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the wireless messaging news

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Wireless News Aggregation

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Friday — August 8, 2014 — Issue No. 617

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

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Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

Sprint names Marcelo Claure new CEO

Brett Molina
12:22 p.m. EDT August 6, 2014

Sprint confirmed Wednesday Marcelo Claure will take over as president and CEO of the third largest wireless carrier in the U.S.

Claure, 43, had served as founder and CEO of Brightstar Corp., a wireless distributor based in Miami and subsidiary of Sprint parent company Softbank. Claure will assume the Sprint CEO role on August 11.

"He has the management experience, passion and drive to create the strongest network and offer the best products and services in the wireless industry," said Sprint Chairman Masayoshi Son in a statement.

Shares of Sprint were down nearly 17% in morning trading.

The executive shift follows reports that Sprint planned on calling off its merger with T-Mobile, the fourth largest wireless carrier in the U.S., because of challenging regulatory hurdles.

Both companies had been working on a potential merger valued as high as $50 billion. Last week, French telecom Iliad confirmed it made a bid to scoop up T-Mobile for $15 billion .

Marcelo Claure
(Photo: Lynne Sladky AP)

In a statement, Claure said he will focus immediately on "competing aggressively" in the marketplace. "While consolidating makes sense in the long-term, for now, we will focus on growing and repositioning Sprint."

Claure will replace Dan Hesse, who had served as Sprint CEO since 2007. During his tenure, he navigated the wireless carrier's merger with Softbank, completed last year, and shut down the Nextel network, which Sprint acquired in 2004.

Although Sprint is the third largest U.S. carrier, the company has struggled to capture the attention of mobile consumers. AT&T and Verizon dominate much of the U.S. mobile market, while T-Mobile has generated buzz over its "Uncarrier" strategy that moves away from traditional mobile contracts.

Gartner analyst Bill Menezes says the executive shift signals Sprint is seeking a change in how it approaches a consumer strategy. "Having almost completed the bulk of their network upgrade, they need to focus on their brand and value proposition."

Son, who also serves as Softbank chairman and CEO, likely pushed for the executive change to speed up a turnaround at Sprint, says Edward Jones analyst Dave Heger, adding Claure's background in the cellular business should help.

"He's from the phone distribution side, so he probably has a lot of experience in customer service," says Heger. "That could carry over well to Sprint, where the company has struggled with a poor service reputation."

Source: USA Today

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About Us

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.

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Editorial Policy

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.

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Back To Paging

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Still The Most Reliable Protocol For Wireless Messaging!

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Advertiser Index

American Messaging
Critical Alert Systems
Critical Response Systems
Easy Solutions
Hahntech USA
Hark Technologies
Infostream Pty Limited
Ira Wiesenfeld & Associates
Ivycorp
Leavitt Communications
Preferred Wireless
Prism Paging
Product Support Services — (PSSI)
Paging & Wireless Network Planners LLC — (Ron Mercer)
WaveWare Technologies
WiPath Communications

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American Messaging

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amsi

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American Messaging

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WaveWare Technologies

wavewear
sales@wirelessmessaging.com
800-373-1466
2630 National Dr., Garland, TX 75041

New Products

SPS-5v9E Paging System

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DMG Protocol Converter

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WaveWare Technologies

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Easy Solutions

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easy solutions

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.

  • We treat our customers like family. We don't just fix problems . . . We recommend and implement better cost effective solutions.
  • We are not just another vendor . . . We are a part of your team. All the advantages of high priced full time employment without the cost.
  • We are not in the Technical Services business . . . We are in the Customer Satisfaction business.

Experts in Paging Infrastructure

  • Glenayre, Motorola, Unipage, etc.
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  • Contracts for Glenayre and other Systems starting at $100
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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 e-mail us for more information.

Easy Solutions
3220 San Simeon Way
Plano, Texas 75023

Vaughan Bowden
Telephone: 972-898-1119
Website: www.EasySolutions4You.com
E-mail: vaughan@easysolutions4you.com

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Easy Solutions

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Sprint reportedly withdraws its bid to buy T-Mobile (updated)

BY BRAD MOLEN
August 6, 2014

Softbank-owned Sprint has reportedly changed its mind about buying T-Mobile US, according to the Wall Street Journal . It seems a bit surprising, given the amount of time and energy Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son has put into pursuing the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the US — committing to buy the company for as much as $40 billion. That said, the alleged reasons behind the decision to withdraw a bid make sense: Sprint faces too much of a challenge getting the deal over the necessary regulatory hurdles. The company likely came to this conclusion after a long series of meetings with government officials, who reportedly expressed concern that such a deal would take a toll on competition in the US wireless industry. Sprint declined to comment, but the Journal reports that the carrier plans to make an announcement early tomorrow.

The report also states that a competing bid for T-Mobile, made by French company Iliad , wasn't considered for very long; the company's $15 billion offer simply wasn't enough for Deutsche Telekom to give it any serious thought. For now, it appears that T-Mobile will continue on its own for quite some time — and judging by its current growth, it won't be too long before it overtakes Sprint as the third-largest carrier in the US.

Update: Re/Code and Bloomberg are reporting that Sprint will replace CEO Dan Hesse as early as tomorrow; the former claims that Marcelo Claure, the chief of wireless distributor Brightstar, is taking the top spot. Had the deal gone through, however, Hesse was expected to be replaced by T-Mobile CEO John Legere anyway.

Source: engadget (Thanks to Barry Kanne.)

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infostream

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State-of-the-art paging network infrastructure, fully supported at an affordable price – and it integrates with your other gear, include most makes of transmitters

Whether you are replacing or upgrading your existing network or building out new infrastructure, Infostream has the new equipment and systems that you need.

  • POCSAG & FLEX
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  • Highly integrated base station controller
    • GPS
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    • Ethernet switch, IP and router
    • Optional integrated radio modems
    • Dual channel capable
    • Integrated off-air (self monitoring) receiver
  • Ultra high reliability configuration (99.999%)
  • Message encryption plug-in
  • Fully featured central site VOIP, CAD, HTML, TAP, TNPP, SMPP access
  • NMS integration including Nagios, SNMP and syslog
  • Comprehensive diagnostics including adjacent site monitoring
  • Deployed internationally in mission critical applications
  • 21 years of industry experience in design, build and integration

Infostream is a world leading supplier of paging and messaging infrastructure, specialized paging receivers and consultancy services. The company was founded in 1993 and has engineered and supplied equipment for some of the largest public safety networks and private paging customers around the world.

Medical • Fire • Police • Security • Mining • Petrochemicals • Financial Markets • Telemetry • Custom Applications

infostreamInfostream Pty Limited
Suite 10, 7 Narabang Way, Belrose, NSW 2085, AUSTRALIA
Sales Email: sales@infostream.com.au | Phone: +61 2 9986 3588 | Afterhours: +61 417 555 525

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BlackBerry's rebirth: how a fallen smartphone giant plans to remake itself

BY JON FINGAS
August 6, 2014

BlackBerry has stopped bleeding — officially, at least. In a memo leaked to Reuters , CEO John Chen tells staff that three years of job cuts are over, and that the former mobile legend can start building itself back up rather than salvaging what's left of its smartphone empire. But how did it get to this point? And more importantly, how does it plan to bounce back in an era when even many of its corporate customers have moved on to Android and iOS? As you'll see in our gallery below, BlackBerry is only getting to this point after some grave errors and painful decisions — but it at last appears to have a strategy that, while imperfect, at least acknowledges a difficult reality.

Blackberry 1 of 7

How the decline began

Most of BlackBerry's decline can be pinned on leadership that was deaf to what people really wanted from a smartphone. While Apple and Google put their energy into easy-to-use interfaces, desktop-class web browsing and wide app selections, BlackBerry was obsessed with network efficiency , keyboards and security. That was great for carriers and the enterprise crowd, but not everyday users who just want to check Facebook or share photos. The company could afford to coast on its successes for years, and made attempts at modernization with devices like the Storm 9500 you see here. But it didn't start taking the threat seriously until it started overhauling its platform in 2010, and by then it was too late — Android and iOS were here to stay, even among office workers.

Blackberry 2 of 7

A failed revolution

The firm's more sincere attempts at recovery didn't really pass muster. Its answer to the iPad, the PlayBook , was a half-finished product that tanked almost as soon as it shipped. BlackBerry 10 , meanwhile, wasn't a big enough improvement to entice people who had left the platform. While BlackBerry tried replacing founders Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis with Thorsten Heins, the new leader both inherited a lot of problems and made mistakes of his own. He pushed the all-touch Z10 phone when loyal fans were clamoring for the keyboard-toting Q10 , and downplayed service initiatives (such as replacing text messaging with BBM ) that would have provided revenue beyond the struggling hardware business. His tenure was defined by massive financial losses and extensive layoffs that left BlackBerry a pale shadow of its former self.

Blackberry 3 of 7

Chen comes to the rescue

John Chen, who became CEO after Heins' abrupt departure , has spent much of the past several months in rescue mode. He shifted manufacturing to Foxconn , sold real estate , consolidated model lineups and otherwise acknowledged that BlackBerry needed to forgo its dreams of returning to the mobile big leagues, at least for now. So far, these short-term measures have worked. Besides calling an end to layoffs, Chen has managed to (mostly) stem losses that might have proven fatal. He ultimately hopes to have the company turning a profit by 2016. So, how is he going to get there?

Blackberry 4 of 7

Security: catering to the suit-and-tie crowd

For the most part, Chen is focusing on BlackBerry's most loyal customers: corporations and governments that thrive on ultra-secure communications. He's building a security technology center in Washington, DC, and recently bought Secusmart, a company that specializes in locking down data and voice. BBM Protected makes it tough to crack entire messages, too. The exec is also putting a heavier emphasis on services, like device management and mobile payments . For the most part, they'll be the bread and butter of BlackBerry's revenue; phones will stick around, but they're not nearly as important as they used to be.

Blackberry 5 of 7

Devices: sticking with what works, mostly

The smartphones that are left at BlackBerry reflect Chen's concentration on loyal fans... with one exception. The Z3 is the only new touch-only device released so far, and it's targeted at markets that still love their BlackBerrys, like Indonesia and the Middle East. The Classic caters to traditionalists with its familiar design, which even has the trackpad that disappeared on the Q10. The oddball is the Passport — it mates a keyboard (with trackpad-like features, no less) to a square touchscreen. BlackBerry is betting that the unusual shape is perfect for workers who need to check calendars and edit spreadsheets on the move.

Blackberry 6 of 7

Software: making safe bets

As for software, which is what got BlackBerry into trouble all those years ago? Right now, Chen and crew aren't planning any revolutions. BlackBerry 10.3's biggest feature will be Assistant , a voice-activated helper that largely echoes what we've seen from Apple (Siri), Google (Google Now) and Microsoft (Cortana). The company isn't relying on its own app catalog to carry water, for that matter. While native BlackBerry apps will be available, 10.3 users will also have access to Amazon's entire Android app library . And BlackBerry Messenger, once a sacred cow that sold devices, is continuing its expansion to other platforms .

Blackberry 7 of 7

But will it work?

Whether or not all this works is a tough call. Chen has pledged to keep making smartphones as long as they're viable, but it's hard to know when (or if) sales declines will level off. The CEO hasn't ruled out exiting the business if it shrinks below sustainable levels. Also, rivals are quickly encroaching on BlackBerry's sacrosanct enterprise business through software and services, such as Android for Work (which takes on BlackBerry Balance) and Apple's deal with IBM . Strictly speaking, you don't need BlackBerry for powerful messaging or secure devices these days. Chen's pragmatic approach may have prevented a financial collapse, but growth will only come so long as he can convince companies that his services (and potentially, hardware) stand out in a very crowded field. If he doesn't, BlackBerry may fade away for good.

Source: engadget (Thanks to Barry Kanne.)

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Ivy Corp 

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ivy

ivy

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Critical Response Systems

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More than Paging.
First Responder Solutions.

Our patented technology notifies clinical personnel immediately, while tracking who receives and responds to each alarm. Users confirm or defer each event with a single button press, and analytic dashboards display response statistics in real time, as well as historically broken down by time, unit, room, and individual.

Our systems not only notify your personnel quickly and reliably, but also provide actionable feedback to fine-tune your procedures, reduce unnecessary alarms, and improve patient outcomes.

www.criticalresponsesystems.com

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Critical Response Systems Releases New and Improved M4201 Network Controller

Norcross, GA (August 5th, 2014) — Critical Response Systems (CRS), a provider of leading-edge, mission-critical communication systems, announces the new M4201™ Network Controller . This controller provides a new level of performance and reliability to CRS radio network solutions, supporting more users and more base stations than prior models, and also delivering messages more quickly and reliably than ever before.

CRS ’s ultra-reliable ISO/NFPA-compliant radio networks are optimized for response paging, asset/vehicle tracking, and SCADA. These networks notify responders within 5 seconds, and then track who receives, reads, and responds to each event, including where they are and when they will arrive. Authorized command staff view responses as needed to assist in real-time decision making regarding mutual aid, fill-ins, recall, and other tactical actions. CRS radio networks do not rely on the Internet, cellular companies, or the cloud, and they have a field-proven track record of providing mission-critical communication even when other means of communication have failed.

The M4201 Network Controller further enhances CRS ’s market-leading radio network solutions, offering increased messaging speed, throughput, capacity, and reliability, as well as better access to real-time response data.

About Critical Response Systems, Inc.

Critical Response Systems provides leading-edge mission-critical communication systems, focused on critical messaging and alerting. We know that every response starts with an alert, and our systems use the latest technology to ensure that first responders get their messages quickly, correctly and reliably. For more information about the M4201 Network Controller or Critical Response Systems visit www.criticalresponse.com .

Media Contact:
Brian Claise — 866-372-9578

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leavitt

Specialists in sales and service of equipment from these leading manufacturers, as well as other two-way radio and paging products:

UNICATIONbendix king
ZETRON

motorola blue Motorola SOLUTIONS

COMmotorola red Motorola MOBILITY spacer
 usalert
Philip C. Leavitt
Manager
Leavitt Communications
7508 N. Red Ledge Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail: pcleavitt@leavittcom.com
Web Site: www.leavittcom.com
Mobile phone:847-494-0000
Telephone:847-955-0511
Fax:270-447-1909
Skype ID:pcleavitt

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Product Support Services, Inc.

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Repair and Refurbishment Services

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pssi

Product Support Services, Inc.

511 South Royal Lane
Coppell, Texas 75019
(972) 462-3970 Ext. 261
sales@pssirl.com left arrow
www.pssirl.com left arrow

PSSI is the industry leader in reverse logistics, our services include depot repair, product returns management, RMA and RTV management, product audit, test, refurbishment, re-kitting and value recovery.

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Leavitt Communications

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its stil here

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

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

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

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

leavitt logo

7508 N. Red Ledge Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
www.leavittcom.com

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Why governments are scrambling to pass smartphone kill-switch laws

Can the US stop smartphone theft by mandating something companies are already doing?

By Josh Lowensohn on July 21, 2014 09:37 am

In less than a decade, smartphones have become an incredibly important part of peoples' lives. In the US alone, 166 million people now own them, according to a recent report by ComScore . And those devices aren't just used for making calls. More often they're used for texting, web browsing, going through email, and downloading apps, with Americans spending — on average — more than an hour a day with their eyes glued to tiny glowing screens.

All those things make them an increasingly worrisome target for theft. It's not just the hardware that's being stolen, it's potentially a chunk of your digital life too. That's why lawmakers in the US are trying (and in some cases succeeding) to pass bills requiring anti-theft features that protect consumer data while leaving thieves with a considerably less valuable piece of hardware.

THE GOAL IS TO MAKE STOLEN PHONES LESS VALUABLE

The latest is a California bill that would require smartphone makers to include remote-wipe and -locking features, and it's getting closer to being signed into law. After initially being rejected by the California Senate , it has since passed and moved on to a floor vote in the state Assembly. After that, it heads to the governor, where it could be signed into law.

The bill, SB 962 , was created by state Senator Mark Leno along with San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who's been a staunch advocate of anti-theft measures for phones. Ahead of the bill, Gascón urged cellphone makers — including Apple and Samsung — to make stolen smartphones more of a headache for thieves, going so far as to hire security experts to try and bypass the built-in security measures to illustrate that smartphone makers weren't doing enough.

The reasoning is simple: smartphones make a very attractive target for thieves. They're small, expensive, and up until manufacturers began to put anti-theft measures in place, were still very useful with a simple factory reset. Last year, 3.1 million Americans had their phones stolen, according to an often-cited study from Consumer Reports , a figure that's more troubling given a far lesser 1.6 million thefts from the year before. And while smartphone theft brings up images of thieves robbing people at gunpoint, a survey conducted by IDG on behalf of mobile security Lookout in March suggests otherwise. Only 11 percent of phones were stolen from people directly, while 44 percent of thefts were linked to people simply leaving their phone somewhere public and having it scooped up by someone else.

MANY SMARTPHONES ALREADY HAVE ANTI-THEFT FEATURES

By now, most major smartphone makers have hardened their products, and provide tools to track, wipe, and disable devices through the use of web-based tools and apps. Those services are becoming more sophisticated too. Apple initially offered its Find My iPhone service as a perk of its paid MobileMe service, but then later made it free and available to all iPads, iPods, and Macs. Apple also created a feature in last year's iOS 7 called iCloud activation lock , which will make a device completely inoperable unless you enter in the right Apple ID username and password.

Google and Microsoft have followed Apple's lead, offering free tools to help locate and disable devices remotely. And now both companies plan to add tools like Apple's that leave the hardware useless to those who don't have the master password. Those features aren't coming until the next major releases, however, the two companies said in June . In the interim, Samsung — which relies on Google's Android — has added a reactivation lock feature into its phones, though not on all its devices, and not on all the carriers.

In Apple's case, the iCloud activation lock feature has already made waves — some good and some bad. Almost immediately it managed to cause headaches for resellers and recyclers who buy, fix, resell, and dispose of used electronics. Since the feature launched to consumers last September, it's left some electronics trade-in businesses with phones and tablets that still have the lock enabled. These products are not stolen, several companies told The Verge in June . More frequently, the locked devices come from big-box retailers and carriers that outsource their trade-in services, and that aren't doing a thorough enough job screening what they get before it goes to the next party.

EARLY DATA SUGGESTS KILL SWITCHES ARE WORKING

On the flip side, the feature appears already to have a marked effect on what it was built for, which is reducing crime. In June, attorney generals in New York and San Francisco said that year-over-year thefts of Apple devices "plummeted" during the first five months of 2014. For San Francisco that amounted to a 38 percent decline in iPhone-related robberies, while New York tallied up a 19 and 29 percent year-over-year decline on robberies and grand larcenies that involved Apple products. During an identical time period, the same study reported an increase in robberies involving Samsung devices, which did not have the aforementioned built-in protections until April. "We can make the violent epidemic of smartphone theft a thing of the past, and these numbers prove that," Gascón said when those numbers were released.

Pickpocket warning sign in Venice, Italy. ( Matt Chan / Flickr )

Even with that positive early data, critics worry that a legal mandate requiring the technology could have unintended consequences. In the California bill's case, the Electronic Frontier Foundation warns that the bill could hinder better technologies that haven't been invented yet, and could be rife for abuse from law enforcement agencies.

"There's a simple reason why we opposed this particular bill — and why we almost always oppose bills with technological mandates. Technology is fast; the law is slow," the group said in a blog post last month . "While there is an important place for policy in a world where the internet and devices are readily available to both consumers and government actors, institutionalizing specific technical solutions — such as making every cellphone manufacturer feature a ‘kill switch' program — is risky."

“TECHNOLOGY IS FAST; THE LAW IS SLOW.”

More bluntly, a consortium of wireless companies and major hardware manufacturers are balking at the need for legal requirements in the first place, arguing that they've already added, or are in the process of adding, such features and want self-regulation instead.

"We've rolled out stolen-phones databases, consumer-education campaigns, anti-theft apps and features and most recently a ‘Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment,' which provides a uniform national technology solution at no cost to the consumer," says Jamie Hastings, the vice president of external and state affairs with the CTIA , a group made up of wireless carriers and manufacturers including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others. "State-by-state technology mandates stifle innovation to the ultimate detriment to the consumer," she added.

That " Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment " Hastings is referring to is effectively the same thing you'll find in the California law. That includes remote wipe, remote lock, and a lock against reactivation. There's also a clause requiring manufacturers to provide a way for consumers to get everything on a recovered phone working again, including their data. These things are all set to be a self-regulated standard for every device manufactured by smartphone makers after July 2015, which is when the California bill would begin if signed into law.

Minnesota-kill-switch-bill-signed Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signing the state's anti-theft bill into law. ( Office of Governor Mark Dayton )

So why would state laws be useful then? One example is Minnesota, which so far is the first and only state to pass an anti-theft phone bill . Unlike California, it's not asking for a way to remotely disable or wipe a phone, just that the phone needs to come "equipped with preloaded anti-theft functionality," or at least be able to download it later — all for free. Minnesota's governor signed the bill into law this past May, and under its requirements , it's not just about anti-theft measures on the device, but also deals with devices that are resold. The law criminalizes buying and selling phones between people without documentation, so the state can track where phones are going. It also prohibits used cellphone dealers from paying in cash or selling to people under the age of 18. These are things designed to hinder potential thieves by putting more of the business of selling phones on the record when it goes into effect next July.

A FEDERAL LAW IS IN THE WORKS TOO

Along with those efforts, there's a separate federal bill designed to accomplish some of the same things outlined in the state laws for remote wiping and disabling phones, but at a national level. The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act , which was introduced by a group of Democratic senators in February, aims to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require any phones sold in the US to offer remote wipe, remote disable, and restrict reactivation without a proper passcode. So far it has only been introduced, and still needs to make its way through the House and Senate before ultimately making its way to the president to be signed into law.

The federal bill could ultimately spell a simpler solution than the state laws by unifying the requirements manufacturers need to comply with in order to sell there. But these bills — short of what Minnesota is doing to control how phones are sold — all aim to get companies to do something that many are already doing, or have plans to offer soon. The only difference is that there could be fines, and those phones wouldn't make it to store shelves. And if you believe the EFF, slapping a mandate on companies to go with any one particular solution is shortsighted at best, and potentially disastrous for newer, better ways to deal with the problem that could be invented in the future.

"With an eye to the current landscape of security tools, if a ‘manufacturer or operating system provider' chooses a particular solution, innovation in this space may be discouraged," EFF attorneys said in a letter opposing the California bill in June. "Mandating any technological fix could ‘lock in' a less effective solution, preventing stronger third-party anti-theft applications from competing and innovating."

Source: The Verge

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Consulting Alliance

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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 left arrow for a summary of their qualifications and experience. Each one has unique abilities. We would be happy to help you with a project, and maybe save you some time and money.

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Consulting Alliance

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advertise

 

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HahntechUSA

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HahntechUSA

Telemetry solution

Easy Application & Better Performance

 

NPCS Telemetry Modem

BLUE LINE

(ReFLEX 2.7.5)

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E-mail: sales@hahntechUSA.com

Website: hahntechUSA.com

 

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HahntechUSA

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Preferred Wireless

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Terminals & Controllers:
1ASC1500 Complete, w/Spares  
3Glenayre GL C2100 Link Repeaters
3CNET Platinum Controllers 
2GL3100 RF Director 
1GL3000 ES — 2 Chassis
40SkyData 8466 B Receivers
1GL3000L Complete w/Spares
1Unipage—Many Unipage Cards & Chassis
16Zetron M66 Transmitter Controllers  
Link Transmitters:
1QT-5701, 35W, UHF, Link Transmitter
4Glenayre QT4201 25W Midband Link TX
1Glenayre QT6994, 150W, 900 MHz Link TX
3Motorola 10W, 900 MHz Link TX (C35JZB6106)
2Eagle 900 MHz Link Transmitters, 60 & 80W
2Motorola Q2630A, 30W, UHF Link TX
VHF Paging Transmitters
1Glenayre QT7505
1Glenayre QT8505
1Nucleus VHF, 125W, Advanced Control
UHF Paging Transmitters:
20Glenayre UHF GLT5340, 125W, DSP Exciter
900 MHz Paging Transmitters:
2Glenayre GLT8200, 25W (NEW)
15Glenayre GLT-8500 250W
3Glenayre GLT 8600, 500W
 
August FEATURED ITEM
40Motorola Nucleus 900 MHz 300W CNET Transmitters, some dual flash — $750 Each

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Motorola Nucleus 900 MHz Paging Transmitter

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NIU 2 with Flash Card

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Nucleus II Control Module

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SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:

www.preferredwireless.com/equipment left arrow

Too Much To List • Call or E-Mail

Rick McMichael
Preferred Wireless, Inc.
10658 St. Charles Rock Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63074
888-429-4171 or 314-429-3000
rickm@preferredwireless.com left arrow

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Preferred Wireless

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critical alert CA Partner’s Program
 

Providing better communications solutions to hospitals across the country — together!

For CAS, strong partnerships remain key to providing our software-based communications solutions to our customers. These solutions include:

ca dr and nurse
nurse call systemscritical messaging solutionsmobile health applications

We provide the communication, training and resources required to become a CA partner. In turn, our partners provide customers with the highest levels of local service & support. CA Partners may come from any number of business sectors, including:

  • Service Providers
  • System Integrators
  • Value Added Resellers and Distributors
  • Expert Contractors
If you would like to hear more about our CA Partners program, we’d love to hear from you. criticalalert.com

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Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, and/or the BloostonLaw Private Users Update —newsletters from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

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BloostonLaw Telecom UpdateVol. 17, No. 31August 6, 2014

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The BloostonLaw Telecom Update newsletter will be on our traditional August recess, in light of the usual slowdown in the news cycle. We will resume publication on September 3. Meanwhile, we will keep clients apprised of significant developments via memos and special supplements.

Special Issue

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FCC Seeks to Update Designated Entity Program in Advance of 600 MHz Incentive Auction; Proposals May Throw Wrench in Sprint, T-Mobile Joint Bidding Plans

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is said to be circulating a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) designed to “reinvigorate” the FCC’s Designated Entity (“DE”) program with the aim of facilitating broad participation in the 600 MHz broadcast incentive auction by small businesses, many of which are women- and/or minority-owned businesses, and by rural telephone companies. The item will also reportedly propose changes to the Commission’s joint bidding rules that could prevent Sprint and T-Mobile from creating a joint venture to bid for 600 MHz spectrum in next year’s planned incentive auction.

BloostonLaw clients should pay close attention to the FCC’s DE proceeding because it provides an opportunity to enhance bidding credits available to small businesses and rural telephone companies for purposes of the 600 MHz incentive auction, and to increase the flexibility/utility of spectrum leasing and resale arrangements for all types of spectrum going forward.

According to FCC staff speaking on background, the DE NPRM will include a proposal to eliminate the Attributable Material Relationship (or “AMR”) rule, which was adopted in the lead-up to the AWS-1 auction in 2006. Under the rule, a lessee’s gross revenues are attributed to a DE license holder if the DE leases or resells more than 25% of the spectrum capacity associated with any of its licenses to that party. The rule is designed to prevent unjust enrichment to ineligible entities and to ensure that DEs have opportunities to become independent facilities-based service providers. However, critics have argued that it has chilled DE participation in auctions and the rule restricts business arrangements that don’t pose a threat to bid credits.

The AMR rule was the subject of a recent FCC waiver grant to Grain Management LLC, a minority-owned private equity firm controlled by David Grain. Grain had previously leased 100% of the capacity of certain non-DE licenses to AT&T and Verizon and attribution of Verizon and AT&T gross revenues as called for under the AMR rule would have precluded Grain from seeking small business eligibility in the upcoming AWS-3 auction. The FCC granted the waiver after public comment because the licenses being leased were not subject to DE benefits and because Grain held no DE licenses at the time the leases came effective. House Republicans have since launched an investigation into alleged favorable treatment to Grain, who is an Obama campaign donor.

The NPRM is also said to include a proposal to increase the small business size thresholds to account for inflation over the past 15 years. Under current DE rules, a business that has gross revenues of $40 million or less (including affiliates) is entitled to a small business bid credit of 15% and a business that has gross revenues of $15 million or less is entitled to a very small business bid credit of 15%.

Of interest to many of our law firm’s clients, the NPRM will also reportedly seek comment on the idea of adopting a rural telephone company bidding credit. No specific details are known at this point, but the Blooston Law Firm has proposed rural telco bid credits in the context of the numerous FCC proceedings in the past.

With respect to joint bidding arrangements, a FCC Blog post from Wireless Bureau Chief Roger Sherman says that the item will tentatively conclude that joint bidding arrangements between nationwide providers should not be allowed. If adopted, this proposal would put the brakes on Sprint and T-Mobile’s plans for a $10 billion joint venture to bid in next year’s incentive auction, as well as complicate the picture for a potential Sprint/T-Mobile merger. The companies have indicated that the JV would only be needed if the transaction is still pending before regulators when short-form applications for the incentive auction are due, but no formal agreement between the carriers has been announced, and there would seem to be little time for the FCC to complete its review of a transaction before next summer. Moreover, there are indications that the Sprint/T-Mobile merger proposal is being abandoned (see related story below).

“The Chairman’s goal is to have common sense rules in place before the Incentive Auction, and we hope all stakeholders will offer constructive suggestions so we can work together to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs to participate in the spectrum economy,” wrote Sherman.

Sprint Ends Pursuit of T-Mobile Merger, Names New CEO

A number of sources report that, in the face of regulatory concerns, Sprint and its parent company, Japan’s Softbank, are abandoning their pursuit of a potential merger with T-Mobile. The decision ends an almost year-long effort by Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son to forge a deal with the German-owned carrier and create a third nationwide behemoth to compete with AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

“Sprint is the clear loser here,” wrote MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett in a note to clients today. “Son and Sprint will need to refocus squarely on improving results internally, and that won’t be easy.”

At the same time, Sprint has named a new CEO to replace Dan Hesse, who took over the company in 2007. Bloomberg reports that Sprint has named Marcelo Claure, founder of mobile phone distributor Brightstar, as its new CEO. Softbank acquired a majority stake in Brightstar last year and Claure is a current member of Sprint’s board of directors.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler reaction to Sprint’s retreat from a possible T-Mobile deal focused on benefits to mobile competition. “Four national wireless providers is good for American consumers. Sprint now has an opportunity to focus their efforts on robust competition.”

The FCC recently sent T-Mobile and Sprint a clear signal that it wasn’t going to look favorably on a merger of the nation’s 3rd and 4th largest carriers prior to next year’s planned 600 MHz incentive auction. The companies were reportedly planning to create a $10 billion joint venture for purposes of bidding in the incentive auction. However, discussion of a forthcoming Designated Entity NPRM in an August 1 FCC Blog post by WTB Chief Roger Sherman (entitled “ Empowering Small Business ”) gave a clear indication of what the Commission thought about a potential T-Mobile-Sprint merger, at least in the near term.

“Our goal is to promote the participation of as many parties as possible in the auction,” wrote Sherman. “If two of the largest companies are able to bid as one combined entity in the auction, their combined resources may have the effect of suppressing meaningful competition. Therefore, the item tentatively concludes that joint bidding arrangements between nationwide providers should not be allowed. It also asks questions about such arrangements between providers of different sizes.”

While the idea of meaningful competition in the wireless industry is a fluid concept at the FCC, one of Chairman Wheeler’s biggest priorities is ensuring the success of the incentive auction. Convincing broadcasters that a lot of cash will be on the table should encourage broadcasters that are on the fence to make their spectrum available for bidding. Sprint and T-Mobile each lack significant low-band (sub-1 GHz) spectrum holdings when compared to AT&T and Verizon. Preventing the companies from entering into a joint bidding arrangement is one way to ensure that bidding is robust, and that prices for the coveted 600 MHz spectrum are high.

And it is tantamount to telling Sprint and T-Mobile that now’s not the time to propose a merger. The companies would not need a joint bidding agreement if a merger deal could be hammered out, applications filed, approvals received, and the deal closed before the incentive auction application deadline. But given that we’re already in August now, and the fact that regulatory approvals would likely take at least 12 months, that’s not likely to happen. After the incentive auction is behind us, and assuming it is a success, the Commission could very well change its mind.

Word of the collapsed Sprint/T-Mobile deal re-ignited speculation about a possible bid for T-Mobile by France’s Iliad. A rumored $15 billion offer late last week from the French upstart to buy a majority stake in T-Mobile US was reportedly turned down by Deutsche Telekom’s board of directors. Analysts believe Iliad may seek additional partners to sweeten its bid. Others speculate that Dish Network could re-emerge as s suitor for T-Mobile.

FCC Issues Tenth Broadband Progress Report Notice of Inquiry

On August 5, the FCC released a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on how it should measure broadband deployment for the purposes of its next annual report to Congress on the deployment of advanced telecommunications. Comments are due September 4, and reply comments are due September 19.

Topics on which comment is sought include new benchmarks for speed, latency, usage, and other characteristics; the relationship among fixed, mobile, and satellite services; how broadband deployment should be measured for fixed, mobile, satellite, and in elementary and secondary classrooms; whether broadband is being deployed in a “reasonable and timely fashion;” and what actions the FCC can take to accelerate broadband deployment.

Clients interested in finding out more about the Notice and potentially participating in the proceeding should contact the firm.

Bureau Reaffirms Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) Rule

In the wake of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacating the FCC’s interim rules governing Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) and two of the Commission’s final rules governing IP CTS, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) released a Public Notice clarifying the current state of affairs.

Specifically, the FCC distinguishes among four classes of IP CTS users, for purposes of determining the application of the Commission’s final rule on user registration and certification:

Pre-March 7, 2013 Enrollees. The final rule, once effective, will require IP CTS providers to take the following actions regarding their users who enrolled prior to March 7, 2013: (1) register each consumer prior to requesting compensation from the TRS Fund for service provided to the consumer by obtaining the consumer’s full name, date of birth, last four digits of the consumer’s social security number, address and telephone number; (2) obtain a self-certification from the consumer; and (3) obtain an independent, third party certification attesting to the consumer’s need for IP CTS, if the consumer accepted IP CTS equipment free of charge or at a price below $75 from any source other than a governmental program.

Interim Rule Period Enrollees. Under the final rule, an IP CTS provider must take the following actions regarding IP CTS users who enrolled while the now-vacated interim rules were in effect with 180 days of the effective date of the final rule: (1) register each consumer prior to requesting compensation from the TRS Fund for service provided to the consumer by obtaining the consumer’s full name, date of birth, last four digits of the consumer’s social security number, address and telephone number; and (2) obtain a self-certification from the consumer.

Post-Court Mandate / Pre-Final Rule Effective Date Enrollees. IP CTS users who enroll with a provider during this time period are not subject to any registration or certification requirements before the final rule becomes effective. Once the final rule becomes effective, IP CTS providers will be required to: (1) register each consumer prior to requesting compensation from the TRS Fund for service provided to the consumer by obtaining the consumer’s full name, date of birth, last four digits of the consumer’s social security number, address and telephone number; and (2) obtain a self-certification from the consumer that complies with the final rule. IP CTS providers must complete these steps within 180 days after the effective date of the final rule.

New Enrollees. IP CTS users who enroll with their current IP CTS provider on or after the effective date of the final rule will be subject to the registration and self-certification requirements of the final rule. Accordingly, IP CTS providers must take the following actions regarding such users: (1) register each consumer prior to requesting compensation from the TRS Fund for service provided to the consumer by obtaining the consumer’s full name, date of birth, last four digits of the consumer’s social security number, address and telephone number; (2) obtain a self-certification from each user.

FCC Sets Agenda for August 8 Open Meeting

On August 1, the FCC released the official agenda for its upcoming August 8 Open Meeting, which is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. at the FCC’s D.C. office.

At the meeting, the FCC will consider:

  • a Report and Order to streamline and update the rules governing the construction, marking, and lighting of antenna structures, which are intended to improve efficiency, reduce regulatory burdens, and enhance compliance with tower painting and lighting requirements, while continuing to ensure the safety of pilots and aircraft passengers nationwide;
  • a Second Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that establishes deadlines for covered text providers to be capable of delivering texts to appropriate 911 public safety answering points, and seeks comment on proposals to improve text-to-911 service, such as through the provision of better location information and roaming support; and
  • five broadcast items presented as consent agenda items.
This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, please contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com .

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Complete Technical Services For The Communications and Electronics Industries Design • Installation • Maintenance • Training • Engineering • Licensing • Technical Assistance

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Tel/Fax: 972-960-9336
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Wireless Network Planners

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Wireless Network Planners
Wireless Specialists

www.wirelessplanners.com
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com

R.H. (Ron) Mercer
Consultant
217 First Street
East Northport, NY 11731
ron mercer

Cellphone: 631-786-9359

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Wireless Network Planners

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Prism Paging

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prism
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PRISM IP MESSAGE GATEWAY

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THE ULTIMATE IN COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE RADIO PAGING SYSTEMS

prism
  • VoIP telephone access — eliminate interconnect expense
  • Call from anywhere — Prism SIP Gateway allows calls from PSTN and PBX
  • All the Features for Paging, Voice-mail, Text-to-Pager, Wireless and DECT phones
  • Prism Inet, the new IP interface for TAP, TNPP, SNPP, SMTP — Industry standard message input
  • Direct Connect to NurseCall, Assisted Living, Aged Care, Remote Monitoring, Access Control Systems
prism
prism

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WiPath Communications

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Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data

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

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

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PDT3000 Paging Data Terminal

pdt 2000 image

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

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Paging Controlled Moving Message LED Displays

welcom wipath

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

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PDR3000/PSR3000 Paging Data Receivers

paging data receiver

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

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Specialized Paging Solutions

paging data receiver

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

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Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

mobile data terminal

radio interface

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

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

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Hark Technologies

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hark logo

Wireless Communication Solutions

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USB Paging Encoder

paging encoder

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

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Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

pdr

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

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Other products

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Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.

Contact
Hark Technologies
717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163
Summerville, SC 29485
Tel: 843-821-6888
Fax: 843-821-6894
E-mail: sales@harktech.com left arrow CLICK
Web: http://www.harktech.com left arrow CLICK

hark David George and Bill Noyes
of Hark Technologies.

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Hark Technologies

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advertise

Click on the logo above for more info.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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From:Brad Dye
Subject: Anything you want to say
Date:August 8, 2014
To:You

I am saving this one for you. How about next week?

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UNTIIL NEXT WEEK

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The Wireless Messaging News


Best regards,
brad's signature
Newsletter Editor
73 DE K9IQY

Brad Dye
P.O. Box 266
Fairfield, IL 62837 USA

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CONTACT INFO & LINKS
Skype: braddye
Twitter: @BradDye1
Telephone: 618-599-7869
E–mail: brad@braddye.com
Wireless: Consulting page
Paging: Home Page
Marketing & Engineering Papers
K9IQY: Ham Radio Page

Back To Paging
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Still The Most Reliable Wireless Protocol For Emergencies!

Wireless
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Messaging

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THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

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A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck southwestern China on Sunday, killing nearly 600 people in a remote area of Yunnan province, causing thousands of buildings, including a school, to collapse. The earthquake also triggered multiple landslides that have blocked rivers and created rapidly growing bodies of water that could unleash more destruction on survivors of the disaster. More than 10,000 soldiers and hundreds of volunteers have rushed to Ludian County to clear roads and dig out possible survivors from the debris, but landslides and bouts of heavy rain have complicated rescue efforts. An estimated 80,000 houses were destroyed and 124,000 seriously damaged. [source]

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Earthquake-collapsed houses in Longtoushan town, Ludian county, Yunnan province, on August 4, 2014. (Reuters/Stringer) [source]

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A child, cuddling a kitten, rests under a shelter in the earthquake zone in Ludian county on August 5, 2014. (Reuters/Stringer) [source]

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A man who lost six children cries over the debris of his house in the earthquake zone of Longtoushan town, Ludian county, on August 5, 2014. (Reuters/Stringer) [source]

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