| Wireless News Aggregation |
|
Welcome Back To
The Wireless
|
|
|||||
This Week's Wireless News Headlines
|
NO POLITICS HERE
This doesn't mean that nothing is ever published here that mentions a US political party—it just means that the editorial policy of this newsletter is to remain neutral on all political issues. We don't take sides.
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. I spend the whole week searching the INTERNET for news that I think may be of interest to you — so you won’t have to. This newsletter is an aggregator — a service that aggregates news from other news sources. You can help our community by sharing any interesting news that you find.
Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any of advertisers or supporters. This newsletter is independent of any trade association. I don't intend to hurt anyone's feelings, but I do freely express my own opinions. |
|||||
|
Click on the image above for more info about advertising in this newsletter. |
HELP SUPPORT THE NEWSLETTER
There is not a lot of news about Paging these days but when anything significant comes out, you will probably see it here. I also cover text messaging to other devices and various articles about related technology. |
|||||
Subscribe Here — It's Free * required field
|
 |
|
Advertiser Index
|
|
Service Monitors and Frequency Standards for Sale
(Images are typical units, not actual photos of items offered for sale here.)
|
Always Do This Before Letting Someone Borrow Your PhoneYou can quickly restrict their access while also letting them get what they need from your phone.By Jeff Somers
Smartphones have transformed our lives, mostly for the better, but they’ve also increased the access people can potentially have to your private information the moment you hand yours over. When you allow someone else access to your phone to make a call, swipe through a few pictures, or try out a new game, you might want to control what else they can do with it before you pass it off. And because these scenarios often come up without warning, you need a quick way to partially lock everything down. This isn’t just about privacy—you might let someone’s kid borrow your phone to play a game or watch a video, and you don’t need them purchasing $500 worth of Robux while they’re in there. The goal is to restrict their access while letting them get what they need from your phone—and depending on which platform you’re using, you have options that don’t involve any third-party apps. How to block user access on an Android phoneWith Android phones, you have two basic approaches: Guest Mode. Depending on your setup, you might be able to tap on the user icon in your Quick Settings and simply choose “Add guest.” This puts the phone into Guest Mode, which restricts access to the phone’s default apps and bars access to your data and logins. It’s only going to be available if you’ve set up an account on your phone in the first place, though, and does allow your guest to basically use the device as they would any phone, just without your logins and stored credit cards. Screen Pinning. A more thorough restriction is to pin an app to your screen. You have to enable this in your Security settings (you might need to search for it, as different manufacturers bury it in different spots), but once it’s turned on, you can pin any app to your screen, and the guest user won’t be able to navigate away from that app without unlocking the phone with your PIN. To pin an app, just swipe up or hit your Overview button and choose “pin.” You can un-pin by swiping up and entering your PIN. How to block user access on an iPhoneThere’s a similar process for an iPhone, but it’s called “Guided Access.” You’ll find the option under the Accessibility settings. Once enabled, you can do the following any time some sticky-fingered kid wants to peruse YouTube videos on your phone:
Your phone will now allow someone to use only the app on the screen, without any access to anything else. |
| Source: | Life Hacker |
| Leavitt Communications |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canadian Government Announces Intention to Ban Huawei, ZTE EquipmentWednesday, May 25, 2022 The Canadian government released a policy statement saying that it intends to ban equipment from Huawei and ZTE in the country. In the policy statement, the government noted the importance of 5G and other wireless technology to the country and said that it has serious concerns about the ZTE and Huawei and their connections to foreign governments. It also noted that other countries had taken action against the two companies because of similar concerns. “Like our allies, Canada believes that evolving international supply chain dynamics have further implications due to growing restrictions on access to certain components,” the policy statement said. “Shifts from well-known inputs to others have implications for Canada’s ability to conduct assurance testing. This changing supply chain environment toward other components will make it increasingly difficult for Canada to maintain a high level of assurance testing for certain network equipment from a number of potential suppliers.” Specifically, the Canadian government intends to prohibit the use of new 5G equipment and managed services from both companies and require the removal or termination of that equipment and services by June 28, 2024. Additionally, the government is also banning the use of any new 4G equipment or managed services from the companies and requiring the removal or termination of that equipment and services by December 31, 2027. The government also said it expects telecommunications providers to cease procurement of new 4G or 5G equipment, as well as any associated services by September 1. Finally, the government said it also plans to add further restrictions on gigabit passive optical network (GPON) equipment that is used in fiber-optic networks. Find the full policy statement here. |
| Source: | Radio Resource International |
|
Paging Transmitters 150/900 MHz The RFI High Performance Paging Transmitter is designed for use in campus, city, state and country-wide paging systems. Designed for use where reliable simulcast systems where RF signal overlap coverage is critical.
Built-in custom interface for Prism-IPX ipBSC Base Controller for remote control, management and alarm reporting.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC.
11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022
|
The Wireless Messaging News
The Board of Advisor members are people with whom I have developed a special rapport, and have met personally. They are not obligated to support the newsletter in any way, except with advice, and maybe an occasional letter to the editor.
Can You Help The Newsletter?
You can help support The Wireless Messaging News by clicking on the PayPal Donate button above. It is not necessary to be a member of PayPal to use this service.
Newspapers generally cost
A donation of $50.00 would certainly help cover a one-year period. If you are wiling and able, please click on the PayPal Donate button above . |
|||||||||||||||
Thursday June 2, 2022 9:33 am PDT by Juli Clover Apple wants to make the iPad behave more like a laptop than a smartphone and plans to implement changes in iPadOS 16 to further that goal, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
iPadOS 16 will feature a redesigned multitasking interface that makes it easier to swap between tasks and see which apps are open, plus it will allow users to resize windows. Apple plans to implement new ways for users to deal with multiple apps at once, in what sounds like a much more Mac-like multitasking experience. The revamped iPad experience will be one of the biggest upgrades announced at WWDC, according to Gurman. Apple's iPad Pro models are as powerful as its Macs as they use the same M1 chip, but the software experience has always lagged behind and prevented the tablet from being used in the same way as a laptop or desktop machine. The new iPadOS 16 experience will premiere on Monday, June 6, with Apple previewing the software for developers. Developers will get beta access that same day, and Apple will refine the iPadOS 16 software over the course of several months before launching it in the fall alongside iOS 16. |
| Source: | Mac Rumors |
| PRISM IPX Systems |
|
||
|
Thousands of Users Worldwide Depend on Prism IPXOur Customers Trust Us To Make Sure That Their Messages Get Delivered
|
| Easy Solutions |
|
Providing Expert Support and Service Contracts for all Glenayre Paging Systems.The GL3000 is the most prolific paging system in the world and Easy Solutions gladly welcomes you to join us in providing reliable support to the paging industry for many more decades in the future. Easy Solutions provides cost effective computer and wireless solutions at affordable prices. We can help in most any situation with your communications systems. We have many years of experience and a vast network of resources to support the industry, your system and an ever changing completive landscape.
Experts in Paging Infrastructure
Please see our web site for exciting solutions designed specifically for the Wireless Industry. We also maintain a diagnostic lab and provide important repair and replacement parts services for Motorola and Glenayre equipment. Call or
Easy Solutions |
News > Medscape Medical News > Features Goodbye Pagers, Hello Clinical Texting ― How to Make the Transition PainlessNicole Pajer June 02, 2022 Despite the consumer shift from pagers to cellphones and smartphones, paging has remained a communication staple among healthcare professionals. But that's changing. More and more hospitals are replacing pagers with clinical texting systems that allow clinicians to send and receive patient-care messages using smartphones. "This is a trend we see happening all over in medicine," says Joy Lee, PhD, a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute and assistant professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. These messages could be team communications ("I saw the patient you wanted a consultation for in room X") or, say, an update on a patient's blood sugar level. "It's a lot of informational transactions that would be happening in healthcare anyway," Lee says. "It's just now happening over smartphones rather than pagers." Still, the transition to texting can overwhelm healthcare workers and raise privacy concerns for patients. As more institutions roll out texting systems, Lee and other researchers are investigating the impact on communication among medical teams. Working Out the KinksLee and a team of experts surveyed hospitalists and nurses about their experiences with clinical texting. While study participants spoke favorably of texting, they cited more frustrations than benefits, the researchers found. Things they liked included ease of access, the ability to send pictures, and having a record of conversations. On the other hand, they complained of receiving too many texts, trouble navigating the app, and confusion about how and when texts should be used ― like, which communications are (or are not) text-worthy and whether emojis are appropriate. "Texting isn't new to most of us in our everyday lives. But in terms of being used in the hospital setting, these norms haven't really been set," Lee explains. "People haven't had focused discussions about when texting is appropriate, what type of texting is more convenient, and what [type] is annoying. Because of that, there's some tension among users." To make texting more effective, Lee recommends medical facilities create guidelines for use ― for instance, clarifying what is appropriate to send by texting and whether using an emoji, such as a thumbs-up, would be an apt shortcut to signal confirmation. Tackling Privacy ConcernsClinical texting is not done through standard SMS texting but rather through a special messaging platform that has safeguards to ensure confidentiality. "That's one of the advantages it had over pagers," says Lee. "It's a secure platform that only verified users could have access to." Still, texting is not without risk. Messages can remain on devices indefinitely, creating a major concern if a doctor's phone is lost or stolen. If private health information falls into the wrong hands, it could lead to identity theft or public embarrassment should the information be leaked. That's why health staff must be trained to use a secure app and take proper safety precautions with their phones, says Andrew Mahler, vice president of privacy and compliance at CynergisTek, a cybersecurity firm serving the healthcare industry. One smart practice is to keep a patient's personal information as vague as possible in texts, says Mahler. "Do you really need to use a patient's full name? Or is there a reason to text a patient's address or social security number?" It's important to find ways to promote patient care without using identifying information and to develop clear guidelines, Mahler says. "Having accessible material that healthcare providers can use to really understand what the boundaries are is vital." The Switch to Clinical TextingDespite the challenges, clinical texting has plenty of pros, Lee notes. "With pagers, for instance, you had to call back a number to then talk to the person," Lee says. "So it had an extra step." Mahler agrees: "Clinicians can very quickly text their colleagues with information on patients that can really help save lives and help patients get better." The system just needs some fine-tuning, Lee says.
|
| Source: | Medscape |
GLENAYRE INFRASTRUCTUREService ContractsI would like to recommend Easy Solutions for Support of all Glenayre Paging Equipment. This Texas company is owned and operated by Vaughan Bowden. I have known Vaughan for over 35 years. Without going into a long list of his experience and qualifications, let me just say that he was the V.P. of Engineering at PageNet which was—at that time—the largest paging company in the world. So Vaughan knows Paging. GTES is no longer offering support contracts. GTES was the original group from Vancouver that was setup to offer support to customers that wanted to continue with the legacy Glenayre support. Many U.S. customers chose not to use this service because of the price and the original requirement to upgrade to version 8.0 software (which required expensive hardware upgrades, etc.). Most contracts ended as of February 2018. If you are at all concerned about future support of Glenayre products, especially the “king of the hill” the GL3000 paging control terminal, I encourage you to talk to Vaughan about a service contract and please tell him about my recommendation. Click on the image above for more info about advertising here. |
INTERNET Protocol Terminal The IPT accepts INTERNET or serial messaging using various protocols and can easily convert them to different protocols, or send them out as paging messages. An ideal platform for hospitals, on-site paging applications, or converting legacy systems to modern protocols.
Additional/Optional Features
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Is Apple about to launch its very own search engine? By Joel Khalili published 1 day ago Apple is rumored to be quietly developing its own search engineAs Apple gears up for its annual WWDC showcase, a rumor the company is preparing to launch its own search engine is doing the rounds. The source of the rumor is a tweet (opens in new tab) from blogger Robert Scoble, which features at the end of a thread describing the announcements he expects from Apple over the next year. In an exchange with TechRadar Pro, Scoble explained the information is based partly on conversations with sources and partly on deduction. "This is the most expensive product launch of all time [sic]," he added. Scoble told us the search engine will not be announced at WWDC next week, but rather in January. TechRadar Pro has asked Apple for comment. Apple Search?The dearth of competition in the search market and historic rivalry between Google and Apple has long had people wondering whether the Cupertino giant might eventually dip its toes in the water. Although the worth of Google Search is difficult to ascertain due to the way Alphabet earnings are reported, we know that search accounts for the largest chunk of its ad revenue, which totaled $210 billion for 2021. If Scoble's information proves to be correct, Apple has decided it fancies a piece of the action. But why now? One possible explanation is that the firm believes the iOS and Safari install base has reached a critical mass, such that it can prop up a genuine challenge to Google's throne. Apple has profited for years from a deal (potentially worth upwards of $20 billion/annum) that guarantees Google’s position as the default Safari search engine. According to filings from a recent class action lawsuit, the terms of this arrangement also prohibit Apple from launching a standalone search product. But hypothetically, if Apple were to tear up the deal with Google and bring an alternative to market, the billion-strong Safari user base would provide a solid foundation on which to build. And as the spectre of new antitrust legislation (opens in new tab) looms, it’s possible the company will be shoved in this direction regardless. However, it would be a mistake to assume that wide reach is a guarantee of success. Microsoft, for example, has failed to make material inroads in browsers and search, despite presiding over the world’s largest operating system. In order for Apple to call off its agreement with Google voluntarily, the company would have to be sufficiently sure that gains in advertising revenue would compensate for the billions of dollars lost. It’s also possible that the rumored service won’t look anything like a traditional search engine. In his tweet, Scoble hinted that Siri may be the primary beneficiary, which could indicate the new product is built to augment the (Google-powered) responses served up by the digital assistant, not to field general queries like a regular search engine. We'll have to wait and see.
|
| Source: | Tech Radar |
|
Paging Data Receiver PDR-4 The PDR-4 is a multi-function paging data receiver that decodes paging messages and outputs them via the serial port, USB or Ethernet connectors. Designed for use with Prism-IPX ECHO software Message Logging Software to receive messages and log the information for proof of transmission over the air, and if the data was error free.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC.
11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
Wireless Network Planners
|
|||||||||||||
|
R.H. (Ron) Mercer |
|
| Telephone: 631-786-9359 | |
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com 
|
|
|
www.wirelessplanners.com
|
|
|
|
|
NASA to Test GPS-Like Navigation System at the Moon for the First TimeThe groundbreaking lunar experiment could result in more accurate and safer navigation during trips to the Moon. By Passant Rabie
In December 1968, the Apollo 8 mission carried three astronauts on a trip around the Moon— further than anyone had ever gone before. For a mission that far, navigation was the biggest unknown factor. Had the spacecraft’s velocity been even a bit off, it would’ve crashed onto the far side of the Moon. Fast forward to today, and in consideration of NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon, the space agency is once again thinking about navigation and the issue of safety. To that end, NASA is looking to test a new lunar navigation system that uses signals from Earth’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), but in the vicinity of the Moon. That’s never been done before. NASA is preparing to send this experimental payload to the Moon, which will be delivered by Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander no earlier than 2024, according to NASA. GNSS refers to satellite constellations that transmit positioning, timing and navigation signals from space to receivers on Earth. The most commonly used GNSS system is GPS, which is operated by the U.S. Space Force. NASA’s Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE), developed in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), will attempt to calculate the first-ever location fixes during a trip to the Moon, as well as on the lunar surface. LuGRE will receive signals from both GPS and Europe’s own GNSS constellation, Galileo, during its journey to the Moon. The receiver will also conduct navigation experiments at different altitudes and while in orbit around the Moon. After landing on the Moon with Blue Ghost, the LuGRE receiver will unfurl its antenna and collect data for 12 days, or possibly longer. The gathered data will then be beamed down to Earth and used to develop operational lunar GNSS systems for future missions to the Moon. “In this case, we are pushing the envelope of what GNSS was intended to do—that is, expanding the reach of systems built to provide services to terrestrial, aviation, and maritime users to also include the fast growing space sector,” J.J. Miller, deputy director of policy and strategic communications for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program, said in a statement. “This will vastly improve the precision and resilience of what was available during the Apollo missions, and allow for more flexible equipage and operational scenarios.” LuGRE is a part of ongoing efforts to expand the high-altitude capabilities of GNSS, a system that space missions have long relied on for navigation and timekeeping. In recent years, the system’s reach has expanded to include missions that are between approximately 1,800 miles (2,896 kilometers) and 22,000 miles (35,405 km) in altitude. In 2016, NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission used GPS at a record-breaking altitude of 43,500 miles (70,000 km) above the Earth. “LuGRE is the latest effort in a long line of missions designed to expand high-altitude GNSS capabilities,” Fabio Dovis, LuGRE co-principal investigator at the Italian Space Agency, said in a statement. “We’ve developed a cutting-edge experiment that will serve as the foundation for operational GNSS systems at the Moon.” |
| Source: | GIZMODO |
Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, Vic Jackson, and Ira Wiesenfeld are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects.
Click here
Note: We do not like Patent Trolls, i.e. “a person or company who enforces patent rights against accused infringers in an attempt to collect licensing fees, but does not manufacture products or supply services based upon the patents in question.” We have helped some prominent law firms defend their clients against this annoyance, and would be happy to do some more of this same kind of work. Some people use the title “consultant” when they don't have a real job. We actually do consulting work, and help others based on our many years of experience. “If you would know the road ahead, ask someone who has traveled it.” — Chinese Proverb
|
Remote AB Switches ABX-1 switches are often used at remote transmitter sites to convert from old, outdated and unsupported controllers to the new modern Prism-IPX ipBSC base station controllers. Remotely switch to new controllers with GUI commands. ABX-1
ABX-3 switches are widely used for enabling or disabling remote equipment and switching I/O connections between redundant messaging systems. ABX-3
Common Features:
Prism-IPX Systems LLC.
11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
Microsoft’s grand plan for the future Windows is basically an M1 Mac miniMicrosoft is launching a Mac mini clone for developers that runs an ARM-based system on a chip.By Roman Loyola Senior Editor, Macworld MAY 24, 2022 8:56 PM PDT
Microsoft’s developers conference, Build 2022, is happening this week, and amid the flurry of announcements was something very Apple-like. In fact, if you weren’t paying close attention, you might have thought Microsoft released its own Mac. It’s called Project Volterra and it involves a new Windows for Arm developers kit in a PC that looks a lot like an M1 Mac mini. It’s a square, metal mini desktop PC dressed in space gray that appears to be the same size and shape as Apple’s smallest Mac (though it’s made of recycled ocean plastic rather than aluminum). The specs for the devkit—which is used by software developers to take advantage of new features—have not been released, but it doesn’t run an Intel chip. Instead, it runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon system on a chip that’s Arm-based. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is: Apple’s own M1 processors are also based on Arm. Microsoft’s Panos Panay said in a blog post, “With native Arm64 Visual Studio, .NET support, and Project Volterra coming later this year, we are releasing new tools to help you take the first step on this journey.” If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is: When Apple announced its switch to its own silicon two years ago, the company released a Developer Transition Kit (DTK), with a Mac mini outfitted with an A12Z system on a chip, the same processor that was in the 2020 iPad Pro. Developers had to place a $500 deposit on the DTK, and then after the M1 Macs hit the market, Apple required developers to return the DTK and gave a $200 credit towards an M1 Mac purchase. Microsoft made Windows for Arm available with version 10, and it’s mainly for Microsoft Surface devices. The release of the devkit along with the release of Windows 11 for Arm a few months ago show that Microsoft is still behind its Arm products. But it’s looking to speed things up over the remaining months of 2022. When Apple released its M1 Macs, it also ended support for Boot Camp, the ability to boot a Mac into Windows or macOS. While it’s possible to run Windows for Arm on an M1 Mac, it’s not officially supported by Microsoft, and there doesn’t seem to be any indication by the company that it will change its mind. Details on how to get Microsoft’s devkit–which presumably will only be available to developers and not to the general public–and a preview of the devkit’s tools will be coming “in the next few weeks.” |
| Source: | MacWorld |
| Leavitt Communications |
|
|||||||
|
AST SpaceMobile gets OK from FCC to test sat-to-phone tech with AT&T in U.S.Written by Donny Jackson 1st June 2022 AST SpaceMobile—a LEO satellite company that plans to deliver broadband cellular service directly to unmodified wireless devices—has received an experimental license from the FCC to conduct tests this year in preparation for launches that are expected to result in continuous global coverage by the end of 2025, a company official said. Scott Wisniewski, chief strategy officer and executive vice president for AST SpaceMobile, said the FCC experimental license will let the low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite startup test its 693-square-foot BlueWalker 3 satellite (pictured above) for about six months in parts of Texas and Hawaii. AST SpaceMobile also has secured similar regulatory approval in Kenya and is seeking permissions to conduct testing in other countries, he said. “This is our second test satellite,” Wisniewski said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “This will be our first big satellite that we’ll put into space. It’s still smaller than our production satellites, but it’s a big satellite.” Indeed, the AST SpaceMobile production satellite—known as the BlueBird, the first of which is scheduled to be launched next year—will be 20 meters by 20 meters, or more than 4,300 square feet. “The size is important,” Wisniewski said. “Because, in order to communicate over the noise floor with a small phone with small power, small antenna and small gain, you need something big—that’s our view. And the bigger it is, the more [data] throughput—it’s really just a function of area—so we’ve designed the satellites to be big.” AST SpaceMobile plans to deploy its BlueBird constellation in a phased approach that will let the company offer complementary broadband services to customers of wireless carriers throughout the world by the end of 2024, as well as MIMO capabilities in key markets by the end of 2025, according to Wisniewski. “Twenty satellites gets us continuous equatorial coverage,” he said. “Another 45 gets us initial coverage in certain geographies, and then another 45 after that gets us substantially global coverage. So, 110 satellites gets us substantially global coverage. “We have, in our business plan, another 60 after that. That layers in MIMO for important markets like the U.S., Japan and Europe.” AST SpaceMobile plans to provide MIMO support via 170 satellites by the end of 2025, Wisniewski said. Unlike other higher-profile LEO satellite companies—for example, Starlink or OneWeb—AST SpaceMobile does not require users to deploy special satellite receivers to communicate. Instead, AST SpaceMobile satellites can connect directly with unmodified smart devices, acting as a cell-phone tower about 300 miles above the earth’s surface. “The phone sees it [the AST SpaceMobile satellite] as another tower,” Wisniewski said, noting that AST SpaceMobile plans to serve as a complementary roaming partner to cellular carriers, with the idea of ensuring that customers maintain connectivity at all times. This BlueWalker 3 testing will mark the first time that AST SpaceMobile has conducted a traditional test of its direct-to-phone satellite technology. AST SpaceMobile has proven the concept works during a “inverse” test conducted in 2019, during which a cell phone was put on a LEO satellite and demonstrated the ability to communicate with a satellite that was deployed at the AST SpaceMobile facility in Midland, Texas. This initial test was the basis for funding support that AST SpaceMobile received in its Series B investment from companies like Vodafone, Rakuten, American Tower and Samsung, Wisniewski said. AST SpaceMobile plans to conduct BlueWalker 3 tests with Rakuten in Japan, with Orange in Africa, and with Vodafone in Europe and Africa, Wisniewski said. AST SpaceMobile officials declined to name the carrier it will work with to conduct tests in U.S., but the FCC experimental license identifies spectrum bands used by AT&T—including some 700 MHz Band 14 frequencies licensed to the FirstNet Authority for FirstNet, the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN). AT&T confirmed to IWCE’s Urgent Communications that it is participating in the BlueWalker 3 testing. “We are happy that the FCC has approved AST SpaceMobile’s application,” according to a prepared statement provided by AT&T. “We are looking forward to working with AST to test this technology.” Many in the critical-communications industry have been monitoring closely the progress made by AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global, another LEO-satellite company that plans to partner with wireless carriers to provide cellular service directly to unmodified smart devices located outside of terrestrial-network coverage. If these direct-to-phone technologies are successful, it would provide LTE and 5G devices with the kind of graceful transition that has been lacking for first-responder use. In addition, the LEO-satellite-to-cellular-phone connectivity could allow people in need of help call 911, even when they are outside of a carrier’s terrestrial-network footprint. With its larger satellite, AST SpaceMobile plans to be able to operate on carrier’s low-band spectrum, as well as mid-band spectrum up to 4 GHz. “We believe we can operate up to C-band,” Wisniewski said. |
| Source: | URGENT COMMUNICATIONS |
| Inside Towers Newsletter |
|
GAO: National Broadband Strategy Needed
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief In its efforts to expand broadband access, the federal government has subsidized investment in rural areas that haven't attracted private investment. The Government Accountability office identified over 100 federal programs—administered by 15 agencies—that could be used to expand access. However, the number of programs has led to a fragmented, overlapping patchwork of funding. The GAO recommends synchronizing federal efforts with a national broadband strategy. Congress asked the GAO to review federal broadband efforts. The GAO inventoried and analyzed broadband programs and interviewed 50 stakeholders, including broadband providers and local officials. It also spoke with federal officials from agencies with broadband programs about their programs and coordination efforts. What GAO FoundWhile some federal broadband programs can be complementary, some stakeholders said it can be challenging to use programs together to boost overall broadband access, often because programs are targeted to specific needs or have certain restrictions. For example, a consultant told the GAO that clients have successfully used Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Appalachian Regional Commission grant programs together to support planning and deployment. “However, as two providers told us, while it is sometimes necessary to use multiple programs to support deployment projects, making the different programs work together is left to the program applicants,” states the GAO in its report. When using programs in a complementary way, recipients may face unanticipated challenges. The GAO says a tribe it spoke with received a planning grant from EDA to conduct an engineering study for a broadband network and then received a ReConnect grant from USDA’s Rural Utility Service to construct the network. The tribe planned to use the same company for engineering and construction. However, according to RUS officials, program rules don’t allow that, to prevent conflicts of interest. “Therefore, the tribe used some of the ReConnect funds to pay another engineering company to inspect and certify the plans that had previously been done using the first grant, according to tribal officials. The tribe said the program rules and processes did not improve the design, and it added costs and time to the project,” says the GAO. Agency officials said programmatic differences, including some set by statute, limit their ability to align programs. For example, programs may have differing definitions of eligible areas, populations, and broadband speeds. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is responsible for coordinating telecommunications matters across the executive branch, and at the end of 2020, gained additional responsibilities for improving broadband coordination. Improved alignment is needed to help address fragmentation and overlap, says the GAO. The Executive Office of the President has not decided if a national strategy is needed, but it is well positioned to develop and implement one. A strategy to help better align programs could include legislative proposals for Congress. Without such a strategy, federal broadband efforts will not be fully coordinated, and thereby continue to risk overlap and duplication of effort. RecommendationsGAO is making three recommendations, including (1) that NTIA identify key statutory limitations to program alignment and develop legislative proposals as appropriate, (2) NTIA should direct the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth to regularly seek and incorporate user feedback when updating the BroadbandUSA Federal Funding Guide and (3) that the Executive Office of the President develop and implement a national broadband strategy. NTIA agreed with the recommendations. The Executive Office of the President did not take a position. |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter |
Courtesy of the editor of
Inside Towers,
Jim Fryer.
Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
Box Story Remaining COVID-19 Lifeline Waivers In Effect Through June 30, 2022: See story below. Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the FCC an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization: See deadline description below. HeadlinesElon Musk Draws Fire from Dish for Misleading Tweets about Starlink ServiceA recent tweet from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has led to calls from Dish Network that the company retract statements that Dish says could cause interference to their satellite TV services. As reported by Fierce Wireless, the mercurial entrepreneur boasted on Twitter about the availability of Starlink broadband Internet service “for RVs, campers and other large vehicle users” but he didn’t say that the service can’t be used on moving vehicles. This led a DC-based attorney for Dish to send a strongly worded demand letter to SpaceX calling Musk out. “Mr. Musk was not sharing these thoughts with an intimate circle of confidantes and associates,” wrote Dish’s counsel. “He was sharing them with his 95 million Twitter followers, fully aware of the potential for many retweets… He did not specify that the service is available only to parked or incapacitated RVs, or only to planes at the airport or at the hangar. In fact, he explicitly referred to ‘vehicles in motion.’” FCC rules would require SpaceX to obtain prior authority before its Starlink system is permitted to communicate with Earth stations in motion (ESIMs). Healthy disputes between Dish and SpaceX are hardly new. On April 12, Dish sent a letter to the FCC urging the Commission to reconsider its RDOF award to SpaceX's Starlink. Dish said, "SpaceX cannot credibly claim that it will be able to fulfill its obligations under the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction rules." The company included four studies in the letter that it states show SpaceX would violate the conditions for using the 12 GHz band for RDOF. The letter concludes, "SpaceX can have no confidence that it can use the 12 GHz band to fulfill its RDOF obligations, and the Commission should deny its petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier to the extent it is based on the 12 GHz band." BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell Remaining COVID-19 Lifeline Waivers In Effect Through June 30, 2022Lifeline waivers governing recertification, reverification, general de-enrollment, and income documentation remain in effect through June 30, 2022, for all applicable Lifeline participants. Additionally, the waiver regarding documentation requirements for subscribers residing in rural areas on Tribal lands also remains in effect through June 30. Per USAC, from now through June 30:
As a reminder, the FCC allowed its waiver of the Lifeline usage requirement to expire on May 1, 2021. As of that date, ETCs were once again required to send notice to Lifeline subscribers who have not used their service in the previous 30 days and advise those subscribers that they have 15 days to cure their non-usage. BloostonLaw Contact: Sal Taillefer. Law and RegulationFCC Launches Online Help Center for Broadband Data CollectionIn preparation for the inaugural Broadband Data Collection (BDC) filing window that opens on June 30, 2022, the FCC is launching an online help center with resources to assist ISPs and other filers of verified broadband availability data prepare their submissions once the filing window opens. The tutorials and other help center tools are available on the BDC webpage at: www.fcc.gov/BroadbandData. Video tutorials explain the information and supporting data that filers of biannual fixed and mobile broadband availability data must submit in the new BDC system. The help center also includes technical information on how to prepare availability data and subscription data for filing in the BDC, and an option for requesting additional support. As a reminder, all facilities-based providers of fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service must submit broadband availability data through the Broadband Data Collection no later than September 1, 2022. The initial collection will gather broadband availability and subscription data as of June 30th. Filers are encouraged to review the technical assistance resources in advance of the opening of the filing window and direct any questions to the BDC Help Center. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. FCC to Retire Legacy CORES on July 15, Despite Lower Adoption Rate for CORES2 SystemThe FCC has announced the decommissioning of the FCC’s Legacy Commission Registration System (CORES) effective at 6:00 PM ET on July 15, 2022. The replacement version of CORES (“CORES2”) can be found on the FCC’s website at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do. This system has been available for use since 2016 and is not near as user friendly as the legacy system. As a result, there has not been the universal adoption that the FCC had hoped for. Going forward, any new registrations for an FCC Registration Number (FRN) should use the CORES2 system. CORES2 will require FRN registrants to set up an account with a unique username (by providing a valid e-mail address) and password to associate with their existing or new FRN(s). Our office clients should be aware that we will be associating their FRNs with our FCC account so that we can continue to manage your FRN and submit FCC filing fees as necessary. As a result, it is possible that you could receive correspondence from the FCC notifying you of our request. Users already registered in CORES2 can continue to manage their FRNs in CORES2 without change as no additional actions are required for CORES2 users. At this time, it appears that the decommissioning of the Legacy CORES system will not impact the FCC’s licensing systems and we will continue application filings in the normal way. That said, the FCC is in the process of transitioning several of its online systems to its CORES2 system. At this time, the FCC has indicated that the following systems/transactions will transition to the CORES2 system:
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino FCC Announces Over $2.8 Billion in Final ECF Funding RequestsThe FCC last week announced that it received requests for $2,814,736,532 in the third application filing window of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). With an estimated $1.5 billion remaining in the program, the Commission will prioritize applications with the greatest need first, and with a preference for schools and libraries located in rural areas. The Commission expects to be able to fund requests from many of the 7,369 schools and school districts, 628 libraries and library systems, and 133 consortia which applied from across the country. Funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. To date, the ECF program has helped over 12.5 million students, and provided schools and libraries with over 10 million connected devices and 5 million broadband connections. Over $4.8 billion in program funding commitments have been approved to date, with over $4 billion from Window 1 applications and over $815 million in commitments from Window 2 applications. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund. Comment Dates Set for FCC Proceeding on RF Receiver PerformanceAs previously reported, the FCC has established a proceeding (ET Docket No. 22–137) in which it seeks to promote improvements in radio frequency (RF) receiver performance, including through use of incentives, industry-led voluntary approaches, FCC policy and guidance, or regulatory requirements. The Notice of Inquiry will “take a fresh look at the role of receivers and how improved receiver performance can promote more efficient spectrum use and enable valuable new services to be introduced that will benefit the American public.” The receiver proposal has now been published in the Federal Register, establishing the comment deadlines. Comments are due on or before June 27, 2022, and reply comments are due on or before July 27, 2022. The NOI seeks comment on a number of issues related to this initiative, including a gathering of up-to-date information on receiver performance, advances in receiver technologies, and various approaches for promoting development and adoption of more interference-resilient receivers. In particular, the FCC indicates that receivers without sufficient interference immunity performance can “diminish opportunities for innovative spectrum uses that drive economic growth, competition, security, and innovation.” Comment is also sought on the FCC’s authority to act in this regard. All wireless equipment manufacturers should monitor this proceeding, and may want to consider participating in it. Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: Obtaining Consent and Consumer CertificationsAll eligible telecommunications carriers must obtain, from each new and existing subscriber, consent to submit the subscriber’s information to the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD). Prior to obtaining consent, the provider must describe to the consumer (using clear, easily understood language) the specific information being submitted, that the information is being submitted to the administrator of the Lifeline program, and that failure to provide consent will result in the consumer being denied the Lifeline service. Consent is required every time an enrollment is initiated, and providers may not rely on older consent given for a previous enrollment. Additionally, providers must obtain certain certifications from the consumer before they can be enrolled in the Lifeline program (47 CFR § 54.410(d)). Consumers must acknowledge each of the required certifications. IndustryCommissioner Carr Makes Visits to South Dakota and WyomingFCC Commissioner Brendan Carr was in South Dakota today meeting with Senator John Thune and a range of stakeholders that are working to deliver affordable, high-speed Internet services across the Mount Rushmore State. The Commissioner was in Wyoming on Tuesday with Senator John Barrasso to meet with first responders and telecom providers to discuss work underway to improve public safety communications across rural and remote portions of that state. Ahead of the two-state visit, Commissioner Carr issued the following statement:
Deadlines[WAIVED; NEW DEADLINE NOT YET ESTABLISHED] JULY 1: FCC FORM 481 (CARRIER ANNUAL REPORTING DATA COLLECTION FORM). All eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must report the information required by Section 54.313, which includes information on the ETC’s holding company, operating companies, ETC affiliates and any branding in response to section 54.313(a)(8); its CAF-ICC certification, if applicable; its financial information, if a privately held rate-of-return carrier; and its satellite backhaul certification, if applicable. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. JULY 1: MOBILITY FUND PHASE I ANNUAL REPORT. Winning bidders in Auction 901 that are authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the FCC an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization. Each annual report must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the FCC, clearly referencing WT Docket No. 10-208; the Universal Service Administrator; and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate. The information and certifications required to be included in the annual report are described in Section 54.1009 of the FCC’s rules. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. JULY 31: FCC FORM 507, LINE COUNT DATA (A-CAM AND ALASKA PLAN RECPIENTS). Sections 54.313(f)(5) and 54.903(a)(1) of the FCC’s rules requires all rate-of-return telecommunications carriers to provide line count information on FCC Form 507 to USAC, the universal service Administrator. Carriers receiving Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) must submit this information annually on March 31st of each year, and may update the data on a quarterly basis. Carriers that receive Alternative Connect America Model (A-CAM) I, A-CAM II, or Alaska Plan support are required to file by July 1st of each year. For 2020, the FCC has extended the A-CAM filing deadline until July 31. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. JULY 31: CARRIER IDENTIFICATION CODE (CIC) REPORTS. Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Reports must be filed by the last business day of July (this year, July 31). These reports are required of all carriers who have been assigned a CIC code by NANPA. Failure to file could result in an effort by NANPA to reclaim it, although according to the Guidelines this process is initiated with a letter from NANPA regarding the apparent non-use of the CIC code. The assignee can then respond with an explanation. (Guidelines Section 6.2). The CIC Reporting Requirement is included in the CIC Assignment Guidelines, produced by ATIS. According to section 1.4 of that document: At the direction of the NANPA, the access providers and the entities who are assigned CICs will be requested to provide access and usage information to the NANPA, on a semi-annual basis to ensure effective management of the CIC resource. (Holders of codes may respond to the request at their own election). Access provider and entity reports shall be submitted to NANPA no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31, and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. It is also referenced in the NANPA Technical Requirements Document, which states at 7.18.6: CIC holders shall provide a usage report to the NANPA per the industry CIC guidelines … The NAS shall be capable of accepting CIC usage reports per guideline requirements on January 31 for the period ending December 31 and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. These reports may also be mailed and accepted by the NANPA in paper form. Finally, according to the NANPA website, if no local exchange carrier reports access or usage for a given CIC, NANPA is obliged to reclaim it. The semi-annual utilization and access reporting mechanism is described at length in the guidelines. BloostonLaw contact: Sal Taillefer.
Calendar At-a-GlanceJune July TBD
FCC to Retire Legacy CORES on July 15, Despite Lower Adoption Rate for CORES2 SystemThe FCC has announced the decommissioning of the FCC’s Legacy Commission Registration System (CORES) effective at 6:00 PM ET on July 15, 2022. The replacement version of CORES (“CORES2”) can be found on the FCC’s website at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do. This system has been available for use since 2016 and is not near as user friendly as the legacy system. As a result, there has not been the universal adoption that the FCC had hoped for. Going forward, any new registrations for an FCC Registration Number (FRN) should use the CORES2 system. CORES2 will require FRN registrants to set up an account with a unique username (by providing a valid e-mail address) and password to associate with their existing or new FRN(s). Our office clients should be aware that we will be associating their FRNs with our FCC account so that we can continue to manage your FRN and submit FCC filing fees as necessary. As a result, it is possible that you could receive correspondence from the FCC notifying you of our request. Users already registered in CORES2 can continue to manage their FRNs in CORES2 without change as no additional actions are required for CORES2 users. At this time, it appears that the decommissioning of the Legacy CORES system will not impact the FCC’s licensing systems and we will continue application filings in the normal way. That said, the FCC is in the process of transitioning several of its online systems to its CORES2 system. At this time, the FCC has indicated that the following systems/transactions will transition to the CORES2 system:
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Comments on Wireless Emergency Alert FNPRM due June 21On May 23, the FCC announced that its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking of April 21, 2022 seeking comment on Wireless Emergency Alerts was published in the Federal Register. As a result, comments are due June 21, and reply comments are due July 19. In this proceeding, the FCC has proposed that wireless providers that participate in the Wireless Emergency Alerts program publicly report on key aspects of the performance of this service. As a result, the FCC is seeking comment on the following:
Carriers and public safety entities who are interested in participating in this notice and comment proceeding may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. FirstNet Approves Investment to Extend In-Building CoverageThe FirstNet Board has approved a multi-million dollar investment to extend the range of FirstNet to the interiors of public safety buildings and other buildings. FirstNet’s action is expected to fund small cell technology that would improve coverage for subscribers while working in indoor workspaces. This would include fire stations, dispatch centers, police stations and other facilities where public safety users are typically found. FirstNet Authority Vice Chair Richard Carrizzo stated “As public-safety agencies depend more and more on these mobile devices, . . . it’s their primary module for first responders to access all of their mission-critical applications and functions that they use every day.” Carrizzo continued that “[i]t’s critical that connectivity is available not just outdoors, but indoors where responders spend that time.” It is important to note that the need for in-building coverage is not unique to the public safety arena. Rather, it has been well recognized that in-building connectivity for the general public is necessary as well — especially as there are fewer and fewer land-line telephones and payphone stations are now virtually extinct in most parts of the country. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP is a telecommunications law firm representing rural telecommunications companies, wireless carriers, private radio licensees, cable TV companies, equipment manufacturers and industry associations before the FCC and the courts, as well as state and local government agencies. Our clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small and medium-sized enterprises whose vitality and efficiency depend on the effective deployment of communications. |
|
||||||
| TECHNICIAN'S CORNER |
|
| Source: |
| THIS WEEK'S MUSIC VIDEO |
“Oye Como Va”Carlos Santana & Cindy Blackman Santana
|
| Source: | YouTube |
 Best regards,  Newsletter Editor 73 DE K9IQY Licensed since 1957 |
Current member or former member of these organizations. | ||||
The National
 Rifle Association |
MENSA MEMBER
|
A Public Library of
Paging and Wireless Messaging Information |
Wireless
 Messaging |
||
|
Critical Messaging
 Association |
European Mobile Messaging Association
Former Board Member |
ZP5TQ
 Radio Club of Paraguay |
Quarter Century
Wireless Association |
|
Back To Paging
Still The Most Reliable Wireless Protocol For Emergencies! |
American Association
 of Woodturners |
U.S. Navy
 Radioman |
U.S. Navy Radioman  Second Class Petty Officer |
Boy Scouts of America
 National Honor Society |
Creator of the
 Paging Wheel of Fortune |
National Skeet
 Shooting Association |
Institute Electrical and
Electronics Engineers |
American Radio 
Relay League |
The Radio Club
of America |
Life is good!
|
|
|
CONTACT INFO & LINKS
|
Amateur Radio
|
VETERAN
 United States Navy |
|||
| Home Page | Directory | Consulting | Newsletters | Free Subscription | Products | Reference | Glossary | Send e-mail |
a network.
IMPORTANT 
