government agencies

A ban on Qualcomm?

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Broadcom has made a formal request to the US ITC to ban all imports of phones with Qualcomm chips. The request, based on patent infringement claims, is directed at phones using WCDMA and EV-DO standards. Broadcom has not requested a broad banning of all phones using WCDMA or EV-DO technologies, but has said that to allow further imports of the Qualcomm units would reward patent infringement. Law enforcement and other government agencies have asked the ITC to refuse the request, saying that a ban on the Qualcomm instruments would have a significant disruptive effect on critical first-responder and public safety functions. No date has been set for a ruling, though appeals and further court actions are expected regardless of the decision.

For more on the Broadcomm litigation:
- Read the complete article at TechWorld

Shhh! Paint stops RF

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Some of the same properties that make radio frequency communications so valuable--the abilities to cover relatively large distances and ignore walls and barriers--can make managing RF coverage difficult. Now EM-SEC Technologies says that its EM-SEC Coating will keep radio-frequency energy from penetrating a space that has been painted with the substance. EM-SEC developed the coating in response to the needs of the military and various government agencies that aren't supposed to really exist. For commercial customers, uses can include adding physical security to wireless networks, shielding control environments from operations RF, and segregating wireless network subnets. Now if it could just keep teenagers from text-messaging during dinner…

For more on RF-shielding coatings:
- read more at the EM-SEC website

Niches strong for wireless apps

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Wireless applications are being adopted at a rapid pace by healthcare and government agencies as they scramble to keep pace with the increasing demands that stem from growing populations and exploding regulatory and economic requirements. The major reason for the move to wireless is the need for workers to move away from their desks as they carry their work into the field. The growth of wireless applications brings exciting possibilities and significant challenges in terms of security and management of the data and network access that will be wandering around in the big, dangerous world.

For more on wireless growth:
- read the article at InformationWeek

How to know when VoIP isn't the right solution

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Everything you read these days about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) seems to highlight how cost effective it can be. But it's not a one-size-fits all technology and sometimes, when researched and examined closely, VoIP may not deliver the value-add an enterprise is looking for. That's exactly what happened in Washington State where IT leaders considered deploying a VoIP network but after a detailed analysis of actual costs, support and integration issues, decided in favor of a hosted telcom solution (using IP along with regular toll-free calling capabilities) instead. While tech leader Tom Page admits that VoIP has some compelling attributes and benefits, its cost outweighed the pros. The state was building a network to link eight call centers and wanted a common platform for managing the system. While many other government agencies do go the VoIP route, while others stick with a PBX system, Page saw the value in a hosted solution that cost much less than the VoIP solution presented to them and that also was easier to deploy. Article