Phoenix going mobile with three firms

Three companies will share a five-year, $45.6 million contract to provide the city of Phoenix with mobile communications equipment and software.

The companies are EF Johnson Co., Lincoln, Neb.; Kenwood Corp., Tokyo; and Motorola Inc., Schaumberg, Ill.

EFJ Johnson will provide 800 Mhz software programmable 5100 series portable and 5300 series mobile radios, the company announced earlier this week. The equipment will be available to all city departments and agencies. It is likely that some of the equipment will be used by public safety and first responders, EFJohnson said.

"We are pleased to be part of the team that is bringing state-of-the-art communications equipment to the city of Phoenix," Michael Jalbert, chairman and chief executive officer, said.

"As a result of the collaboration between [EFJ] and the customer, we are able to provide equipment and support a system that will offer a high-level of protection to the residents of Phoenix," he said.

EFJohnson, a provider wireless telecommunications equipment and solutions, is a subsidiary of EFJ Inc. of Washington. EFJ Inc. has 216 employees and annual sales of $40.8 million in fiscal 2002.