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The article focuses on the implications of the plan of LightSquared for a nationwide wholesale high-speed mobile broadband network for the global positioning system (GPS) sector in the U.S. It cites the potential of the services to be launched by LightSquared using L-band satellite spectrum to interfere with GPS signals across the U.S. It cites the concerns raised federal agencies against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for granting a waiver to LightSquared.

The article focuses on the commercial push-to-talk technology in the U.S. It recalls that cellular operators have released their own push-to-talk offerings to compete with the walkie-talkie service of rival Nextel Communications in 2003. It mentions that the technology has improved in the years that followed such as those from operators Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility which feature nationwide push-to-talk capability in competition with regional operators. It also mentions the evolution of the technology to include cellular applications.

This article explores the increasing popularity of digital tablet devices in the enterprise market. Since the successful launching of Apple's iPad, more mobile device and computer makers are seen aggressively marketing their own tablet devices for corporate users. These new products include the Research in Motion's Playbook and Cisco's Android platform-based Cius. With the availability of various downloadable applications and competitive price, tablet devices are expected to get a bigger slice of the corporate market in the future.

The article compares three smartphones, including iPhone 4 from AT&T, Droid X from Verizon Wireless and Evo 4G from Sprint.

The article discusses femtocell technology deployed by Alcatel-Lucent, Sprint Nextel, Ubiquisys and Airvana via a variety of business models. It mentions that enterprise femtocell business case centers on extending voice services and a way to offload data traffic for mobile operators. The article also cites the challenge of interference problems as femtocells affect both the macro cellular system and other femtocells and states that vendors are incorporating software solutions in femtocell hardware to enable self-configuration and adjust power levels.

The article discusses the security threats to the corporate computer networks. Research firm Frost & Sullivan's Rob Ayoub said that the employees pose as the greater risk concerning the security of the corporate network, particularly the highly mobile workers because of the possibility of connecting to a public Internet. Security firm Fortinet's Derek Manky said that if a laptop is infected with a malware and is reconnected in a public Internet, the information it contained can be pirated.

The article deals with issues facing the public-safety communications sector in 2010. It says that a new plan for the 700 megahertz D Block, the commercial spectrum that several public-safety organizations want reallocated for first-response services, will be approved by U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by the time the national broadband plan is delivered. It is also stressed that technical standards for the next-generation architecture remain superior including the first cyber-security standards that are due to be settled in 2010.

The article discusses improvements in in-building public-safety communications as a result of domestic fire codes implemented by the U.S. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). In-building public-safety communications systems will allow emergency personnel to coordinate effectively with rescuers and victims inside buildings. Compliance with fire codes has been observed at a slow pace due to the complexity and high cost of installation.

The article reports on the efforts of vendors and operators in the U.S. in solving the transmission bottleneck in emergency alert systems. Omnilert discloses that several fire departments and rescue squads are dropping their pagers in favor of a more effective emergency dispatch solution. It is noted that the mobile industry is holding out for a national alert system utilizing broadcast technologies. It is expected that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will introduce a federal alert gateway in 2010.

The article discusses whether utility companies should partner with commercial mobile operators of resellers or build their own transmission networks. Operators are studying about open networks for third parties to develop applications to run on the network while the prices of machine-to-machine (M2M) modules and data service prices are declining. Verizon Communications Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ivan Seidenberg noted that wireless technology will usher in penetration rates for the wireless industry of more than 500% due to M2M communications.

The article discusses the absence of the Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) developed by the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) in the U.S. which instead uses the P25 network system. Motorola which is the holder of Tetra's intellectual property is cited to have refused to grant license for its use in North America. It cites efforts of TIA and ETSI to come up with a common public-safety network in the future through Project Mesa launched in 2001.

The article addresses the interference problems with using digital radios with loud background noise. Don Wingo, director of research and development for Kenwood, explained that the vocoders used in Project 25 radios can produce only a rough likeness of the human voice with a limited-bandwidth channel. John Hardwick of Digital Voice Systems said that his company improved its original vocoder for digital radios to include noise suppression.

The article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of femtocell which is a type of cellular base station shrunk down to the size of a Wi-Fi router and connected to the broadband Internet connection to handle several mobile devices. ABI Research claims that the femtocell market is set to grow to more than $1.8 billion in 2013. According to the article, femtocells will enable emergency personnel to better pinpoint 911 callers in multi-dwelling units.

The author reflects on the abundance of modern communication available for 911 call centers in the U.S. He argues that the primary problem confronting the centers in the country is its analog platforms, which could only handle few people with cellular telephones. He cites that the future is to convert public-safety answering points (PSAPs) to Internet Protocol (IP)-based.

The article reports on the development of the Project 25 standard whose main objective is to create a set of standards for high-quality interoperable digital radio voice and data communications. It is stated that P25 lets vendors add their own application-layer features given that they do not hinder interoperability. It is also stated that the Compliance Assessment Program (CAP) is planning to have some product information regarding P25 compliance posted online come the end of this year.

The article focuses on the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard which hits Wi-Fi's performance by as much as ten times and increases its range by three times more than the previous versions. It discusses the Yankee Group's expectation that the percentage of workers using wireless local area networks (WLANs) will increase in the next three years from 10% in late 2009 to more than 25% of enterprise employees by 2012. The enterprise Wi-Fi vendors' drive to keep Wi-Fi interference to a minimum is also discussed.

The article presents how San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District improved communications in its subway. It developed leasing programs for its equipment and fibers, and brought mobile services underground. Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless, and MetroPCS are among the five commercial mobile operators present underground. Wi-Fi Rail is also in agreement with BART to offer a paid Wi-Fi service to commuters.

The article evaluates the SiteWERX in-building wireless node network for public-safety answering point (PSAP) from WirelessWERX.

The article evaluates an enterprise appliance named SecureSMS Appliance from CellTrust.

The article announces that the full implementation of next-generation (NG) 911 of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) will be delayed. The availability of the NG-911 is expected by 20120 but true Internet protocol (IP) to IP connectivity will not be ready by that time. Roger Hixon, NENA's director of technical issues, noted that they are looking for other call methods such as wireless and voice-over-IP (VoIP) to still transport the same way through the standard analog or SS7 network and into an IP gateway.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience in being involved in the leadership at the National Emergency Number Association.

The article discusses a research study on the transformation of the enterprise sector with the influx of devices such as iPhones and iPads that lead to more work for information technology (IT) departments. The (IDC) research survey conducted in 9 countries with 3,000 respondents focused on areas including consumerization trend in an organization, security and consumer support applications. Findings showed that 69% of workers use smartphone devices more than IT executives who use them at 34%.

The article reports that the U.S. market is set to offer the mobile-phone chips that will support both the global positioning system (GPS) and its Russian counterpart Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) in 2011. According to chipset makers, better location data can be provided by access to more positioning satellites. GLONASS satellites reportedly allow fuller coverage and more precise measurements in places where GPS is not as effective because it have been constructed in a different configuration than GPS.

The article previews the new Remote Carrier Switching machine-to-machine (M2M) technology solution from SignalSet.

The article reports that Nvidia is expecting to finalize a deal to buy Icera for 367 million U.S. dollars. Observers note that the acquisition will enhance Nvidia's mobile-device silicon business through integration of baseband/radio frequency (RF) chipsets from Icera. Analysts acknowledge Icera's leadership status in the long term evolution (LTE) baseband market which provides for clients such as Samsung, Apple, and Nokia.

The article focuses on the advantages of replacing the company's laptops with tablet devices. It notes that tablets are easier to use and quick to boot up compared to laptops. It mentions that tablets can also reduce hardware costs by about half and can make life easier for the company's sales representatives.

The article reports on the plan of the U.S. Army to deploy commercial smartphones to its troops. Lieutenant General Michael Vane of the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) states they are testing eight different smartphone pilots. It adds that results of a cost benefit analysis will determine who and how many soldiers will be receiving smartphones. Vane notes that solutions are also being developed to address security concerns about the commercial infrastructure.

The article reports on the claim by a group of smaller wireless operators in the U.S. that cost implications will result from the failure of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement a band-roaming requirement. The operators are working under the 700 megahertz (MHz) Block a Good Faith Purchasers Alliance. It notes that the operators have been stressing the importance of a mandate that will require network and handset vendors to invest in Long Term Evolution (LTE) equipment that can operate on all the classes of the 700 MHz band.

The article focuses on the belief of U.S. regional telecommunications carrier SouthernLINC that the iDEN network technology will still operate despite its phaseout by fellow carrier Sprint Nextel in 2013. Bob Dawson, SouthernLINC chief executive officer (CEO), states that the iDEN technology will continue to be improved while handsets will be introduced. Dawson adds that the technology will continue to be used by people who value push-to-talk services. The carrier offers a prepaid, push-to-talk plan that allows users to control telecommunications costs.

This article reports that more mobile network providers are exerting more efforts to keep up with the demand for mobile broadband services. Industry analysts say that wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) offload is becoming an important aspect of a service provider's business model. For its part, Nokia Siemens Networks has introduced the SMART WLAN Connectivity Solution for offloading Internet traffic onto Wi-Fi networks. In China, Chongqing Telecom is planning for a large-scale deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots in the country using Ruckus Wireless products.

The article focuses on a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)-based peer-to-peer transmission standard called Wi-Fi Direct. The standard will enable Wi-Fi devices such as smartphones and table computers to communicate with each other directly. Wi-Fi Alliance technical director Greg Ennis said that chipset vendors have certified chipsets for Wi-Fi Direct. Research firm In-Stat says that Wi-Fi Direct could replace the need for Bluetooth 3.0.

The article reveals a report by a company called Adaptive Mobile which tells that smartphone security threats have increased in 2010. Mobile malware on smartphones went up to 33 per cent from 2009 to 2010. Phones that are enabled by the Google Android platform have been hugely hit by malware. The continued growth of smartphones is seen as one reason why malware exploits are centered into these types of phones. Also discussed is the iPad being a catalyst of the growth in mobile productivity and corporate applications.

The article reports that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the unlicensed use of television (TV) white-space spectrum by innovators and entrepreneurs. Reasons why the said approval had been delayed are mentioned. The final technical rules that will govern the operations of white-space devices will be developed by the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). Remarks from Joe Hamilla, Spectrum Bridge chief operating officer (COO), regarding the said FCC approval are presented.

The article discusses a report by mobile enterprise vendor Sybase and the University of Texas in Austin that analyzes the association between effective data access and key performance metrics of Fortune 1000 companies. The report concludes that the average Fortune 1000 business in the sample could boost yearly revenue by 2.01 billion U.S. dollars by elevating the usability of its data by 10%. The study explored five attributes of data, namely, quality, usability, intelligence, remote accessibility and sales mobility.

The article evaluates the Aironet 3500 application-specific integrated circuit from Cisco Systems.

The article discusses plans by T-Mobile to undertake a software upgrade to its High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network called HSPA+ in 2010. The network is backward compatible with HSPA and can reach data rates of up to 21 megabytes per second (Mbps). The HSPA+ initiative is expected to cover 100 metropolitan areas and 185 million points of presence (POPs) by the end of the year and according to senior vice-president of engineering and operations, Neville Ray, half of the company's HSPA+ presence will be completed during the period.

The article offers information on initiatives by the WiMAX Forum to speed up the delivery of the next-generation of WiMAX standard called 802.16m. The Forum is also planning to introduce higher data speeds to the existing mobile WiMAX. According to WiMAX Forum Vice President Mo Shakouri, these initiatives are aimed at addressing the heavy use of data among global subscribers of WiMAX.

The article reports on the termination made by operator Sprint Nextel of its use of Qualcomm's Qchat technology of push-to-talk (P2T) services.

The article focuses on Fourth-Generation Long Term Evolution (4G) (LTE) networks. According to Yan Hui of AirHop Communications, LTE network will not become a macrocell-dominated network. In terms of the expense necessary to build the network and manage interference, such a deployment scenario can make all kinds of chaos for an operator. In response to this, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has come up with the notion of self-organizing network (SON) features.

The article reports on a proposal by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) that all forms of spectrum bands be allocated to commercial mobile operators. CTIA stressed that much of the government-owned spectrum is underutilized. The article cites that the most interesting is probably the Association's renewed attack on the satellite industry. Also discussed is the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) ruling which gives rights to satellite providers to offer simultaneous satellite.

The article evaluates the Breezemax Extreme 3650 and BreezeMAX Extreme 5000 WiMax solutions from Alvarion.

The article discusses the broadband stimulus package applications received by the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) in the U.S. The applications amounted to almost 28 billion U.S. dollar while the actual amount allocated for the stimulus program is 4 billion U.S. dollar. The number of applicants is said to signify huge interest among major broadband operators. Also discussed briefly are the stimulus applications of SkyTerra and OpenCape Corp.

The article evaluates two fourth-generation (4G) backhaul products from Proxim Wireless, including the Tsunami QB-8100 point-to-point and the MP-8100 point-to-multipoint solutions.

The article reports on the decision of some U.S. fire departments and rescue squads to drop their pagers in favor of an emergency dispatch solution. Messages are allowed by the system to be transmitted onto a host of mobile devices that fire officials already carry. Omnilert offers a unified notification system dubbed Amerilert, which has the ability to rattle off a number of fire departments that have adopted its system.

The article reports that the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) is pursuing its plan of adopting the Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) standard in the U.S. UTC is working on some technical issues to meet the standard of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment requirement. The move is approved by Motorola who owns the intellectual property right. TETRA was developed by the European Telecommunications Standard Institute.

The article evaluates the virtual branch network (VBN) solution from wireless LAN solutions provider Aruba Networks, including software for Aruba controllers, mobile remote access points (RAP) and branch office controllers (BOC).

The article announces that AT&T has expanded its relationship with SmartSynch in providing electric utilities with a smart-grid solution as an alternative to private networks. The two companies combined AT&T's wireless service plans with SmartSynch's smart grid to provide machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. Over 100 utilities have been contracted to deploy the service throughout North America which allows them to take advantage of high-speed technologies such as HSPA and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

The article presents the Broadband Antenna Tracking System (BATS) that can automatically locate, maintain and optimize a connection between two fixed or mobile wireless broadband access points in a matter of seconds. Developed by three professors from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, the technology is said to use an integrated high-gain narrow beam antennas to track broadband communications over long distances. Industries that can use the technology include the offshore oil and the shipping industry.

The article reports that PlantCML, a provider of communications solutions and services throughout the U.S. and Canada, had two deals with 911 centers to provide its Sentinel Patriot emergency call solution. With the help of Ryan Public Safety Solutions (RPSS), a public-safety systems provider, Walker County 911 in Alabama upgraded its call center technology. The second deal was with Campbell County, Wyoming, wherein the Sentinel Patriot allowed officials to receive calls and identify locations.

The article reviews the public safety software MobileCOM from Tiburon.