public safety
White House aims to make internet '90 percent cheaper' to build, teams up with Mozilla for $500k competition
www.engadget.com
The government's US Ignite partnership aims to push the growth of next-generation broadband networks, teaming up with over 100 start-ups, universities and existing tech companies like HP, Comcast and Verizon for the project. The President is set to sign an executive order today that aims to cut the cost...
White House aims to make internet '90 percent cheaper' to build, teams up with Mozilla for $500k competition
Hold cops personally liable for camera arrests? Connecticut bill says yes
arstechnica.com
The Connecticut state Senate passed legislation last week that would hold police officers in the state personally liable for violating a citizen's First Amendment right to videotape their actions. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield). According to The Day, a Connecticut newspaper, Coleman cited the 1991...
Vic Toews Apparently Not A Fan Of Others Seeing His Personal Data
www.techdirt.com
You may recall that Canadian Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews announced Canada's "lawful access" (read: government monitoring of the internet) bill by saying that if you weren't in favor of the bill, you supported child porn. Over the weekend, he also seemed to admit that he didn't even understand...
Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013
www.engadget.com
The Canadian government made a major announcement on telecom policy late this afternoon, revealing a change that opens the door to more foreign ownership of wireless companies -- an issue that's been a point of contention for some time. As The Globe & Mail reports, the new rules will...
Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013
Canadian Politician: You're Either In Favor Of Letting The Gov't Spy On Your Internet Usage... Or You're For Child Pornography
www.techdirt.com
Up in Canada, they're pushing for a new "lawful access" bill, which is basically a "government can spy on your internet usage" bill. Michael Geist has a full and complete run down about the new effort and why it's crazy. But, the insane part came out of the introduction when...
Canadian Politician: You're Either In Favor Of Letting The Gov't Spy On Your Internet Usage... Or You're For Child Pornography
Canadian safety minister orders stop to airport recording pending 'privacy impact assessment'
www.theverge.com
The Canadian government may be moving away from a proposed plan to use video and audio equipment to monitor employee and traveler conversations at airports, The Ottawa Citizen reports. Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews has ordered a stop to the process until a full "privacy impact assessment" can...
Public Safety Sees Opportunity, Pitfalls in Social Media
www.pcworld.com
Law enforcement agencies are looking for ways to mine social media to look for threats, but those speaking at a conference on Wednesday suggested that an equally......
Photo of the Day: Master Chief, the ultimate Microsoft security guard
www.geekwire.com
I spent some time today over at Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Safety Symposium, and spent some time inside the company’s Global Security Operations Center in Redmond, one of three such facilities around the world where Microsoft monitors the status of its facilities and the safety of its employees. I’ll have more...
Windows 8 app keeps perps under virtual lock and key, frightens pedestrians (video)
www.engadget.com
Need something to sate that Windows 8-lust Microsoft stirred up with its Consumer Preview? Then take a gander at this in-development vehicle control app shown off at the company's Redmond campus as part of this year's Worldwide Public Safety Symposium. Developed by Modularis, an outfit known for their enterprise,...
Public safety sees opportunity, pitfalls in social media
www.computerworld.com
Law enforcement agencies are looking for ways to mine social media to look for threats, but those speaking at a conference on Wednesday suggested that an equally important issue might be trying to control authorities who are causing problems by their use of Twitter, Facebook and other such applications....
Verizon gearing up to deliver ‘text-to-911′ capabilities
thenextweb.com
Verizon has selected a vendor that will help the company deliver the ability to text 911 emergency services, The Hill has learned. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski commended the company for the move. By accepting texts in this way, in lieu of a phone call, Verizon could set the stage for those...
Spectrum auction compromise part of payroll tax cut bill
news.cnet.com
A Congressional compromise to extend the payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits also includes authorization for the incentive spectrum auctions and funding for a public safety wireless network. [Read more]...
FCC approves spectrum changes for Sprint and hospitals
arstechnica.com
woodleywonderworksLate this week, the FCC approved some changes to the current allotment of the wireless spectrum, paving the way for Sprint to expand its current 3G network and launch an LTE service. Possibly more importantly, the government agency also gave hospitals a slice of spectrum that will allow them...
Text-to-911 moves ahead in the US as Verizon chooses partner vendor
arstechnica.com
While text-to-911 has been in the works for some time, it’s looking like Verizon is taking another step towards building a nationwide emergency SMS apparatus, as part of the Next Generation 911 (NG911) upgrades. Those changes are set to also include improved location data for 911 calls as well. About...
911 broadband network: brought to you by TV spectrum selloff
arstechnica.com
Another day, another cliffhanger budget deal passed by Congress. The latest extends payroll tax breaks and unemployment insurance to millions of Americans. But the bill goes further. It attempts a resolution of two of the Federal Communications Commission's stickiest wickets—the transfer of spectrum from television broadcasters to the wireless...
Canadians Respond To Internet Spying Bill By 'Revealing All' To Politician Backing It
www.techdirt.com
We recently wrote about a new effort in Canada around "lawful access" (a nice way of saying internet spying by government). The really ridiculous part was that the Public Safety Minister pushing the bill, Vic Toews pulled out the ridiculous logical fallacy that anyone against the bill was "for child...
FCC rules VoIP providers must report outages in effort to improve 911 service
www.engadget.com
The FCC has many important things under its jurisdiction, and ensuring a functional 911 service is among the most critical. As such, telephony providers are required to report network outages, so the commission can monitor and maintain a resilient service. Until now, this hasn't included VoIP services, but a...
US and Mexico agree to spectrum sharing deal along joint border
www.theverge.com
The FCC has announced that US and Mexican telecommunications officials have come to an agreement for sharing the wireless spectrum along the border between the two countries. Two protocols were signed, which deal with the 800MHz and 1.9GHz spectrum bands along the border, and according to FCC chairman Julius...
FCC to Solicit Comment on Cellphone Jamming
online.wsj.com
The FCC said it will seek comment on whether to allow government agencies to block cellphone services "for the purpose of ensuring public safety."...
FCC Asks for Comments on Mobile Network Shutdowns for Public Safety
www.pcworld.com
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is seeking public comments on whether it's ever appropriate for law enforcement agencies to shut down mobile networks......
Opinion split on authority to shut down wireless in emergency
www.computerworld.com
Opinion appears sharply divided on whether the government and law enforcement should have unchecked authority to initiate a localized or citywide wireless service shutdown for public safety purposes....
Spectrum auction included in payroll bill
www.washingtonpost.com
Tucked into an economic legislative agreement reached early Thursday was a plan to auction off $22 billion worth of spectrum held by commercial broadcasters that will go to consumer networks and public safety first responders. Read full article >>...
FCC wants comments on legality of cellphone jamming
www.electronista.com
The FCC is asking for public input as to whether or not it should allow federal, state, and local government agencies to intentionally jam wireless services in the interest of public safety. The commission is trying to formulate a policy in the wake of actions taken last summer by San...
Supremes to Congress: Bring privacy law into 21st century
news.cnet.com
commentary The justices have ruled that GPS tracking requires a warrant. Now Congress needs to act to balance privacy and public safety regarding location data....
Hoboken Tells Snooki And JWoww To Stay Out
www.huffingtonpost.com
The mayor of Hoboken does not want Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley's "Jersey Shore" spinoff. In a new letter to Jim Bianco and 495 Productions, Mayor Dawn Zimmer has officially denied the request to let the spinoff take place in Hoboken.In the letter, Zimmer says the city has...
Hoboken Denies J-Woww, Snooki Permit To Film Jersey Shore Spinoff
gothamist.com
First, it was food trucks. Then it was the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Now Hoboken is continuing on its straight-and-narrow path by denying filming permits for the Snooki and J-Woww Jersey Shore spinoff. Mayor Dawn Zimmer cited "public safety and quality of life concerns." Perhaps this bikini is too...
Seybold's Take: Spectrum auctions locked in Congress
www.fiercewireless.com
The FCC has committed in its Broadband Plan it submitted to Congress a couple of years ago that it would "find" 500 MHz of spectrum for broadband use within the next 10 years. Further, that within 5 years it would free up 300 MHz of that total for auction to...
Yet Another Cheating Red Light Camera
techdirt.com
Stories about the outrage over red light cameras have started to go mainstream. And given that some suspect the cameras are rigged in favor of revenue over safety, it's to be expected that some of the caught drivers would start to fight back. Reader Josh submitted this story about a...
Seybold: Democracy Now!
www.dailywireless.org
Andrew Seybold, in a think piece posted on Fierce Wireless says it’s doubtful that the FCC could meet its five-year goal of freeing up 300 MHz of spectrum. “It takes months to prepare for such an auction, then it takes a few years to relocate those already on the spectrum,...
×
Just a test of the new info bar. What do you think?