The Public Safety Unmanned Response Team North Texas (PSURTNTX), a non-profit organization comprised of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) remote pilots from regional public-safety entities, and AIRT, a Florida-based non-profit organization, signed an agreement of cooperation to support the use of UAS for public-safety and emergency-management missions.

The Portsmouth (Ohio) Police and Fire Departments are connecting their first responders to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) communications network for public safety. The departments are using FirstNet on modems and department-issued smartphones.

With another mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) provider entering the U.S. market last month and the first commercial launches by carriers expected later this year, the market continues to be dynamic. The biggest challenges for public-safety users could be determining whether a PTT service is truly mission critical and ensuring that whatever service is selected is interoperable with other PTT technology used by surrounding agencies.

Anritsu appointed Robert Johnson as vice president and general manager for Anritsu Americas Sales Co. (AASC). He will oversee all AASC operations and position the company as the pre-eminent test and measurement innovator serving the 5G ecosystem, as well as internet of things (IoT), cellular, military/aerospace and public safety.

VITAS Healthcare, a provider of end-of-life care, is the first approved hospice provider to be connected to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) nationwide public-safety broadband network. The company's access to FirstNet enables VITAS employees to use the highly secure and reliable communications tool for patient care and assistance while in the field.

The FCC proposed fines against the nation’s four largest wireless carriers for apparently selling access to their customers’ location information without taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to that information. T-Mobile faces a proposed fine of more than $91 million, AT&T faces a proposed fine of more than $57 million, Verizon’s proposed fine is more than $48 million and Sprint’s fine is more than $12 million.

The city of Darwin joined Australia’s Orion digital radio network with a nationwide footprint that offers critical uncongested communications and data analysis and display for management for a range industries including aviation, construction, facilities management, security, utilities, transport and logistics.

The FCC proposed changes to its white space device rules that it said will pave the way for improved broadband coverage for rural Americans.

Control room technology provider APD Communications won a Home Office contract for the U.K. Emergency Services Network (ESN). APD secured the contract to develop critical software to enable blue light organizations and other public services to integrate with ESN.https://www.rrmediagroup.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/16746/

The FCC established application and bidding procedures for the auction of more than 22,000 county-sized priority access licenses (PALs) in the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band.