Global imports of information and communications technology (ICT) goods increased by only 1 percent in 2014, the latest year for which figures are available, the lowest rate of growth compared with the preceding five years, newly released United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data show.

Improvements for portable LMR accessories include increasingly longer battery life, faster charging batteries and better sound in speaker microphones. These improvements and increased demand have led to a market estimated to be worth $1.3 billion in 2014 and is forecast at a 2.1 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to $1.5 billion in 2019.

A report from Frost & Sullivan found that the Asia-Pacific market for industrial control systems (ICS) security reached revenues of US$162.9 million in 2014. The report, titled “Asia-Pacific Industrial Control Systems Security Market”, estimated that the market will reach revenues of US$1.8 billion by 2019.

A new survey of states said that enacted state budgets for fiscal 2016 represent a sixth consecutive year of spending and revenue growth.

In a recently published market report, “Critical Communications in Oil & Gas – 2015,” IHS said the global market for critical communications technologies in the oil and gas industry will reach more than $1 billion by 2019. IHS defines critical communications as an integration of LMR terminals, infrastructure, accessories, command-and-control room technologies and services, and broadband Long Term Evolution (LTE) hardware and devices.

In an environment of technology uncertainty and limited budgets, many agencies are waiting as long as possible to upgrade their radios and networks. In response, some manufacturers and dealers are offering trade-in programs to incentivize agencies to refresh their equipment.

VDC Research released a report that indicates public-safety agency budgets have increased during the past year, enabling organizations to invest in new technologies. The investments could take many forms, but VDC predicts that video and mobile hardware and software will experience the most robust growth during the next five years.

Market research firm IHS forecasted market growth of more than 13 percent in the installed base of active narrowband radios in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

The use of Long Term Evolution (LTE) in private cellular networks is projected to grow tenfold between 2014 and 2019, according to a new report from IHS on the broadband market in critical communications for the next five years. However, lack of spectrum and budget remain the two major barriers for growth.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took to Twitter to explain and discuss its System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program.