wireless networks

Rethinking Mobile Infrastructure: The New Last Mile

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The proliferation of mobile devices and applications is creating unique communication network challenges for federal government institutions. With the surge of new smartphones and multimedia devices, CIOs and CTOs are dealing with growing demands by employees to deliver improved productivity and efficiency that mobile networks are continuing to provide.

The resulting task is monumental and multifaceted, including managing smartphones and other mobile devices, ensuring multi-carrier support, setting security parameters and prioritizing access control for all the mobile devices on their networks. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 8, 2012 at 9:01 AM

General Dynamics And Samsung To Market Secure Government Smartphones

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General Dynamics is hardly a name that comes to mind in today’s fast moving smartphone market. Inside National Security Agency circles, however, General Dynamic’s Sectera Edge smartphone — for awhile at least — had gained a reputation for its ability to make secure phone calls and access email and data on classified networks via cellular networks and Wi-Fi access points anywhere in the world.

But priced at more than $3,100 per phone, and weighing 12 ounces, and about as user friendly as its generic government name, the Secure Mobile Environment Portable Electronic Device (SME PED) was all but destined to lose its appeal as smartphone makers and application developers continued to revolutionize what smartphones could do. (Even President Obama, upon taking office, balked at using one, preferring his BlackBerry at the time.) Keep reading →

 /  Published May 30, 2012 at 8:53 AM

End Of Verizon’s Unlimited Use Plans Could Mean Leverage For Feds

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Verizon’s plans to eliminate unlimited use plans should accelerate the federal government’s push to leverage Uncle Sam’s buying power to get lower prices and enhanced services from the carriers and the device manufacturers, a federal IT marketplace expert said Friday.

According to a CNET report, Verizon Wireless officials on Thursday clarified plans to discontinue unlimited data plans, saying customers could keep their existing unlimited data plans if they keep their existing device or buy a new device at the full retail cost of the smartphone. In other words, the report states, if a customer renews a contract and purchases a subsidized phone, they would lose the option to keep the unlimited plan. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 18, 2012 at 12:30 PM

Verizon Chief Calls On DoD To Explore Sharing Wireless Spectrum

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Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam urged the federal government and the Defense Department to explore options for the sharing of wireless spectrum by the public and private sectors to meet the needs of mobile consumers.

“Government and industry must work together to find ways to use spectrum more efficiently so that we are all truly connected, especially in times of need,” McAdam stated, speaking at the Defense Information Systems Agency’s annual Mission Partner Conference, held in Tampa last week. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 14, 2012 at 2:49 PM

New Group Eyes Wireless Power Ecosystem

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You’re on an important call with your agency’s administrator and suddenly your phone beeps and you get that dreaded “Low Battery!” message. Or you’re a warfighter with multiple items all requiring recharging. To be sure, keeping your mobile devices powered up can be a challenge and a nuisance.

Now two power players in the consumer electronics industry are leading the charge to change that. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 14, 2012 at 8:44 AM