Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

It's a beautiful day here in Southern Illinois. Please accept my best wishes for a great weekend.

My friend Ron Mercer, who lives on Long Island in New York sent me photos of some of the damage that was done by Hurricane Sandy to the Village of Long Beach, New York on the south shore of Long Island where I used to live. Ron lives in East Northport, New York (on the north shore) and fortunately his home suffered no damage.

There is an article this week from Israel about the use of vibrating pagers to warn deaf people about a missile attack. This brings back to mind, an article I wrote in the June 29, 2007 edition of the newsletter that I would like to repeat here. Quote:

During the Persian Gulf War, my telephone rang early one morning. I immediately recognized the voice as that of my old friend, customer, and fellow ham radio operator, Froike Biegun at Beeper Israel. I had been intently watching the television coverage of operation Desert Storm and so I knew about the SCUD missiles being fired at Israel. Froike explained that the incoming missiles could be detected on radar just a few minutes before they hit. This was barely enough time to sound the early warning sirens and for everyone to take shelter. Everyone that is, except for deaf people.

So Froike's idea was to distribute vibrating pagers on one common capcode to alert the deaf community. They needed more pagers — and in a hurry! He called me because of our long-standing friendship and because I was the International Market Manager for pagers at the Motorola factory in Boynton Beach, Florida.

I got dressed and went into work where I invoked a Motorola policy to do everything possible in a public-safety emergency when human life and property were at risk. We literally stopped the production lines, manufactured the pagers, and air-lifted them to Israel in the space of a couple of days. Here is Froike's recollection of that day, sent to me for the December 13, 2002 issue of the newsletter:

During the "Desert Storm", when Israel was under attack by Iraqi SCUD missiles, early warning sirens could not be heard by the deaf community. At that time, I worked in the capacity of Deputy Director, Engineering and Operations, Beeper Communications Israel Ltd.

Beeper distributed 1,200 vibrating pagers alerting the deaf to take cover. As Beeper stock of same pagers was limited, we have approached Mr. Brad Dye, International Market Development Manager at the Motorola paging factory in Boynton Beach, Florida, to provide a required number of vibrating pagers. Our request was fully and timely met.

Today, possible US attack on Iraq and consequent Iraqi similar attack on Israel, Beeper has distributed 5,000 vibrating pagers, out of total order of 10,000, to the deaf community. Those vibrating pagers are manufactured GSL, China since Motorola ceased to manufacture Hebrew version pagers.

Best regards,

Froike Biegun
Tel Aviv

So who really was my friend Froike Biegun? First he was the founder of Beeper Israel — an important paging company that took a leadership role in modern paging technology, in that part of the world. He was a “ham radio” operator and an international “globe trotter.” He traveled extensively and showed up in many different places around the world. What did he do before founding Beeper Israel? Contacts in Israel will only say that he was a “government employee.”

He never told me anything about what he did, but others told me that he was involved in “security,” that his code name was “The Colonel” even though he apparently wasn't a real Colonel. I heard tales about him operating rooms full of teletype machines and other exotic electronic equipment here in the US. Maybe they were just that — tall tales, but I like to think of him as Paging's equivalent of James Bond. He had a wonderful sense of humor. He used to refer to me as “Brad the grate.” His spelling was a little off — but I always appreciated the compliment.

The last time I spoke to Froike [...] he told me he had lung cancer and thanked me for being his friend. I [...] miss him.

Unquote.

Later more info came out about Froike and I was able to publish an obituary here .

Now on to more news.

Wayne County, Illinois Weather

Wireless Messaging News
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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.

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Another Way to Locate Phones: CBS

Thursday, September 27, 2012
Directions Magazine

Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) allows cell towers to transmit text messages to every handset in the immediate area. It can be used used to send local weather information, adverts or emergency broadcasts. But researchers in India want to use it to locate phones without GPS or to create solutions where wi-fi locating is not practical (such as where there are no good maps of wi-fi hotspots, such as India).

Cell towers transmitting via CBS include the name of their location, but not the specific latitude and longitude. Yadav created software for feature phones that captures these location names and finds their exact coordinates using the Google Maps online geocoding service — which phones can access over the cellular network.

Just using a single CBS-provided location is not very accurate, however. Yadav and colleagues tested 143 locations and found they were out by an average of 600 metres. Taking a user's location history into account and giving a higher weighting to more recent messages reduced the average to 400 metres.

—New Scientist

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PageOne launches secure Smartphone Messaging & Lone Worker App

RealWire
2012-11-13

London, 13 November, 2012 — PageOne Communications, the UK's leading provider of mobile messaging solutions to the public and enterprise sectors, today announced the launch of its Responder Smartphone App for BlackBerry, Apple iOS and Android devices. Responder offers resilient closed-user group messaging for organisations looking to improve operational efficiency and ensure important messages and alerts reach Smartphone users quickly and securely.

Capitalising on the strengths of the 2-way Responder Pager, the Responder app extends 2-way paging's core alerting features to the Smartphone world to provide a separate secure messaging channel. With distinctive pop-up and audible alerting, a separate Inbox and 2-way reply options the Responder App ensures important real-time operational and emergency messages rise above the clutter of everyday e-mail and SMS. Users can also be sure messages are delivered read and responded to by individuals or large groups.

"The ever increasing amount of email and SMS messages received on mobile devices means critical operational messages can often be missed", says Nigel Gray, Director, PageOne Communications. "Responder separates and elevates operational messaging and alerting, and leverages two-way and GPS capability to assist in the real-time management and direction of field resource."

As well as supporting GPS location services, Responder incorporates a Status Update facility that allows staff to indicate their current availability, allowing more intelligent, targeted messaging, for example only sending to those staff currently available, or directing staff nearest to an incident.

The Responder app also offers optional Lone Worker features to provide additional support and peace-of-mind for field-based operatives. As well as an SOS alert button, the Lone Worker mode delivers a periodic welfare-check alert which must be acknowledged by the user, without which an SOS alert including a GPS location is automatically generated.

PageOne's Responder messaging service requires no server/network hardware or software to be installed or maintained, and seamlessly integrates fully with PageOne's award-winning Connect and Flare Cloud-based messaging suite and other third party systems.

For further information on PageOne's Smartphone Responder Application, please visit http://www.pageone.co.uk/services/smartphone-responder-app

—End—

About PageOne. http://www.pageone.co.uk/
PageOne Communications is celebrating 25 years of innovation in mobile messaging solutions. The company has proven expertise in helping clients drive operational and cost efficiencies, deliver effective results and have a real business edge in a competitive market. With a rich heritage in all aspects of messaging — from paging and SMS through to voice, email and location based services — it places its customers at the heart of its product development to help thousands of organisations across the public and major corporate sectors with reliable, cost-effective and award-winning solutions.

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Text messaging declines for the first time ever in the US

By Shawn Knight
On November 13, 2012, 11:00 AM EST

Text messaging is on the decline for the first time ever in the US according to a new report from consulting firm Chetan Sharma. They found a drop in the total number of messages being sent and received in addition to a drop in overall messaging revenue for wireless providers during the third quarter.

Wait, what? People are actually sending fewer messages? Well no, not exactly. The study only takes into account SMS messages. As you likely know, services like Research in Motion's BlackBerry Messenger and Apple's iMessage bypass the traditional SMS platform with what's called IP messaging. These services don't count against carrier texting plans.

What this essentially means is that some consumers are no doubt opting for a cheaper texting package since a large number of messages sent are no longer SMS-based. Furthermore, there's likely a decline in the number of overage fees associated with non-unlimited texting plans. The report points out that thus far, the majority of wireless providers haven't done much to evolve their strategies in this segment outside of limiting the number of texting plans available and raising costs.

If that weren't enough, a growing number of young people are opting to use platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to connect and share information with their friends — yet another blow to SMS messaging. We touched on this topic early this year when it was estimated that carriers lost close to $14 billion in SMS revenue during 2011.

Other western countries have already started to see a decline in text messaging revenue but this is the first time it's happened in the US. "It might be early to say if the decline has begun or the market segment will sputter along before the decline takes place," the report noted.

SECURITY SOFTWARE

McAfee: Web users should watch out for holiday scams

Grant Gross
PCWorld
Nov 13, 2012 5:09 AM

Web users and people shopping online during the upcoming holiday season should watch out for a new crop of scams, some of them targeting users of mobile devices, cybersecurity vendor McAfee warned.

Many of the scams in McAfee's 2012 edition of its 12 scams of Christmas list, released Monday, aren't entirely new, but are new versions of old scams, said Robert Siciliano, McAfee's online security expert.

Criminals are rolling out old scams, with slight variations, on new devices and operating systems, he said. "There's no sense in reinventing the wheel."

Malicious mobile apps
One of the big threats this year comes from malicious mobile apps, particularly through Android app stores other than Google Play, Siciliano said. Mobile apps in those third-party stores may not be vetted for security, he said.

About one in four mobile device users will use their smartphones to shop online this year, McAfee predicted.

Skype scams
Another twist on an old instant messaging scam is a Skype message scare, McAfee said. Through Skype, scammers are sending instant messages saying, "Lol is this your new profile pic?"

When the Skype user clicks on the included link, a Trojan downloads onto the hard drive and sends the link to all of the Skype user's contacts. In some cases, the scammers ask for money from PC users in exchange for regaining access to their compromised files, McAfee said.

The Skype attack is "a couple of different old scams with a relatively new twist to them," Siciliano said. "That seems to be the ongoing theme. There's just so much opportunity out there for criminals, with all the various devices that consumers are using."

Many families own several devices with varied operating systems, many of which aren't properly patched or secured with antivirus and other security software, he said. "You have kids using mobiles, and parents using PCs, and Dad or Mom isn't properly securing them," Siciliano said. "Criminals are taking all old scams and making them new again with different twists."

Fake ads
Other scams making the McAfee list include fake ads for discounted products on Facebook and Twitter, e-cards with links to malware, and advertising links to hot gifts like electronics with super low prices. If the price appears too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

In addition, Scambook, an online complaint resolution platform, has issued a warning about a text-message campaign telling recipients they have won a US$1,000 Best Buy gift card. Scambook estimated that more than 84,000 people have received the text message so far, with another 100,000 mobile users expected to receive the pitch in the next few days.

Advice
Internet users should use up-to-date antivirus, and antispyware software, and firewalls, and keep their operating systems up to date, Siciliano recommended. It's not enough for Web users to be aware of current scams, because criminals are constantly changing tactics, he said.

Parents should talk to their children about security risks, he added. "It's not enough to let the 14-year-old run the family security," he said. "The mom and dad need to know what's going on as well."

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For deaf Israelis, rocket warnings come only at home

Pagers are only activated when owners are in their hometown

By Tamir Cohen | Nov.14, 2012 | 1:40 AM

A few months ago, during a previous escalation in the south, Rima Popov and her husband were driving to Ashdod from their home in Kiryat Malakhi. Suddenly, they saw that all the cars around them were stopping at the side of the road and their occupants were getting out and running for shelter. It took them a few seconds to grasp that the siren warning of an incoming rocket had sounded. The Popovs couldn't hear the siren, because they are deaf.

Both have pagers that usually give them warning by vibrating. But because the rocket wasn't aimed at their hometown, the pagers weren't activated.

Three years ago, the Israel Defense Forces' Home Front Command finished distributing pagers to all the deaf people who live in rocket range of Gaza. At the time, this solution seemed promising. But today, not everyone is happy with it — because it turns out the pagers are only activated when rockets are aimed at the owner's hometown, and thus offer no protection when they are out of town.

"If we leave the city, we have no solution," said Doron Levy, president of Israel's Association of the Deaf. "Also, we sometimes get the warning a few minutes late, after the missile has already landed."

The decision to only activate the pagers when rockets are approaching the owner's place of residence stemmed from experience gained in the Second Lebanon War in 2006. Then, all residents of the north received a warning whenever rockets were aimed at Kiryat Shmona, but this caused widespread and unnecessary panic.

For the deaf, however, this restriction is a problem, Levy said, because many work outside their hometown.

Levy said his organization has been fighting with both the Home Front Command and the Social Affairs Ministry over a solution to this problem. "They're trying to help, but they have budgetary and developmental limits," he said.

Another problem, he added, is that the distribution of pagers hasn't kept pace with the expanding range of Gaza's missiles. "In Rehovot, for instance, they were given out, but not in Rishon Letzion. It's irrational."

Rima Popov said the deaf "live in fear, and they don't leave their town."

She added: "Sometimes, I'm walking down the street and see people running, but then it's already too late. It's very frightening to leave the city, but also within the city, because you don't always feel the warning. That happened to me once when I was walking down the street, and someone who knew me simply grabbed me and ran. I didn't understand what was happening at all."

Members of Kiryat Malakhi's association for the deaf said they hoped something would come of a promise made by MK Otniel Schneller promise on Monday to personally deliver their request to Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter: that the geographic area in which the pagers are activated be enlarged. But they noted that they were also promised a solution after a meeting with representatives of the Home Front Command eight months ago, and since then nothing has happened.

The IDF Spokesman said in response that all the pagers are supposed to be programmed with both the owner's hometown and his or her workplace. Owners can also contact the Beeper company to ask that additional locations to be programmed in, the spokesman said.

But Beeper noted that adding a location means the owner will get a warning anytime a rocket is aimed at that locale, regardless of whether or not he or she is in the area. The company also said that adding a location would require bringing the pager to its offices in Ramat Gan or Ashdod.

The Social Affairs Ministry said the pagers are the Home Front Command's responsibility: Its only role is supplying the list of deaf people who need them.

$430 Million DHS Interoperability Program Under Fire

By: Dan Verton
11/15/12

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has to date spent $430 million on a failed effort to develop reliable interoperable communications systems and infrastructure across all of its component agencies, according to an internal audit.

In an audit report released on Nov. 2, DHS' Office of the Inspector General (IG) found only one out of 479 radio users was capable of tuning into the common DHS radio channel. And of the 382 radios tested by the IG, only 78 (20 percent) contained all of the correct program settings for the DHS common channel.

"Internal interoperability was not a priority for DHS components, and they did not exploit opportunities to achieve Department-wide interoperable communications," the IG stated in the report. "As a result, DHS personnel do not have reliable interoperable communications for daily operations, planned events, and emergencies."

The IG audit findings point to a combination of governance, management and technical problems, all of which played a role in preventing component agencies from being able to communicate with each other. In fact, of the 479 users tested, 345 were not aware of the common DHS communications channel, 118 users knew of the channel but could not find it on their radios, and 15 found a legacy channel.

When DHS was formed, it inherited more than 20 private national radio systems, including handheld radios and supporting infrastructure and services that serve about 123,000 field users. Last year, the Department created the Joint Wireless Program Management Office (JWPMO) to coordinate wireless investments and develop new technologies.

The IG report also identified a long-standing problem for large government agencies like DHS — lack of coordination and components doing their own thing. "Components independently developed and managed their own radio programs with no formal coordination from DHS," according to the IG report.

"At the time of our review, the components had not prepared their agreements" governing their participation in the JWPMO, the IG report stated. As a result, "the JWPMO has no authority to implement and enforce standardized policies and procedures to take advantage of interoperability opportunities."

However, a source in the JWPMO provided Homeland Security Today with overview documents dated Oct. 26 that outline the JWPMO's view of the challenges facing the department-wide effort to establish interoperable communications. Among the many obstacles the Department faces are Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems that are past their expected service life; coverage, capacity and encryption issues; and many of the radios are not compliant with the Program 25 (P-25) interoperability standards and narrowbanding mandates.

"Many of these systems, deployed more than twenty years ago are well beyond their intended service life, do not provide sufficient coverage for agents and officers in remote locations and do not meet federal mandates for security and efficiency," according to an overview document obtained by Homeland Security Today that describes DHS' plans for its next generation tactical communications system called TacNet.

DHS' JWPMO did not respond to Homeland Security Today's emails and phone calls for an interview, and the source who provided the overview documents was not authorized to speak publicly about them.

According to DHS estimates, a capital investment of $3.2B is needed to upgrade and modernize existing tactical communications systems across the Department with less than 15 percent of this requirement currently funded. Modernization nationwide, at current funding levels, would take decades to complete, according to the most current TacNet overview.

But DHS's JWPMO does have a transition plan in place, with a transition phase slated to begin in 2014 and a target date of 2024 for a TacNet capability based on hybrid first responder networks and commercial Long Term Evolution (LTE) capabilities.

"Providing a broadband connection to these devices also enables remote management (configuration programming, talk-group and encryption key updates) addressing a critical operational issue that plagues DHS today," the TacNet overview document states. "To maximize current investments, DHS is evaluating the possibility of modifying the existing LMR radio inventory with broadband interfaces. These broadband enabled LMR radios would enable seamless transition from existing state (i.e., LMR based infrastructure) to the future broadband vision supporting all three modes of operation."

In DHS' response to the IG report, Jim H. Crumpacker, the director of the Departmental GAO-OIG Liaison Office, said DHS acknowledges the problems it has had with interoperable communications and has learned from them. As a result, the Department finalized a new charter for the JWPMO, which gives it greater leverage over DHS-wide interoperability programs, said Crumpacker.

"Under the new charter, the JWPMO is authorized to deliver the joint next generation tactical communications capabilities and resources to the operators across the Department," wrote Crumpacker. And although all the agreements with the component agencies have not been completed, "the requisite structure has been established with the authority to execute DHS's wireless communications solutions."

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Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, a newsletter from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

FCC Tentative Agenda Lists Low Power Radio Item For November 30 Open Meeting

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has announced that only the following item will be on the tentative agenda for the next open meeting scheduled for Friday, November 30, 2012:

• Expanding Nationwide Low Power Radio Opportunities Fifth Order on Reconsideration and Sixth Report and Order: The Commission will consider a Fifth Order on Reconsideration and Sixth Report and Order, which address the final procedures to approve more than 6,000 pending FM translator radio applications and implementation of the Local Community Radio Act. The consideration of these items will represent the final steps toward enabling non-profit groups nationwide to apply for low power radio licenses to further expand the diversity of local voices in the media landscape.

The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. in Room TW-C305, at 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. The event will be shown live at FCC.gov/live .

FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON NEXT GENERATION 911 ISSUES: The FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) has announced it is seeking comment on a broad range of issues relating to the legal and statutory framework for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) services. Comments in this PS Docket No. 10-255, PS Docket No. 11-153 and PS Docket No. 12-333 proceeding are due December 13, and replies are due January 14. NG9-1-1 refers to an initiative aimed at updating the nation's 9-1-1 infrastructure for mobile and IP-based communications because the current public switched telephone network (PSTN)-based 9-1-1 system was not capable of handling the text, data, images and video that are increasingly common in personal communications. In addition to calling 9-1-1 from a phone, it intends to enable the public to transmit text, images, video and data to the public safety answering point (PSAP). The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has defined NG911 as "a system comprised of hardware, software, data and operational policies and procedures . . . , to: provide standardized interfaces from call and message services; process all types of emergency calls including non-voice (multi-media) messages; acquire and integrate additional data useful to call routing and handling; deliver the calls/messages and data to the appropriate PSAPs and other appropriate emergency entities; support data and communications needs for coordinated incident response and management provide a secure environment for emergency communications."

FCC, MEXICO SIGN ACCORD TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING OF STOLEN MOBILE PHONE DEVICES: The FCC has signed a new bilateral agreement with Mexico to combat the theft and cross-border trafficking of mobile devices between the United States and Mexico. The agreement builds on the FCC's "PROTECTS Initiative", which (1) creates a database to prevent use of stolen smartphones and tablets; (2). puts in place automatic prompts on smartphones and tablets for consumers to set up passwords and take steps to secure their devices; and (3) launches a public education campaign urging consumers to use applications that increase security and reducing the value of stolen devices, including apps that enable consumers to locate, lock and wipe missing smartphones and tablets. The new bilateral agreement commits the FCC and Mexico's Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) to extend their inter-agency cooperation to crack down on the international trafficking of stolen mobile devices through a series of new action steps using technology and transparency. The FCC and the SCT will closely track, analyze, and report progress in preventing mobile device theft. Both agencies will also develop and share best practices with respect to theft prevention and consumer education, especially the use of pins, passwords and mobile apps designed to protect sensitive information on mobile devices.

AT&T TO EXPAND ACCESS TO "FACETIME" APPLICATION TO ADHERE WITH NET NEUTRALITY POLICY: According to the National Journal, AT&T has decided to end restrictions on a video-calling app—restrictions that critics say violate federal network competition rules. The National Journal said that AT&T announced last Thursday that it would expand access to FaceTime, an application that allows users to make calls without using a carrier's voice service. AT&T had restricted access to the app, saying the app could bog down its network, according to the National Journal. It said that over the coming months the app will be available for use on all of AT&T's tiered data plans, as well as plans for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. In September, Free Press, Public Knowledge, and the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute threatened to file a formal complaint with the FCC, accusing AT&T of violating the agency's net-neutrality rules, which govern anti-competitive behavior by providers, the National Journal said. It added that the groups are now praising AT&T for its decision, but indicate that their complaint will move forward if the carrier doesn't follow through on its commitment.

VERIZON SAYS IT WILL COMPLETE LTE NETWORK BY MIDDLE OF 2013: According to FierceWireless, Verizon Wireless said it will finish its Long Term Evolution (LTE) deployment by the middle of 2013. The timeline is about six months earlier than Verizon has previously stated. Executives had said the company would match its 3G CDMA footprint with LTE coverage by the end of 2013, FierceWireless said. It added that despite four major service disruptions in 2011, Verizon said the LTE network is stable and reliable. Verizon's LTE network now covers 250 million people, or around 80% of the U.S. population, and the carrier has a goal of expanding that to at least 260 million POPs by the end of 2012. Competitor AT&T Mobility plans to cover 150 million POPs with LTE by year-end and 250 million people by the end of 2013, and AT&T said Wednesday it will expand its LTE network to 300 million covered POPs by the end of 2014, FierceWireless said.

FEBRUARY 1: FCC FORM 502, NUMBER UTILIZATION AND FORECAST REPORT. Any wireless or wireline carrier (including paging companies) that have received number blocks—including 100, 1,000, or 10,000 number blocks—from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), a Pooling Administrator, or from another carrier, must file Form 502 by February 1. Carriers porting numbers for the purpose of transferring an established customer's service to another service provider must also report, but the carrier receiving numbers through porting does not. Resold services should also be treated like ported numbers, meaning the carrier transferring the resold service to another carrier is required to report those numbers but the carrier receiving such numbers should not report them. Reporting carriers are required to include their FCC Registration Number (FRN). Reporting carriers file utilization and forecast reports semiannually on or before February 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending December 31, and on or before August 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending June 30.

This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com

Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Private Users Update, a newsletter from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

As Narrowbanding Deadline Draws Near, Hidden Consequences Emerge

As the narrowbanding deadline draws near for Part 90 VHF and UHF band licensees, a number of frequency coordinators are experiencing an application backlog which may prevent some narrowbanding applications received the near the end of the year from being forwarded to the FCC before the January 1, 2013 deadline. Speculation is that there may be as many as 30,000 systems that have not yet applied to narrowband their legacy 25 kHz bandwidth stations. No one knows how many of those systems may actually be on the air, or how many may have narrowbanded their radios but have not filed applications for license modification. Either scenario can draw a fine and/or license cancellation by the FCC. The Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) has filed a letter requesting that the FCC recognize applications that have been filed with certified frequency advisory committees on or before December 31, 2012, but not as yet electronically filed with the Commission, as having presumptively narrowbanding compliant equipment in place by the January 1, 2013, deadline. However, there is no guarantee that the FCC will honor this request, so it is vital that narrowbanding applications be submitted to the coordinator ASAP if not already on file.

Late filed narrowbanding applications will need to include a waiver request, and it will be within the FCC's discretion to grant or deny a waiver, based on the circumstances present.

Another consequence of failing to meet the narrowbanding requirement: Last May, the LMCC sent a letter to the FCC advising that, effective February 1, 2013, frequency coordinators intend to ignore for frequency coordination purposes any license that does not have evidence of compliance with the narrowbanding requirement and does not have a pending waiver request on file. Discussions with the FCC staff indicate that the staff will likely support this decision, and that a Public Notice to that effect is imminent. Thus, a failure to file the required narrowbanding application could result in the coordination of conflicting radio operations near the non-compliant operation, such that even if the licensee eventually realizes the need to cure its tardiness on narrowbanding, it may find its frequency no longer available.

FCC Launches Wireless "Jammer" Tip Line

The FCC appears to be stepping up efforts to prohibit signal jamming. The Commission's Enforcement Bureau has launched a dedicated jammer tip line — 1-855-55-NOJAM (or 1-855-556-6526) — to make it easier for the public to report the use or sale of illegal cell phone, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) or other signal jammers.

It is against the law to use, import, advertise, sell or ship a cell or GPS jammer or any other type of device that blocks, jams or interferes with authorized communications, whether on private or public property. The FCC wants people to call the toll-free Jammer Tip Line immediately if:

(1) they are aware of the ongoing use of a cell, GPS, or other signal jammer;

(2) their employer operates a jammer in the workplace;

(3) they observe a jammer in operation at their school or college;

(4) they observe an advertisement for a jammer at a local store; or

(5) they observe a jammer being operated on a local bus, train or other mass transit system.

FCC Unveils Updated "Small Biz Cyber Planner"

The FCC has unveiled an updated 2.0 version of its "Small Biz Cyber Planner," a free and easy-to-use online resource for any small business owner who wants to better protect their business from the growing threat of cybersecurity attacks. Launched in 2011, the FCC said, the tool has already been used by nearly 10,000 businesses across the country to create customized cybersecurity plans. New research by Symantec, an FCC Cybersecurity Outreach Partner, indicates that nearly 83% of U.S. small businesses have no cybersecurity protection plan — despite the fact that millions of cyber attacks occur each year. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski also announced new and renewed partnerships with public and private sector organizations, including Symantec, eBay, Visa, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), and others.

The Commission's online cyber planner enables business owners to create and download a customized plan — to protect themselves from online threats which could significantly damage their companies — by answering 12 simple questions. The updated cyber planner features new details about cyber insurance to mitigate interruptions to business and financial loss from cyber attacks, and best practices on spyware, including how to avoid advanced versions of spyware. It also incorporates the immediate steps to take in case of infection, and recommendations on installing new software systems that enable users to remotely track and erase the hard drive of laptops and mobile devices in the event of theft. The Cyber Planner can be accessed at the following link: www.fcc.gov/cyberforsmallbiz

FCC Proposes To Amend Certain Amateur Radio Rules

The FCC has proposed to amend the amateur radio service rules to grant examination credit for expired and beyond-the-grace-period-for renewal amateur radio operator licenses; to shorten the grace period during which an expired amateur license may be renewed to 180 days; to revise the time a call sign is not available to the vanity call sign system correspondingly; and to reduce to two the number of volunteer examiners needed to administer an amateur license examination. This proposal also asks for comment on amending the rules to permit remote test administration, and proposes to amend the amateur radio service rules to allow amateur stations to transmit certain additional emission types. Comments in the WT Docket Nos. 12-283 and 09-209; and RM-11629 and RM-11625 proceeding are due December 24, and replies are due January 22.

This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com

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

PDT3000 Paging Data Terminal

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

Paging Controlled Moving Message LED Displays

• Variety of sizes
• Indoor/outdoor
• Integrated paging receiver

PDR3000/PSR3000 Paging Data Receivers

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

Specialized Paging Solutions

• 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

Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

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 CLICK
E-mail:	info@wipath.com CLICK
Phone:	770-844-6218
Fax:	770-844-6574
WiPath Communications

Wireless Communication Solutions USB 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)

Paging Data Receiver (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

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 CLICK

Web: http://www.harktech.com CLICK

HARK—EXHIBITS AT CONFERENCE

David George and Bill Noyes
of Hark Technologies.

RIM sees BB10 devices in stores soon after launch

Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:15pm EST
By Euan Rocha
Reuters

• RIM confident BB 10 devices will be 100 pct ready at launch
• Devices will go on sale "not too long after" Jan 30 launch
• Carrier testing of BB10 devices still expanding
• RIM shares close down nearly 5 pct

WATERLOO, Ontario, Nov 13 (Reuters) — Research In Motion is confident its new BlackBerry 10 devices will be 100 percent ready for the Jan. 30 launch and available in stores "not too long after" that, Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear said on Tuesday.

"We're working hard right now to make sure all the bits and pieces and all the details are in place for the date, when the devices will be available for consumers and enterprises," Tear told Reuters in an interview.

RIM, which virtually invented the concept of mobile email with its first line of BlackBerry devices more than a decade ago, was roundly criticized for the botched 2011 launch of its PlayBook tablet computer, which RIM had hoped would compete with Apple's blockbuster iPad.

The PlayBook looked pretty and had top-of-the-line hardware. But its software was far from complete at the launch and needed multiple updates.

The device also lacked the library of apps available on the iPad and on devices that run on Google Inc's competing Android operating system.

RIM says its the new devices will be faster and smoother than its existing phones and have a large catalog of applications that are crucial to the success of any smartphone.

The company hopes the new devices will allow it to claw back some of the market share it has lost to Android and Apple phones.

Tear said RIM has used input from current BlackBerry users to influence the design of the new devices, The new phones both build on the strengths of RIM's existing operating system and improve on its weak points, he said.

RIM last month began carrier testing on the new devices, with an initial rollout to more than 50 carriers. Tear, who joined RIM a few months ago from Sony Mobile Communications, said RIM was expanding that to a wider group of carriers across the globe.

"We submitted to 50 carriers to begin with, and obviously that number is increasing as we move forward," he said. "Our ambition is to make this a global launch, everything will not happen at the same time, but it will be a global launch."

RIM has said it initially plans to roll out a high-end touchscreen version of the device. Phones with the mini QWERTY keyboards that many long-time BlackBerry users adore will come a few weeks later, while lower-end versions of both devices will be launched later in the year.

The company has yet to say exactly when the devices will be available in stores worldwide or how much they will cost.

"We have to agree with carriers as well on what they want to announce when, so it's not absolutely to our own discretion," Tear said.

COST CUTTING

RIM, whose share price has fallen more than 90 percent from a 2008 peak around $148, is part way through a major restructuring, as it seeks to trim costs in the run-up to the launch of the new devices.

The company, which has also said it is examining its strategic options, is lowering operating costs by about $1 billion and cutting about 5,000 jobs, or about 30 percent of its workforce, by the time its fiscal year ends in early March.

"We are on track to deliver on that," said Tear. "It is an ongoing process, when it comes to efficiencies and costs."

RIM's Chief Legal Officer Steve Zipperstein said the company is pushing ahead with its strategic review.

"The process is ongoing and it continues to be a focus on RIM's senior management, but we have nothing to report at this moment," said Zipperstein.

RIM shares, which have risen slightly over the last couple of months in the run-up to the launch of BB10 devices, closed 4.7 percent lower at $8.40 on Nasdaq. RIM's Toronto-listed shares fell by a similar margin to C$8.40.

Further reading:

“ University Of Washington's Defense Of Twitter Limits On Journalists More Ridiculous Than The Restrictions Themselves ”

Why does God allow bad things to happen to people, like sickness, poverty, and hunger? Why do little children suffer?

There is sufficient wealth on earth to feed and care for every person who is not able to care for themselves. If the money we spend on the world's military forces, and their guns, bullets, bombs, ships, planes, and tanks were combined with the money we spend on illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and then spent on education, food for the hungry, more medical research, and free health care for all — then we wouldn't be asking this question.

It's not God's fault, it's our fault. Don't blame God.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and this one is mine.

—Brad Dye

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