Wireless rides high

It's unlikely that CBs ever will make a comeback, but the desire that fueled their popularity lives on. Whether it is cell phones, hybrid personal digital assistants or tablet PCs, we love wireless.

AT&T wins two military network support deals

AT&T Government Solutions won two new contracts with the U.S. military totaling nearly $8 million.

DHS slow to adopt interoperable radio standards

The Homeland Security Department is not expected to adopt its first standard for interoperable, digital, wireless communications for first responders until the end of 2007, according to a report from DHS inspector general Richard Skinner.

Skinner: FEMA lacked common IT system during Katrina

IT shortcomings contributed to the federal government's failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina, according to a new report from Homeland Security Department Inspector General Richard Skinner.

Senate issues call to vendors for major IT upgrade

The Senate wants interested vendors to detail whether they can provide, install and maintain thousands of computers and servers both on Capitol Hill and throughout the country.

RFI issued for IT Infrastructure LOB

Vendors are asked to "describe solutions and implementation approaches for achieving the government's IT Infrastructure Optimization Initiative vision and goals through the development of common solutions integrated with the Federal Enterprise Architecture."

Bechtel moves on telecom

American engineering, construction and project management giant Bechtel isn't a company that comes readily to mind as a major telecommunications contender in the federal market. But that will change if James Payne, the new president of federal telecoms, has his way.

What are you looking at?

Several of the largest IT systems integrators in the United States are taking on one of the biggest federal technology projects of the decade: creating Secure Border Initiative-Net, an electronic surveillance system that will cover the U.S. -Mexico border?all 2,000 miles of it.

Ga. county taps M/A-Com for public safety radio

Public safety and utility workers in Newton County, Ga., will count on a new radio system being implemented by M/A-Com for better communications in emergencies and day-to-day activities.

EarthLink-Google team to build WiFi net for San Francisco

San Francisco has selected a team headed by EarthLink Inc. and Google Inc. to build a citywide WiFi network that is expected to provide free and low-cost Internet access for the city.

How's your backbone?

How cryptic is the mandate for federal agencies to transition their network backbones to Version 6 of the Internet Protocol by 2008? Walt Grabowski thinks it may be more cryptic than first thought.

Alcatel acquires Lucent

<font color="CC0000"><b>(Updated)</b></font> Telecom equipment makers Alcatel and Lucent Technologies Inc. will create a separate subsidiary to perform sensitive R&D work for the U.S. government and handle certain federal contracts as part of a planned purchase by the French company.

Harris inks NSA secure wireless deal

Aimed at building wireless networks with top-secret security, a contract awarded to Harris Corp. by the National Security Agency enables the company to supply its secure wireless product to federal agencies and other approved customers.

GSA to hold Networx transition summit

Although the contracts will not be awarded until next spring and summer, the General Services Administration is planning a conference later this year to explore how agencies will transition to GSA's $20 billion Networx telecommunications vehicles.

So much promise, so much challenge

If ever a technology seemed tailored to the needs of government, it is service-oriented architecture. SOAs link disparate systems, but still make federal agencies think.

CDW-G to supply desktops to State Department

CDW Government Inc. won contracts totaling more than $13 million to deliver about 16,000 Lenovo desktop computers and third-party components to the State Department.

Ready for disaster

As the storm surge began to spill over and lay waste to New Orleans' levees, the flood waters wiped out much of the city's communications systems that the wind and rain hadn't destroyed.

Commercial satellites fly for DOD

Realizing that the next wave of government satellites will take years to develop and launch ? and even when they are launched, demand may exceed their capabilities ? the military now is reaffirming its need for commercial satellites.

Group pushes IP enhancements for 911 system

The nation's 911 emergency call systems urgently need to be upgraded to handle new technologies, according to recommendations in a new report from the National Emergency Number Association.

SBI offers integration challenge

Greg Giddens has more than video cameras, sensors and computer systems on his mind as he sets up the Homeland Security Department's giant Secure Border Initiative surveillance system.