People

Lawmakers riled about poor emergency communications

A congressional subcommittee grilled federal emergency communications officials today about the need for reliable communications for first responders.

Digital Government

Aruba offers mobile access to enterprise nets

Mobile Edge gives users access to their organization's enterprise network from anywhere, according to the product announcement.

Cybersecurity

Securing laptop PCs for public Wi-Fi hot spots

California company unveils new product that secures work over public Wi-Fi hot spots.

Modernization

Army doubles Savi RFID contracts

Army increases contract for active radio frequency identification tags and readers used to track supplies delivered to Iraq.

Modernization

HandsOn: Computing in the dark

Standard batteries for laptop computers are still limited, but a few improvements are on the horizon.

People

Milwaukee to create citywide Wi-Fi net

A company approached city officials with the idea to develop a network at no cost to taxpayers.

Modernization

Can only you hear me now?

Technologies that can help you secure voice over IP

Modernization

Congress pushes for more resilient telecom

As congressional lawmakers probe the weak, uncoordinated government relief and recovery responses to Hurricane Katrina, they have begun pushing for better communications networks that are interoperable and resilient.

Modernization

Congress seeks improved disaster communications

The FCC chairman tells a Senate committee that interoperability, better protocols and a comprehensive national alert system would help in future crises.

People

New York awards $2 billion public safety radio communications deal

M/A-COM will implement, operate and maintain a statewide interoperable wireless radio network.

Modernization

Senate bill seeks survivable communications

Several senators introduced a bipartisan bill yesterday that would provide several billion dollars to develop survivable, interoperable communications.

People

Radio upkeep is no small task in New Orleans

Never mind interoperability, just keeping radios up and running proves a big undertaking.

Modernization

Navy restricts use of handheld devices

The new policy aims to better manage cell phones, PDAs and calling cards.

Cybersecurity

NSA awards L-3 Communications secure mobile phone contract

L-3 and General Dynamics are developing an NSA-grade handheld communications device to be used when communications involve classified information.

Modernization

A PDA in hand ...

Local, state and federal emergency responders in the Gulf Coast are using their own self-contained portable radio units with batteries, satellite phones or communications trailers with an array of devices.

Modernization

FCC proposes telecom help in areas hit by Katrina

Chairman Kevin Martin proposed about $211 million to help low-income residents, health care providers, schools, libraries and telecom companies.

Modernization

Focus turns to disaster response

The slow, disorganized response by emergency responders to Hurricane Katrina has prompted IT officials to think more creatively about how to deploy technology.

People

Real-time weather alerts silenced

NWS, WeatherBug and telecommunications company officials have labored to restore communications at stations that transmit weather information.

Digital Government

LightPointe opens government office

Company specializes in outdoor high-speed wireless networking.

Modernization

Coast Guard tech situation improving

The Coast Guard has regained most of its IT capabilities along the Gulf Coast.