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.

AT&T expects to reach 60 percent completion of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) buildout by the end of the third quarter, said AT&T Chief Financial Officer (CFO) John Stephens.

InfiNet Wireless delivered a wireless infrastructure solution to JSC Karazhanbasmunai, one of Kazakhstan’s major oil producers. The technology, which provides real-time control and accounting of oil production, was deployed on the Karazhanbas oil field located in Mangistau region.