Public Safety Advocate: FirstNet, Land Mobile Radio
Public safety has been using Land Mobile Radio (LMR) communications since the 1930s, broadband data is the new kid on the block, and FirstNet is…
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Public Safety Advocate: Radio Interference and the Network Below Other Networks
This week’s Advocate is a little late due to an out-of-office work commitment. Meanwhile, many activities that will impact public-safety communications in 2020 continue. One issue we…
Public Safety Advocate: Looking Forward to 2020
Happy New Year to all, especially those who worked through the holidays so the rest of us could enjoy our celebrations! Looking ahead to what…
Public Safety Advocate: The Year in Review
In this last Advocate of the year, we will look back at 2019 to see what has been accomplished in the world of public-safety communications as well…
Public Safety Advocate: 5 “GEE”, More on Location Services, FirstNet Authority Rumors
First, I want to comment on the FCC’s recent decision to roll out a $9 billion fund for rural 5G connectivity. This fund will replace…
Public Safety Advocate: FirstNet Buildout, Interoperability, FCC Supports T-Band Repeal
December is upon us, which means 2019 is drawing to a close. In a recent Mission Critical Communications web post, it was reported that as of November…
Public Safety Advocate: FirstNet Managed Services, FCC’s Location Blunder, 5G Czar?
With this being Thanksgiving week and many people taking time off from their work, this issue of the Advocate is being published early. Of course, some will…
Public Safety Advocate: Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Firstnet Devices
As I comb through my Advocates since the middle of 2010, I continue to find more to add to the book that is underway. I also find…
Public Safety Advocate: T-Band, FirstNet Updates, Laptops and Tablets
First and vitally important to eleven major cities and their metro areas, both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have introduced bills cancelling the T-band…
Public Safety Advocate: Public-Safety Grade, Batteries and Generators
In May of 2014, the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) published a report entitled, “Defining Public Safety Grade Systems and Facilities.” I was fortunate…
Public Safety Advocate: IACP Conference and Show Floor
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference was held in Chicago this year and it was, I believe, better attended by both the…
Public Safety Advocate: IACP, Network Interoperability, FirstNet Board
Publication of next week’s Advocate will be delayed a few days while I attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference/convention in Chicago beginning…
Public Safety Advocate: Broadband in Rural Areas—Why They Keep Getting It Wrong!
Today I read an article in Inside Towers that discusses a recent survey of 2,000 row-crop, livestock, and specialty-crop farmers. The survey shows that 60-percent of those…
Public Safety Advocate: LMR, FirstNet PTT Operational Concerns
I recently became aware of growing concerns related to interconnecting Land Mobile Radio (LMR) networks with any LTE network including the FirstNet (LTE) network. Some…
Public Safety Advocate: Network Interoperability?
This is the month of public safety’s “10-codes.” These 10-codes were used effectively for many years and are now being replaced with verbal commands. With…