The French Ministry of Interior (MoI) Home Affairs Technologies and Information Systems Department ST(SI)2 has selected most of the suppliers for its critical communications broadband solution. The selections follow a process that started in 2015 in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks.

Samsung Electronics signed an expansion contract with KT to provide public-safety Long Term Evolution (PS-LTE) network solutions based on Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard Release 13 for 10 major metropolitan regions in South Korea including Seoul by 2020. In addition, the two companies will deliver what they called the world’s first narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) service through the PS-LTE network.

The FCC reminded commercial mobile service providers participating in wireless emergency alerts (WEA) of their obligations beginning May 1. The carriers must now support longer WEA messages, from 90 to 360 characters, for 4G and future networks and support a new class of alerts, called public-safety messages, to convey recommended actions for saving lives or property.

General Devices (GD) announced that its GD e-Bridge application is now certified First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Listed and available via the FirstNet App Catalog.

The FCC requested comment on a request filed by Ocean Signal for waiver to permit the equipment authorization and use of a personal locator beacon (PLB) that incorporates automatic identification system (AIS) functionality in compliance with a recently published Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) standard.

Movement to develop a 5G-based direct mode vehicle-to-everything (V2X) New Radio sidelink continued at the latest Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) meetings in Shenzhen, China, in March, according to attendees.

Vertel, Australia’s largest privately owned telecommunications carrier, met compliance obligations including a declaration of conformity and RCM labelling from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for its push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) devices, the Telo TE390 and Telo M5.

Ericsson and mining systems integration firm Ambra Solutions announced a global cooperation agreement to lead automation for the mining industry. Ambra selected Ericsson as a radio partner to provide 5G-ready network solutions to automate ventilation systems, real-time personnel and vehicle tracking, and remote controlling of machinery such as scoop diggers, hauler trucks, drillers and other mining equipment.

CTIA is opposing a bill, unless amended, in the California state legislature that would prohibit wireless carriers from throttling data to public-safety agencies during emergencies.

The BroadWay pan-European public-safety broadband procurement extended its deadline for tenders until 22 August. Additionally, the question-and-answer period was reopened with a deadline of 18 June.