of the designs. The Hubble’s primary mirror is 2.4 meters [7.9 feet] in diameter and the spacecraft is 14 feet in diameter. Both vehicles (KH-9 and Hubble) would fit into the shuttle's cargo bay lengthwise, the KH-9 being longer than Hubble [60 feet]; both would also fit on a Titan-class launch vehicle."

The 'convergence or confluence' theory was confirmed later in the day by a former spacecraft designer, who declined to be named but is familiar with both programs, who confided unequivocally: "The space shuttle's payload bay was sized to accommodate the KH-9." [Infographic: NASA's Space Shuttle from Top to Bottom]

The NRO launched 20 KH-9 HEXAGON satellites from California's Vandenberg AFB from June 1971 to April 1986.

The HEXAGON's final launch in April 1986 — just months after the space shuttle Challenger explosion — also met with disaster as the spy satellite's Titan 34D booster erupted into a massive fireball just seconds after liftoff, crippling the NRO's orbital reconnaissance capabilities for many months.

The spy satellite GAMBIT

Before the first HEXAGON spy satellite systems ever launched, the NRO's GAMBIT series of reconnaissance craft flew several space missions aimed at providing surveillance over specific targets around the world.

The satellite program's initial system, GAMBIT 1, first launched in 1963 carrying a KH-7 camera system that included a "77-inch focal length camera for providing specific information on scientific and technical capabilities that threatened the nation," according to an NRO description. A second GAMBIT satellite system, which first launched aboard GAMBIT 3 in 1966, included a175-inch focal length camera. [Related: Anatomy of a Spy Satellite]

The GAMBIT 1 series satellite has a resolution similar to the HEXAGON series, about 2 to 3 feet, but the follow-up GAMBIT 3 system had an improved resolution of better than 2 feet, NRO documents reveal.

The GAMBIT satellite program was active from July 1963 to April 1984. Both satellites were huge and launched out of Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The satellite series' initial version was 15 feet (4.5 m) long and 5 feet (1.5 m) wide, and weighed about 1,154 pounds (523 kilograms). The GAMBIT 3 satellite was the same width but longer, stretching nearly 29 feet (9 m) long, not counting its Agena D rocket upper stage. It weighed about 4,130 pounds (1,873 kg).

Unlike the follow-up HEXAGON satellites, the GAMBIT series were designed for extremely short missions.

The GAMBIT 1 craft had an average mission life of about 6 1/2 days. A total of 38 missions were launched, though 10 of them were deemed failures, according to NRO documents.

The GAMBIT 3 series satellites had missions that averaged about 31 days. In all, 54 of the satellites were launched, with four failures recorded.

Like the CORONA and HEXAGON programs, the GAMBIT series of satellites returned their film to Earth in re-entry capsules that were then snatched up by recovery aircraft. GAMBIT 1 carried about 3,000 feet (914 meters) of film, while GAMBIT 3 was packed with 12,241 feet (3,731 meters) of film, NRO records show.

The behemoth HEXAGON was launched with 60 miles (320,000 feet) of film!

HEXAGON and GAMBIT 3 team up

During a media briefing, NRO officials confirmed to SPACE.com that the KH-8 GAMBIT 3 and KH-9 HEXAGON were later operated in tandem, teaming-up to photograph areas of military significance in both the former Soviet Union and China.

The KH-9 would image a wide swath of terrain, later scrutinized by imagery analysts on the ground for so-called ‘targets of opportunity.' Once these potential targets were identified, a KH-8 would then be maneuvered to photograph the location in much higher resolution.

"During the era of these satellites — the GAMBIT and the HEXAGON — there was a Director of Central Intelligence committee known as the 'Committee on Imagery Requirements and Exploitation' that was responsible for that type of planning," confirmed the NRO's Robert McDonald, Director of the Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance.

NASA's Rob Landis was both blunt and philosophical in his emotions over the declassification of the GAMBIT and HEXAGON programs.

"You have to give credit to leaders like President Eisenhower who had the vision to initiate reconnaissance spacecraft, beginning with the CORONA and Discoverer programs," Landis said. "He was of the generation who wanted no more surprises, no more Pearl Harbors."

"Frankly, I think that GAMBIT and HEXAGON helped prevent World War III."

Editor's note: This story was updated on Sept. 19 to correct the name of Phil Pressel, who designed the HEXAGON spy satellite camera system.

Source: Yahoo! NEWS

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Disability Issues

Visual paging system makes Midway more accessible

By: Karen Meyer
ABC Channel 7, News Team

September 22, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — Efforts to make Chicago's airports more accessible to travelers with disabilities continue with a new, unique visual paging system.

For the first time, deaf and hard of hearing passengers flying in and out of Midway will be able to see paging messages all around the airport.

Twenty-four flight information displays can now help connect travelers who are deaf and hard of hearing with friends and family with the new visual paging system.

"The system has three main components, visual messaging which broadcasts," said Erin O'Donnell, managing deputy commissioner at Chicago's Department of Aviation.

"The standard preprogrammed message on our terminal public address system visual paging allows parties to page specific message for passengers, and then an emergency messaging, during which emergency messages can be broadcast to all passengers.

"The flight information display kiosks are a natural source of information for travelers, and we added this enhancement to the visual for visual paging to those boards," said O'Donnell. "Parties can call our number, (773) 838-9660, and provide the message to be broadcast to customers."

The Aviation Department has been working with the Mayor's Office for People With Disabilities on making airports more accessible, according to deputy commissioner Joe Russo.

"They've done a lot to make the actual physical structure more accessible over time," said Russo, "and recently, they've put in animal relief areas, which can be used by people who use service animals so that they can bring their dogs into the airport to go on travel. And, now of course they are working on the visual paging system, which we're very excited about."

The visual paging system is only available at Midway. They have plans to install it at O'Hare.

"There are lots of technology issues that need to be addressed, but we look forward to launching the service next year," said O'Donnell.

Deaf and hard of hearing travelers like Amanda Christian know it's important to have access to audio information.

"With traveling, obviously, it's not possible to hear all the announcements that are being made through the airport," said Christian. "Also communication access and since 9/11 it's been a lot more of a challenge. There's been a lot more increase in communications."

"There are several citifies that are launching and evaluating different systems," said O'Donnell. "We're very pleased to launch this here at Midway."

"It's a work in progress, but I think it's wonderful," said Christian. "It makes us feel like we belong. We're in first class.

If you book a flight out of Midway, check out the new visual paging system.

For more information go to www.flychicago.com and www.CityofChicago.org/Disability.

Source: ABC Channel 7 News

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Note from Phil Leavitt:

For Sale

I have about 95 new CreataLinks and about 285 DataLinks, all 900 MHz POCSAG.

I have approximately 250 ± J39DNW0050 DataLink II Plus — boards only — new, and approximately 95 CreataLink modules. I also have 2 developer's kits and some CreataLink II units.

Philip C Leavitt, Manager
Leavitt Communications
7508 N Red Ledge Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
pcleavitt@leavittcom.com
www.leavittcom.com
Tel: 847-955-0511
Fax: 270-447-1909
Mobile: 847-494-0000
Skype ID: pcleavitt

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advertise here

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Hark Technologies

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hark logo

Wireless Communication Solutions

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USB Paging Encoder

paging encoder

  • Single channel up to eight zones
  • Connects to Linux computer via USB
  • Programmable timeouts and batch sizes
  • Supports 2-tone, 5/6-tone, POCSAG 512/1200/2400, GOLAY
  • Supports Tone Only, Voice, Numeric, and Alphanumeric
  • PURC or direct connect
  • Pictured version mounts in 5.25" drive bay
  • Other mounting options available
  • Available as a daughter board for our embedded Internet Paging Terminal (IPT)

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Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

pdr

  • Frequency agile - only one receiver to stock
  • USB or RS-232 interface
  • Two contact closures
  • End-user programmable w/o requiring special hardware
  • 16 capcodes
  • POCSAG
  • Eight contact closure version also available
  • Product customization available

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Other products

  • Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.
Contact
Hark Technologies
717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163
Summerville, SC 29485
Tel: 843-821-6888
Fax: 843-821-6894
E-mail: sales@harktech.com left arrow CLICK
Web: http://www.harktech.com left arrow CLICK

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HARK—EXHIBITS AT THE
NASHVILLE CONFERENCE

hark

David George and Bill Noyes
of Hark Technologies.

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Hark Technologies

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TELEMETRY RECEIVERS FOR SALE

You can help the newsletter by buying these telemetry receivers from Dave Levine:

Hi Brad –

I have 50-60 Daviscomms TMR1F one-way pagers. About 10 of them have the internal antenna and the rest have the BNC connector. I would say about 40 of these have never been used — many are still in the original packaging. The reason that we are selling them is because we are hoping to transition to a cellular network. We also have around 125 flat antennas with BNC connectors. These antennas work very well — better than the duck antennas we typically saw on the units. They have an adhesive backing and can be mounted flat on top of a machine. I have attached a flyer that we made about the antennas. I would be happy with $40 OBO for the receivers and $5 OBO for the antennas — but if someone takes everything, I will sell it for $35 for the receivers and $5 for the antennas. I can take credit card or check.

———

I just went into my warehouse and inventoried the receivers and antennas. Some of the receivers have a password which I will give to the buyer. Most of them are brand new, in the original packaging. Here is the complete rundown:

100 Flat antennas
4 Daviscomms TMR1F with internal antenna.
61 Daviscomms TMR1F with BNC Connectors

Of the 61 TMRs with the BNC Connectors, 43 of them are still in the original packaging, the rest were lightly used. All of them have had my labels removed and just need to be reprogrammed and put back into service. Again, I would prefer to sell everything to one buyer.

Thanks –

Dave Levine
LEDXCHANGE LLC
480-332-0844
dlevine@mbmediabrokers.com

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UCOM Paging

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satellite dish ucom logo

Satellite Uplink
As Low As
$500 /month

  • Data input speeds up to 38.4 Kbps Dial-in modem access for Admin Extremely reliable & secure
  • Hot standby up link components

Knowledgeable Tech Support 24/7

Contact Alan Carle Now!
1-888-854-2697 x272
acarle@ucom.com www.ucom.com

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UCOM Paging

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CRITICAL RESPONSE SYSTEMS

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top background

Over 70% of first responders are volunteers.
Without an alert, interoperability means nothing.

Get the Alert.

M1501 Acknowledgent Pager

With the M1501 Acknowledgement Pager and a SPARKGAP wireless data system, you know when your volunteers have been alerted, when they’ve read the message, and how they’re going to respond – all in the first minutes of an event. Only the M1501 delivers what agencies need – reliable, rugged, secure alerting with acknowledgement.

Learn More

FEATURES
  • 5-Second Message Delivery
  • Acknowledged Personal Messaging
  • Acknowledged Group Messaging
  • 16 Group Addresses
  • 128-Bit Encryption
  • Network-Synchronized Time Display
  • Simple User Interface
  • Programming/Charging Base
  • Secondary Features Supporting Public Safety and Healthcare

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UNITED COMMUNICATIONS

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$65 FLAT RATE REPAIR ON ALL MINITORS!

Why is UCC trusted by over 1000 Fire Departments and Emergency Service Providers to repair their Minitor Pagers? Because for over 24 years UCC has always put our customers first and built our business on providing great value! Plus . . . We do great work!

Call USA’s #1 Minitor Repair Service Center!

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  • We repair Minitor II, III, IV and V!
  • Flat rate repair service includes all labor, internal parts and a 90-day warranty!
  • Case parts available for Minitor II, III and IV.
  • For more details, download a repair form at www.uccwireless.com
spacer United Communications Corp.
spacer Serving the Emergency Service Market Since 1986
motorola paging 888-763-7550 Fax: 888-763-7549
62 Jason Court, St. Charles, MO 63304
www.uccwireless.com
motorola original

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Apple's iPhone has 89% retention rate, next nearest hardware is HTC at 39%

By Neil Hughes
Apple Insider

Published: 11:03 AM EST (08:03 AM PST)
Thursday, September 22, 2011

A whopping 89 percent of iPhone owners have indicated they will stick with Apple for their next handset, dwarfing all other hardware makers, according to a new survey.

The next nearest competitor to Apple in terms of hardware manufacturers is HTC, which earned a 39 percent retention rate among users surveyed by UBS Investment Research. The biggest loser in the survey was Research in Motion, whose retention rate has dropped from 62 percent to 33 percent in the last 18 months.

Rounding out the top five companies in terms of retention rates were two more Android vendors: Samsung and Motorola, earning 28 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Android fared better when users were asked solely about software, as 55 percent said they would stick with Google's mobile platform. But an additional 31 percent of Android users also indicated they are likely to switch to an iPhone for their next handset, leaving Apple a sizable chunk of Android users.

UBS analysts remarked that Apple's retention rates have held up "incredibly well," even as the market share of the iPhone continues to grow.

In fact, when looking solely at consumers who plan to switch smartphone makers, Apple is a huge net beneficiary. More than 50 percent of those looking to switch plan to buy an iPhone, while just 10 percent of switchers plan to ditch the iPhone.

The survey shows Apple as only one of three net beneficiaries in the market, as the poll suggests Samsung and HTC will narrowly add more customers than the number they lose. Users did indicate that they intend to leave RIM and Nokia smartphones in droves.

chart

The "stickiness" of Apple's iPhone is viewed by UBS as a "worrying" trend for Nokia, RIM and Motorola. They believe the success or failure of the recoveries of both Nokia and RIM will depend on the ability of Android to generate "sticky" customers.

UBS's survey polled 515 customers with a focus on international high-end consumers. The investment firm has reiterated its "buy" rating for AAPL stock, with a price target of $510.

"Demand for iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro remains robust, with a leading ecosystem that creates sticky demand," they said. "We believe new opportunities such as TV sets are not factored in by the market and we view the valuation as attractive."

Source: Apple Insider

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BloostonLaw Telecom Update

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

[Reproduced here with the firm's permission.]

www.bloostonlaw.com

 

Vol. 14, No. 34 September 21, 2011

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FCC To Consider NPRM
On Next Generation 911
At Sept. 22 Meeting

The FCC’s “Sunshine Agenda” for its September 22 open meeting includes two items:

1. Framework for Next Generation 911 Deployment (PS Docket No. 10-255). The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to accelerate the development and deployment of Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology to improve public safety by enabling the public to send text, photos, videos, and data communications to 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and enhancing the information available to PSAPs and first responders for assessing and responding to emergencies.

2. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau will present a white paper on the use of deployable aerial communications architecture to facilitate the ability of first responders to communicate with each other and consumers to reach first responders in the wake of natural and manmade disasters, even in situations where there is severe damage to terrestrial communications infrastructure. The report will make recommendations regarding next steps the FCC should consider to promote the development and use of deployable aerial communications architecture.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

  • 15 Democratic lawmakers back AT&T/T-Mobile merger.
  • FCC requests voluntary data submissions regarding special access market.
  • FCC extends reply deadline in low-power radio service proceeding.
  • FCC OKs forbearance for “Lifeline-only” ETCs.
  • Obama plans to fight “cyberphobia”—fear of having records posted online.

15 Democratic Lawmakers Back
AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

A group of 15 Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Heath Shuler (N.C.), has asked President Obama and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to quickly settle the lawsuit challenging the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Essentially, the Congressional representatives argued that the deal should be approved, with conditions, because it would create jobs.

At the same time, seven States—California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington—have joined DoJ’s lawsuit to block the $39 billion merger. These seven States agree with DoJ’s argument that the proposed deal would be anticompetitive because it would reduce the number of nationwide wireless carriers from four to three (BloostonLaw Telecom Update, September 7). Cellular South also joined the lawsuit.

On the other hand, a number of States, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming support the deal.

In response to the DoJ complaint, AT&T last week reiterated its argument that the combination of T-Mobile and AT&T is good for consumers. It said that integrating the two networks will free up spectrum and create substantial new capacity to meet the growth in demand resulting from an increasingly online world. AT&T said that the “new network” (itself and T-Mobile) would be “more than the sum of its parts: as a result of engineering efficiencies enabled by the transaction, the combined capacity of the new firm will be significantly greater than what the two companies could do separately.” According to AT&T, that means increased output, higher quality service, fewer dropped calls, and lower prices to consumers than without the merger. AT&T argued that this would increase, rather than reduce, competition.

The letter from Rep. Heath Shuler and his Democratic colleagues argues that the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger would achieve President Obama’s “three job creation strategies” embodied in his September 8 speech before a Joint Session of Congress to promote his “Jobs Bill” plan.

According to the Democratic Representatives, the merger proposal would:

  • Reduce unemployment. The lawmakers said that AT&T has announced plans to repatriate 5,000 jobs that are currently being performed overseas. In addition to these 5,000 jobs, a recent study has shown that the merger will create somewhere between 55,000 and 96,000 new jobs to integrate the two networks and upgrade facilities.
  • Create new private investment to deploy wireless high speed Internet access services to 97% of the U.S. population. Coverage of this magnitude will necessitate an additional $8 billion investment from AT&T over and above its current industry leading capital investments.
  • Accelerate wireless broadband deployment to cover 98% of the population within the next five years. The Democratic lawmakers wrote: “[President Obama], you recognized the economic importance of these services in your State of the Union address to the nation last January, when you said ‘within the next five years, we'll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98% of all Americans.’ The proposed merger will virtually achieve that goal—and do so on a faster timetable than you had proposed and without a single dime of taxpayer money.”
  • Next-generation wireless will increase the type of investment to drive job creation. The lawmakers cited a recent study by Deloitte that predicts that next generation wireless broadband buildout by the wireless industry will create 371,000-771,000 jobs and GDP growth between $73 billion and $151 billion by 2016. “AT&T's proposed merger commitment to make available this new technology to 98% of the nation's population will be a key component of the industry buildout,” the lawmakers said.

Finally, Shuler and his colleagues said that they recognized DoJ’s concerns about the merger. But they noted that “Addressing these concerns through a settlement agreement that ensures robust competition while preserving the job creation, capital infrastructure investment and wireless broadband deployment benefits of the merger should be the Department's goal.

A hearing to discuss settlement options was scheduled for September 21, by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

AT&T’s claims run counter to the conventional wisdom that mergers generally result in the reduction of jobs, because a combined entity will strive to cut costs by, among other things, eliminating duplicate jobs.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

LAW & REGULATION

FCC REQUESTS VOLUNTARY DATA SUBMISSIONS REGARDING SPECIAL ACCESS MARKET: The FCC has issued a Public Notice (PN) asking for key information regarding the special access market—services that link cell phone towers, carry data to the Internet, and serve high-volume business customers. All submissions would be voluntary. The FCC said these dedicated, high-capacity links are offered by local telephone companies and purchased by businesses and competitive communications providers. The FCC said that the National Broadband Plan recognized that special access services play a significant role in the availability and pricing of broadband services and recommended that the FCC take steps to ensure that special access rates, terms, and conditions are just and reasonable. In the PN, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau requested detailed data on special access prices, revenues, and expenditures. The request includes information on services such as DS1 and DS3 services, as well as packet-based services such as Ethernet. The PN also seeks data about the nature of terms and conditions for special access services. The Commission said it will use this data to determine whether special access rates, terms, and conditions are just and reasonable. Voluntary submissions in this WC Docket No. 05-25 proceeding are due by December 5. The FCC said that no person is required to supply specific information pertaining to itself, other than that necessary for self-identification, as a condition of the FCC’s full consideration of the comment. Thus, the PN does not seek “information” as that term is used in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

FCC EXTENDS REPLY DEADLINE IN LOW POWER RADIO SERVICE PROCEEDING: The FCC has extended the reply comment date until September 27 for its MB Docket No. 99-25; MM Docket No. 07-172; and RM-11338 Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) regarding Creation of a Low Power Radio Service; Amendment of Service and Eligibility Rules for FM Broadcast Translator Stations. On September 15, the FCC received a request for a one-week extension of the reply comment deadline based on the number of comments filed and the extensive technical exhibits submitted with several comments, as well as the involvement of counsel for several commenting parties in the NAB Radio Show in Chicago in the week prior to September 20, 2011. The FCC found that these circumstances justified a one-week extension of the comment period. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

FCC OKs LIMITED FORBEARANCE FOR “LIFELINE-ONLY” ETCs: The FCC has granted two petitions for forbearance—one filed by Cricket Communications, and one filed by NTCH, Inc.—seeking relief from the requirement that the service area of a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) conform to the service area of any rural telephone company serving the same area, for the limited purpose of becoming designated as Lifeline-only ETCs. The Commission concluded that forbearance in these limited circumstances furthers the Communications Act’s and Commission’s goals of promoting access to affordable service for low-income consumers by reducing barriers to carriers participating in the Lifeline program. The FCC conditioned its forbearance upon these companies’ compliance with certain conditions previously imposed on other Lifeline-only ETCs. The FCC emphasized that the forbearance is limited to NTCH and Cricket’s designation as a Lifeline-only ETC. If either entity petitions to become an ETC to receive high-cost support, this forbearance order is inapplicable and each entity must satisfy all of the statutory requirements applicable to ETCs under the Act, the FCC said. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

LIGHTSQUARED NOW EMBROILED IN ALLEGED POLITICAL SCANDAL: LightSquared, which has been trying to convince the FCC that its satellite broadband service will not interfere with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems, has now become embroiled in a Congressional probe, according to several news sources, including POLITICO. LightSquared is majority-owned by an investment fund run by Democratic donor Philip Falcone. Gen. William Shelton was originally scheduled to testify Aug. 3 to a House committee that the project would interfere with the military's sensitive GPS capabilities, which control automated driving directions and missile targeting, among other things. According to POLITI-CO, Shelton's prepared testimony was leaked in advance to the company. And the White House asked the general to alter the testimony to add two points: that the general supported the White House policy to add more broadband for commercial use; and that the Pentagon would try to resolve the questions around LightSquared with testing in just 90 days. Shelton chafed at the intervention, which seemed to soften the Pentagon's position and might be viewed as helping the company as it tries to get the project launched, POLITICO said. GOP lawmakers have asked for an investigation. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell.

OBAMA PLANS TO FIGHT “CYBERPHOBIA”—FEAR OF HAVING RECORDS POSTED ONLINE: The Obama Administration intends to fight “cyberphobia”—fear of having your records available online—with an initiative intended to bolster confidence in e-commerce, according to the New York Times. The plan, called the “National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace” and introduced earlier this year, encourages the private-sector development and public adoption of online user authentication systems. Think of it as a driver’s license for the Internet, the Times said. The idea is that if people have a simple, easy way to prove who they are online with more than a simple password, they’ll naturally do more business on the Web. And companies and government agencies, like Social Security or the I.R.S., could offer those consumers faster, more secure online services without having to come up with their own individual vetting systems. If the plan works, consumers who opt in might soon be able to choose among trusted third parties — such as banks, technology companies or cellphone service providers — that could verify certain personal information about them and issue them secure credentials to use in online transactions. Industry experts expect that each authentication technology would rely on at least two different ID confirmation methods. Those might include embedding an encryption chip in phones, issuing smart cards or using one-time passwords or biometric identifiers like fingerprints to confirm substantial transactions. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

COMPLIANCE DEADLINE FOR CAP-FORMATTED EMERGENCY ALERTS EXTENDED UNTIL JUNE 30, 2012: The FCC has issued a Fourth Report and Order (R&O), which extends the compliance deadline Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-formatted Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts. The R&O requires EAS Participants to be able to receive CAP-formatted EAS alerts as required by Part 11 of the Commission’s rules no later than June 30, 2012. The FCC said it anticipates that it will adopt the CAP-based revisions to its Part 11 EAS rules in a subsequent order stemming from the Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in the EB Docket No. 04-296 proceeding sufficiently in advance of June 30, 2012, to allow EAS Participants ample time to comply with the new Part 11 rules. In this subsequent order, the FCC said it will also address the many remaining non-CAP related issues raised in the Third FNPRM. The current EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable systems, and other service providers to provide communications capabilities that enable the President to address the public in national emergencies. EAS participants also distribute, on a voluntary basis, alerts issued by state and local governments, as well as the National Weather Service (NWS). The Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and NWS implement the EAS on the federal level. The Commission adopts, administers, and enforces the technical rules for the EAS. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

FCC TESTING SPECTRUM BRIDGE’s TV BAND DATABASE SYSTEM: The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) has begun a 45-day public trial of Spectrum Bridge Inc.’s TV band database system. This is a limited trial that is intended principally to allow the public to access and test Spectrum Bridge’s database system to ensure that it correctly identifies channels that are available for unlicensed TV band devices, properly registers those facilities entitled to protection, and provides protection to authorized services and registered facilities as specified in the rules. The FCC said it encourages all interested parties to test the database and provide appropriate feedback to Spectrum Bridge. The Commission’s Part 15 rules require that unlicensed TV band devices contact an authorized database system to obtain a list of channels that are available for their operation (i.e., channels not occupied by authorized radio services) at their individual locations and must operate only on those channels. Such devices are required to provide their geographic location, by means of a secure Internet connection, to a TV band database system authorized by the Commission. The database will then return a list of the channels available for operation by the device for its reported location. Parties may participate in the trial by accessing Spectrum Bridge’s TV band database test facility at the following web address: http://whitespaces.spectrumbridge.com/Trial.aspx. This website provides a description of the trial, instructions for participation, details on use of the database system, access to the database’s various capabilities, and a link for providing feedback to Spectrum Bridge. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

NET NEUTRALITY RULES TAKE EFFECT NOVEMBER 20: The FCC’s controversial “net neutrality” rules are scheduled to take effect November 20. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) today approved the information collections, and the rules will go into effect in 60 days. The FCC said the network neutrality rules ensure that Internet openness will continue, providing greater certainty to consumers, innovators, investors, and broadband providers, including the flexibility providers need to effectively manage their networks (BloostonLaw Telecom Update, December 22, 2010). These rules were developed following a public rulemaking process that began in fall 2009 and included input from more than 100,000 individuals and organizations and several public workshops. The rules require all broadband providers to publicly disclose network management practices, restrict broadband providers from blocking Internet content and applications, and bar fixed broadband providers from engaging in unreasonable discrimination in transmitting lawful network traffic. The FCC said the rules ensure much-needed transparency and continued Internet openness, while making clear that broadband providers can effectively manage their networks and respond to market demands. The net neutrality rules are under challenge by certain Republicans in Congress, some of whom have proposed requirements in the context of recent broadband spectrum legislation that would at least partially undo the existing neutrality rules. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

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Editor's note: Please accept my apology, this should have been in last week's newsletter. BloostonLaw got it to me in time, I just didn't get it into last Friday's newsletter. Some of this information was time-sensitive and is now out of date. (Mea Culpa — sorry — Brad Dye)

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BloostonLaw Private Users Update

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

[Portions reproduced here with the firm's permission.]

www.bloostonlaw.com

   Vol. 12, No. 9 September 2011   

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Ownership Changes May Require FCC Approval

We want to remind our clients that many types of reorganizations and other transactions require prior FCC approval; and given the frequent need to implement such transactions by the end of the year, companies engaging in such transactions should immediately evaluate whether they must file an application for FCC approval, and obtain a grant, before closing on a year-end deal. Transactions requiring prior FCC approval include (but are not limited to):

  • Any sale of a company that holds FCC licenses;
  • A conversion in the form of organization from a corporation to an LLC, or vice versa, though such changes are not regarded as a change in entity under state law.
  • Any transfer of stock that results in a shareholder attaining a 50% or greater ownership level, or a shareholder relinquishing a 50% or greater ownership level;
  • Any transfer of stock, partnership or LLC interests that would have a cumulative affect on 50% or more of the ownership.
  • The creation of a holding company or trust to hold the stock of an FCC license holder;
  • The distribution of stock to family members, if there are changes to the control levels discussed above;
  • The creation of new classes of stockholders that affect the control structure of an FCC license holder.
  • Certain minority ownership changes can require FCC approval (e.g., transfer of a minority stock interest, giving the recipient extraordinary voting rights or powers through officer or board position).

Fortunately, transactions involving many types of licenses can often be approved on an expedited basis. But this is not always the case, especially if microwave licenses are involved. Also, in some instances Section 214 authority is required, especially in the case of wireless and other telephony services. Clients planning year-end transactions should contact us as soon as possible to determine if FCC approval is needed. BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

Reminder — Commercial Regulatory Fee Payments Due September 14, 2011

All regulatory fee payments for Commercial Mobile Radio Service and other similar commercial operations will be due no later than 11:59 PM (ET) on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Most of our Part 90 private user clients are NOT responsible for paying regulatory fees on an annual basis, since the fees for private radio licenses are collected as part of the filing fee for new licenses and license renewals and cover the 10-year term of the license. However, a few of our private user clients also hold commercial licenses, such as satellite earth stations and for-profit paging stations, that are subject to the annual payment of regulatory fees. Those clients that we have assisted with annual regulatory fees in the past received a separate instruction memo from us. If you believe that you hold any licenses that are subject to annual regulatory fees, please review the information below and contact us with any questions.

Like last year, all regulatees that pay annually will be required to pay their regulatory fees via the Commission’s online Fee Filer payment system. As described above, most Part 90 and Part 101 private radio licensees pay their regulatory fee every ten years with their license renewal application. Cellular, PCS, AWS, 700 MHz, Paging, and most other CMRS/commercial licensees must pay annually. Annual payers will be required to access the Fee Filer system (www.fcc.gov/fees/feefiler.html) with their valid CORES FRN and password in order to initiate the process of filing their annual regulatory fees. Payment may be made electronically through the Fee Filer system (ACH Payment or Credit Card) or by check or credit card information that is forwarded directly to the FCC’s Lock Box at US Bank. Additionally, you may also make payment by wire funds transfer directly to the US Treasury.

It is important to note that the FCC no longer mails out pre-bills for regulatory fees associated with Interstate Telecommunications Service Providers (“ITSPs”), Satellite Space Stations, holders of Cable Television Relay Service (“CARS”) licenses, Earth Stations or CATV Systems. Instead, the FCC has placed its pre-bill information for these services its Fee Filer system, where they may be viewed and paid.

If you choose to submit a payment by check or money order (as opposed to paying electronically via Fee Filer), a Form 159-E voucher, which is generated by the Fee Filer System, must accompany your payment.

If you choose to send the payment and Form 159-E payment voucher via regular mail, the envelope should be addressed, as follows:

Federal Communications Commission
Regulatory Fees
P.O. Box 979084
St. Louis, MO 63197-9000

If, instead, you chose to send the payment and Form 159-E payment voucher by courier, two envelopes should be used. The outer envelope should be addressed, as follows:

Federal Communications Commission
Regulatory Fees
c/o US Bank — Government Lock Box 979084
SL-MO-C2-GL
1005 Convention Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101
Attention: FCC Government Lock Box

The inner envelope should be addressed as follows:

Federal Communications Commission
Regulatory Fees
P.O. Box 979084
St. Louis, MO 63197-9000

We caution that all annual regulatory fees must be paid by the Wednesday, September 14, 2011 filing deadline. A failure to successfully make the payment by this deadline will result in the imposition of a 25 percent late payment fee. Additionally, it is important to note that the FCC has started the practice of immediately placing any regulatee whose payment has not been received and processed by the filing deadline in a “red light” status. Thus, even if the payment has been timely made, you could end up being “red-lighted” if the FCC has not completed the processing of your payment prior to the September 14, 2011 filing deadline. This is significant be-cause any company that is “red lighted” is presumed by the FCC to be delinquent on its debts to the Government and therefore will not receive any benefits from the FCC (such as application grants) until the matter is resolved.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need any assistance with your regulatory fee payments.

BloostonLaw contact: Richard Rubino

FCC Sets Comment Dates For FNPRM Proposing Microwave Flexibility

The FCC has established a comment cycle for its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) seeking comment on additional proposals to make microwave communications more flexible and cost-effective. The FNPRM was adopted at the FCC’s August open meeting, in conjunction with a Report & Order (R&O) and Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) to make available new spectrum, covering almost two-thirds of the U.S. landmass, for wireless backhaul as part of the FCC’s Broadband Acceleration Initiative and its spectrum and regulatory reform agendas (BloostonLaw Telecom Up-date, August 17, special issue). Comments on the WT Docket No. 10-153 FNPRM are due October 4, and replies are due October 25.

The FNPRM proposes to allow smaller antennas in certain microwave bands, as smaller antennas may be cheaper, easier to install, and generate fewer objections in the zoning process. The FNPRM also seeks comment on exempting licensees in non-congested areas from the Commission’s efficiency standards, which may make use of fixed microwave links more cost-effective in rural areas.

More specifically, the FNPRM:

  • Allows Smaller Antennas in Certain Part 101 Antenna Standards: The Part 101 rules establish directional antenna standards designed to maximize the use of microwave spectrum while avoid-ing interference between operators. The FNPRM seeks comment on whether the FCC may liberalize its rules to allow smaller antennas in the 6, 18, and 23 GHz bands without materially in-creasing interference.
  • Exempts Licensees in Non-Congested Areas from Efficiency Standards: Currently, fixed microwave links are subject to the same capacity requirements whether they are in rural or more densely populated urban areas. Lower traffic volumes on rural networks and greater distances between microwave links often make meeting these minimum capacity requirements much more costly in rural areas. Based on an engineering analysis showing that allowing lower efficiency standards in rural areas could allow operators to substantially increase link length, the FNPRM proposes to exempt licensees in non-congested areas from the efficiency standards and to allow licensees in other areas to seek relief from the standards upon making a special showing
  • Allows Wider Channels in 6 and 11 GHz Bands: The FNPRM seeks comment on allowing micro-wave operators to create higher capacity links by licensing 60 and 80 megahertz channels in the 6 and 11 GHz microwave bands, respectively.
  • Revises Waiver Standard for Microwave Stations Near the Geostationary Arc: To prevent interference to geostationary satellites, the Commission’s Rules require microwave stations that point near the geostationary arc to obtain a waiver. The FCC proposes to revise the rule to limit the circumstances where a waiver is necessary by conforming its rule to International Telecommunications Union (ITU) regulations.
  • Updating Definition of Payload Capacity: The FCC proposes to modify the definition of payload capacity in its Part 101 rules to account for Inter-net protocol radio systems.

The Memorandum Opinion and Order addresses various proposals offered in response to the Notice of Inquiry (NOI) that either lack specificity, are outside the scope of this proceeding, or are not yet ripe for consideration.

Clients who may want to use the microwave bands will be pleased to know that the Commission has declined to permit the licensing of “auxiliary stations” (using low-gain antennas with large side-lobe radiation so as to allow the main fixed station to communicate with multiple auxiliary stations situated along the side lobes of the antenna) in the FS bands. Last October, a group of our clients opposed a petition proposing the licensing of these auxiliary stations claiming that such operation had the potential for causing interference to conventional microwave operations and limiting the availability of microwave spectrum in the future. The Commission has now agreed and indicated that such auxiliary stations might better be accommodated in the upper micro-wave bands (24 and 39 GHz) and in LMDS.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell.

FCC Proposes Changes To Streamline Review Process For Foreign Ownership Of Certain Wireless Licenses

At its August 9 open meeting, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reduce regulatory burdens and streamline the foreign ownership review process for U.S. companies with common carrier radio licenses (e.g., wireless phone companies) and certain aeronautical radio licenses. The proposals would ensure that the Commission continues to receive the information it needs to serve the public interest while reducing the number of required filings by more than 70%. The NPRM does not address foreign ownership of broadcast licensees. Most Part 90 private land mobile licenses are NOT subject to foreign ownership restrictions, but certain licenses such as SMR, paging and public coast radio can have common carrier status.

Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act establishes a 25% benchmark for foreign investment in U.S. companies that directly or indirectly control a U.S. broadcast, common carrier, or aeronautical radio station licensee. It also grants the Commission discretion to allow higher levels of foreign ownership unless such ownership is in-consistent with the public interest.

The NPRM seeks comment on proposed measures to revise and simplify the process for reviewing requests for higher levels of foreign ownership in wireless common carrier and aeronautical licensees, and spectrum les-sees. The proposed changes would purportedly provide greater transparency and more predictability as to what information the Commission needs to carry out its statutory duties under the Act, and would reduce costs for U.S. wireless carriers seeking approval of foreign owner-ship above the 25 percent benchmark.

Comments in this IB Docket No. 11-133 proceeding will be due 45 days after publication of the item in the Federal Register, and replies will be due 30 days thereafter.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell.

FCC Seeks Comment on Draft “PEA” For Antenna Registration Program

To comply with its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the FCC is conducting a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) of its Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) program. The purpose of the PEA is to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the Commission’s ASR program. On August 26, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released the Draft PEA on the ASR program, and invites comment on the Draft PEA by October 3.

The Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment of the Antenna Structure Registration Program (ASR EA Program) is an outgrowth of the FCC’s proposed interim rules that would impose substantial burdens on antenna tower owners subject to the ASR requirements. In particular, the ASR EA Program considers several different alternatives or options that could potentially impose significant costs and/or regulatory burdens on tower owners that are subject to the FCC’s ASR Rules. In addition to current requirements not related to migratory birds, these include: (a) requiring a 30-day public notice period (and potentially the filing of an environmental assessment (EA)) for all towers that are subject to the FCC’s ASR Rules — irrespective of whether the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) changes its obstruction lighting in order to eliminate red steady burning lights on antenna towers that are equipped with flashing red lights; (b) requiring the filing of an EA for all new ASR registered towers that are located outside of an antenna farm, regard-less of height, use of guy wires or lighting scheme — towers in an antenna farm would require an EA only if it involved a substantial increase in size over existing towers or a change in lighting to steady burning lighting. EAs would also need to consider the effects not only on migratory birds, but also on Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles.

Another alternative would base the preparation of an EA on a combination of location and structural/lighting features. Thus, any new registered tower that requires an EA under existing rules that is located within 660 feet/201 meters of a Bald Eagle nest or 0.6mile/1 kilometer of a Golden Eagle nest would require an EA. Additionally, if a proposed tower was located near a ridge line, coastal zone, bird staging area or colonial nesting site, an EA would be required if the tower was more than 450 feet tall or would use red steady burning lights or guy wires. However, if a tower was not located in any of these areas or otherwise have any of the features described above, it would be categorically excluded under this alternative. Finally, towers in an antenna farm, replacement towers and modifications to existing towers would require an EA under the same circumstances as a new tower if there is a substantial increase in size or if red-steady burning lights are added to a tower that is located along a ridge-line, coastal zone, bird staging area or colonial nesting site.

Finally, the FCC is also considering an option what would only require the submission of an EA for any proposed new tower or replacement/modification of an existing tower that involves a substantial increase in size that is more than 450 feet above ground level, irrespective of location, lighting scheme or use of guy wires. Under this proposal, any antenna tower that is less than 450 feet above ground level would be categorically exempt from the preparation of an EA unless a condition requiring the filing of an EA under the FCC’s existing rules is present.

The comment cycle associated with the ASR EA Pro-gram provides AICC with another the opportunity to op-pose the environmentalists demands for the protection of migratory birds that will likely impose significant costs and delay on tower owners — especially where it is recognized that regardless of the option or alternative selected by the FCC, the impact on migratory bird mortality at the national level will be insignificant, and that perhaps the best solution to mitigate avian mortality from collisions with antenna towers would be to change the light-ing specifications mandated by the FAA. As a result, the industry should advocate that the FCC adopt the least restrictive alternative — namely, that an EA be required for any proposed new tower or replacement/modification of an existing tower that involves a substantial increase in size that is more than 450 feet above ground level. In this way, clients can go on record to support a regulatory scheme that will minimize the costs and delays that would be created by unnecessary regulation, especially when taken in context, avian mortality is not significant.

Under the ASR program, owners of antenna structures that are taller than 200 feet above ground level or that may interfere with the flight path of a nearby airport must register those structures with the FCC. The antenna structure owner must obtain painting and lighting specifications from the FAA and include those specifications in its registration prior to construction. The ASR program allows the FCC to fulfill its statutory responsibility to re-quire painting and lighting of antenna structures that may pose a hazard to air navigation.

The FCC has established a website, http://www.fcc.gov/pea, which contains information and downloadable documents relating to the PEA process, including the Draft PEA. The website also allows individuals to contact the Commission.

On September 20, from 2:30pm until 5:00pm, Eastern Time, the FCC will hold a meeting for the public to provide input on the Draft PEA. The meeting will take place in the Commission’s Meeting Room, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Audio/video coverage of this meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's web page at www.fcc.gov/live.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

Reply Date Extended For NOI On Rights Of Way, Wireless Facilities Siting

The FCC has extended the reply comment deadline for its Notice of Inquiry (NOI) addressing government policies for obtaining access to rights of way and wireless facilities siting. Replies in this WC Docket No. 11-59 proceeding are now due September 30. Policies for managing rights of way and siting wireless facilities, including the procedures and costs for acquiring permission to build, affect how long it takes and how much it costs to deploy broadband.

By working together with other interested parties on these issues, the Commission said it can reduce the costs and time required for broadband deployment, both fixed and mobile, which will help unleash private investment in infrastructure, increase efficient use of scarce public resources (including spectrum) and increase broadband adoption. The NOI is intended to update the FCC’s understanding of current rights of way and wireless facilities siting policies, assess the extent and impact of challenges related to these matters, and develop a record on potential solutions to these challenges.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

FCC Clarifies Texas 700 MHz Public Safety Waiver

On May 26, Harris Corp. filed a Petition for Clarification of the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau’s May 12 Order granting the State of Texas a waiver to begin early deployment of a 700 MHz public safety wireless broadband network. In the interest of eliminating any uncertainty, the Bureau clarified that it does not require, endorse, or favor any specific form of local procurement and in particular does not endorse or require the State of Texas or any jurisdictions that deploy networks under its waiver to use a sole-source method for obtaining services or equipment for their networks.

The Bureau said that “a network operator should be able to procure cores, radio access network equipment, and devices, all from multiple vendors, without sacrificing functionality.”

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Cary Mitchell.

FCC Reaches Accords On 700 MHz Border Sharing

The FCC has reached arrangements with Industry Canada and Mexico’s Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) for sharing commercial wireless broadband spectrum in the 700 MHz band along the U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican border areas. The FCC also reached an arrangement with Industry Canada for sharing spectrum in the 800 MHz band. The FCC said these actions will help support commercial broad-band services and public safety mission-critical voice communications. The FCC added that the technical sharing principles reached on the 700 MHz band will facilitate the deployment of mobile wireless broadband systems near the U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican borders and will provide consumers in these areas with advanced opportunities for 4G high-speed mobile broadband access.

Under the arrangements, licensees on both sides of the borders will have greater access to the 698-758 MHz and 776-788 MHz bands. The technical sharing principles reached on 800 MHz will pave the way for completion of 800 MHz rebanding by U.S. public safety and commercial licensees operating along the U.S.-Canadian border. The FCC ordered rebanding to alleviate interference to public safety licensees in the band caused by commercial cellular licensees. The arrangement specifies (1) how primary channels will be allotted between the United States and Canada, (2) the technical parameters for operation on these channels within 140 kilometers (87 miles) of the common border, and (3) a schedule for transitioning facilities from the channels needed by the U.S. to complete rebanding along the U.S.-Canadian border.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell.

FCC Is Conducting Public Safety Showcase

The Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Managing Director and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau today announced that during the month of September, the FCC Technology Experience Center will showcase public safety and homeland security technologies in recognition of Emergency Preparedness Month.

The FCC Technology Experience Center (FCC TEC) is an on-site technology lab that provides FCC employees and visitors to FCC headquarters hands-on experience with the latest communications devices and solutions. During the September showcase, a range of state-of-the- art tools available to first responders and homeland security professionals will be exhibited. These include:

  • Advanced handsets that allow users to talk and send or receive data on the same channel with just one radio;
  • A "cell tower in a suitcase" designed to allow first responders and disaster recovery personnel to connect to cell phones by connecting to satellites for voice and data connectivity;
  • Solutions to detect active cell phones and determine the location of a phone;
  • 911 call-location solutions that enable first responders to find those in need with even greater precision; and
  • The latest in advanced command and control solutions and situational awareness devices now available to local and state public safety and homeland security agencies.

Participants in the FCC showcase will include ITT Intelligence & Information Warfare, T-Mobile, Motorola Solutions, Chassidism Communications, GlobalStar, Alcatel-Lucent, GreatCall, AT&T, TeleCommunication Systems, OnStar, Harris Corporation, Verizon, Inmarsat, Juniper Networks, Intrado, and Elster Solutions.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell.

FCC Issues $25k Fine For Interfering With Police

The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL), finding that Estevan J. Gutierrez, apparently willfully and repeatedly violated (1) section 301 of the Communications Act by operating on a frequency licensed to the Las Vegas, New Mexico, Police Department (LVPD) without authorization, and (2) section 333 of the Act by willfully and maliciously interfering with the LVPD’s licensed operations on that frequency. The FCC concluded that Gutierrez is apparently liable for a forfeiture in the amount of $25,000.

The LVPD complained of radio interference to their main dispatch channel of 159.150 MHz from an unknown male who was threatening LVPD officers. The LVPD informed the FCC Enforcement Bureau that the subject’s use of the frequency included obscenities and threats against police officers and their families, and that it required the LVPD to use a backup channel for their dispatch operations. An LVPD sergeant identified the voice as that of Gutierrez, who was known to the sergeant from prior incidents in the City of Las Vegas. The Enforcement Bureau used radio direction-finding techniques and determined that Gutierrez was responsible for the transmissions.

The FCC said Gutierrez’s misconduct particularly egregious and found that an upward adjustment of $8,000 to the combined base forfeiture of $17,000 is warranted, resulting in a $25,000 total forfeiture.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

FCC Extends Waiver For Cardiac Devices

The FCC has granted a request by Boston Scientific Corporation to extend the existing waiver of Section 15.205 of the rules for its Contak Renewal TR, Cognis, and Teligen cardiac devices. Granting Boston Scientific’s request will permit these devices to continue to use the 90-110 kHz band while Boston Scientific finalizes the development and introduction of replacement devices that will not operate in that band, the FCC said. The present waivers are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011, and the extension will permit the continued manufacture and marketing of the subject devices until June 30, 2013, or until one year after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves each device, whichever comes first.

The FCC said this further extension is needed due to unanticipated delays in the completion of product development for the respective devices or in the approval of the replacement devices by the FDA. Because the health benefits provided by these devices will continue to be available to cardiac patients that have come to rely on them, and because the risk of harmful interference to other authorized operations in the band is extremely small, the FCC concluded that good cause exists, and the public interest would be served by, extending the existing cardiac devices. The present waivers are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011, and the extension will permit the continued manufacture waiver.

Boston Scientific manufactures several lines of implantable cardiac medical devices, including cardiac re-synchronization therapy devices (the Contak Renewal TR devices), cardiac re-synchronization devices with pacemakers (the Cognis devices), and variometer defibrillators (the Teligen devices). As currently designed, these devices rely on inductive coupling to initiate communication sessions that download data from, and modify the operational settings of, the implanted devices and to serve as a backup communications link. Because this inductive coupling technique produces fundamental emissions in the 90-110 kHz restricted band, these devices do not comply with the restricted band provisions of Section 15.205.

The FCC said the waiver presents an unusual and compelling public interest situation in which patients and their caregivers rely on the devices at issue for health- and life-critical purposes. The Commission said the extension will ensure that the treatment benefits provided by these devices will continue to be available to patients until FCC-compliant replacements can be brought to market in an orderly manner, and the critical benefits provided by these devices continue to present a significant public interest basis for the requested relief.

BloostonLaw contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, John Prendergast, and Richard Rubino.

FCC Grants Amoco Waiver For “Itinerant” Channels

The FCC has granted the request for waiver filed by Amoco Chemical Company to use 896-901/935-940 MHz (900 MHz) band itinerant use channels at a permanent location. The FCC said that four 900 MHz band frequency pairs have been designated for operations at unspecified locations for varying periods of time (itinerant use). Amoco wants to add three of those frequency pairs (897/936.6625 MHz, 00/939.9750 MHz, and 900/939.9875 MHz) to its license for 900 MHz Industrial/Land Transportation Station WPAH364, for use at its plant at Texas City, Texas. Amoco stated that the purpose of the proposed channel expansion is to eliminate congestion and provide more reliable communications on the existing system for the chemical plant, adjoining refinery, and waterways that serve as Amoco’s terminal port. Its frequency coordinator stated that no other 900 MHz band frequencies are available in the vicinity. Amoco stated that it explored other options, such as utilizing different services or frequency bands, but concluded that they would cause significant disruption to the plant operations and provide less functionality. It also stated that this channel expansion will extend the life of the existing system to allow Amoco to engineer and migrate to a long-term solution.

The FCC said that Amoco has demonstrated that grant of its waiver request is warranted under the circumstances, and that its proposed operations do not pose an interference threat to existing licensees. The channel expansion will permit more reliable communications, which will enhance the safety of operations at the Texas City plant.

The FCC noted, however, that “the very nature and pr-pose of the itinerant frequencies create situations where a given itinerant frequency may be less heavily used in a particular area at a given time than frequencies available for permanent-type use.” Thus, the fact that Amoco’s proposed use does not currently appear to impinge upon itinerant use of the channels does not mean that the situation may not change. Therefore, to preserve the availability of the channels for future itinerant use if necessary, Amoco’s application will be granted on the condition that Amoco must accept interference from licensed itinerant operations on the itinerant use channels, and may not cause interference to licensed itinerant operations on the itinerant use channels, the FCC said.

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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

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Singlewire Software Releases RemotePhoneControl for iOS

By Ewa Grzybek on September 23, 2011

Singlewire Software, developer of innovative voice applications centered around secure, fast, and reliable mass notification, emergency communication, and overhead paging, today announced the release of RemotePhoneControl for iOS, a software application for the latest generation of iPads, iPhones, and devices running iOS.

RemotePhoneControl for iOS is a support tool used for remotely troubleshooting or demonstrating features of Cisco IP phones—regardless of where they are located—through a network connection to the phone. In addition to seeing the phone’s display, you can interact with/control the phone, which allows you to confirm settings or explore issues that have been reported by users.

Ken Bywaters, executive vice president of product management at Singlewire Software states, “Organizations have long used RemotePhoneControl for testing and training on Cisco IP phones. With the new version on iOS, we’ve expanded the platform and devices engineers and trainers can use to do their work.”

RemotePhoneControl for iOS is available for purchase and download via the iTunes App Store. The Windows version of RemotePhoneControl is available for purchase through registered partners of Singlewire Software.

Additional information and a two-minute demonstration video of RemotePhoneControl for iOS is available by visiting http://www.singlewire.com/remotephonecontrol.html

Source: Gadgets and Technology News

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WiPath Communications

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Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data

WiPath manufactures a wide range of highly unique and innovative hardware and software solutions in paging and mobile data for:

  • Emergency Mass Alert & Messaging Emergency Services Communications Utilities Job Management Telemetry and Remote Switching Fire House Automation
  • Load Shedding and Electrical Services Control

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  • FLEX & POCSAG Built-in POCSAG encoder Huge capcode capacity Parallel, 2 serial ports, 4 relays
  • Message & system monitoring

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  • Variety of sizes Indoor/outdoor
  • Integrated paging receiver

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  • Highly programmable, off-air decoders Message Logging & remote control Multiple I/O combinations and capabilities
  • Network monitoring and alarm reporting

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  • Emergency Mass Alerting Remote telemetry switching & control Fire station automation PC interfacing and message management Paging software and customized solutions Message interception, filtering, redirection, printing & logging Cross band repeating, paging coverage infill, store and forward
  • Alarm interfaces, satellite linking, IP transmitters, on-site systems

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Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

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  • Fleet tracking, messaging, job processing, and field service management Automatic vehicle location (AVL), GPS
  • CDMA, GPRS, ReFLEX, conventional, and trunked radio interfaces

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Contact
Postal
Address:
WiPath Communications LLC
4845 Dumbbarton Court
Cumming, GA 30040
Street
Address:
4845 Dumbbarton Court
Cumming, GA 30040
Web site: www.wipath.com left arrow CLICK
E-mail: info@wipath.com left arrow CLICK
Phone: 770-844-6218
Fax: 770-844-6574
WiPath Communications

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Preferred Wireless

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Terminals & Controllers:
1 Motorola ASC1500
2 GL3100 RF Director 
9 Glenayre GLS2164 Satellite Receivers
1 GL3000L Complete w/Spares
1 GL3000ES Terminal
2 Zetron 2200 Terminals
  Unipage — Many Unipage Cards & Chassis
Link Transmitters:
2 Glenayre QT4201 & 6201, 25 & 100W Midband Link TX
2 Glenayre QT6201 Link Repeater and Link Station in Hot Standby
1 Glenayre QT6994, 150W, 900 MHz Link TX
3 Motorola 10W, 900 MHz Link TX (C35JZB6106)
2 Motorola 30W, Midband Link TX (C42JZB6106AC)
2 Eagle Midband Link Transmitters, 125W
5 Glenayre GL C2100 Link Repeaters
VHF Paging Transmitters
1 Motorola VHF PURC-5000 125W, ACB or TRC
6 Glenayre GLT8411, 250W, VHF TX
1 Motorola Nucleus, 125W, VHF, TX
2 Motorola Nucleus, 350W, VHF, TX
UHF Paging Transmitters:
20 Glenayre UHF GLT5340, 125W, DSP Exciter
6 Motorola PURC-5000 110 & 225W, TRC & ACB
2 QT-7795, 250W, UHF TX
900 MHz Paging Transmitters:
3 Glenayre GLT 8600, 500W
2 Glenayre GLT8200, 25W (NEW)
15 Glenayre GLT-8500 250W
35 Glenayre 900 MHz DSP Exciters
25 Glenayre GLT-8500 Final PAs
35 Glenayre GLT-8500 Power Supplies

SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
www.preferredwireless.com/equipment left arrow CLICK HERE

Too Much To List • Call or E-Mail
Rick McMichael
Preferred Wireless, Inc.
10658 St. Charles Rock Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63074
888-429-4171 or 314-429-3000
rickm@preferredwireless.com
left arrow CLICK HERE
www.preferredwireless.com/equipment
left arrow OR HERE  

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Preferred Wireless

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EastWest Communications Inc.

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Media 1 ® live
by EastWest Communications Inc.

Real-time response to live events

spacer The audience may attend or view/listen to an event nationwide and respond in real time without requiring a computer — even respond while attending an event.

spacer Participate in sporting events, concerts, training programs or other programs to allow the producers to change the program based on audience participation.

Ed Lyda
P.O. Box 8488
The Woodlands, Texas 77387
Cell: 832-928-9538

E-mail: eastwesttexas@sbcglobal.net

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EastWest Communications Inc.

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Groundbreaking Japanese technologies of the past honored by national museum

September 24, 2011

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The Shibaura Engineering Works washing machine, which debuted in 1930. (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Nature and Science)
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Early pagers, developed in 1968. (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Nature and Science)

The National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo has added 20 new machines to its list of historically significant Japanese inventions, including the first Japan-made electric washing machine, and an early pager.

The Important Science and Technology Materials roster, known casually as the "heritage future technologies" list, was created in 2008 to preserve landmark Japanese inventions left behind as technology advanced, and the 20 items announced on this occasion mark the fourth intake. Ninety-two machines are now registered on the list.

The list focuses on items that represent the special character of Japanese science and technology, items that had an especially significant impact on the daily lives of the Japanese people, and those that best represent their particular era.

The electric washing machine was designed and built by the predecessor of Toshiba Corp., Shibaura Engineering Works, in 1930, and featured blades at the bottom of the drum that helped stir the water. The basic design was in production for some 40 years.

The early pager, meanwhile, debuted in 1968.

Joining the washer and the pager in the recent intake are a Sony Corp. home video recorder from 1965, and Japan's first transmission electron microscope built at Osaka University in 1939.

The owners of the items will be presented with certificates at a ceremony at the museum on Sept. 27, and photographs and commentary of the items will be on display at the museum's technological heritage exhibit from that day to Nov. 27.

Source: The Mainichi Daily News

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UNICATION USA

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unication

• With Standard Two-year Warranty

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UNTIL NEXT WEEK

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Brad Dye
With best regards,

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Newsletter Editor

73 DE K9IQY

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Wireless Messaging News
Brad Dye, Editor
P.O. Box 266
Fairfield, IL 62837 USA

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Skype: braddye
Telephone: 618-599-7869

E–mail: brad@braddye.com
Wireless Consulting page
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MESSAGING

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

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“Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy.”

— Wayne Dyer

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“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”

—Jim Rohn

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“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

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“Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean.”

—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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“Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: —
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking-glass.”

As a Man Thinketh is a literary essay of James Allen, published in 1902. The title is influenced by a verse in the Bible from the Book of Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

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left arrow Newspapers generally cost 75¢ a copy and they hardly ever mention 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 willing and able, please click on the PayPal Donate button to the left.

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iland internet sulutions 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.

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THE WIRELESS MESSAGING NEWSLETTER & THE PAGING INFORMATION RESOURCE

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