From: wb8foz@panix.com   
      
   On 4/4/22 6:59 PM, Telecom Digest Moderator wrote:   
      
   > On Mon, Apr 04, 2022 at 09:45:06PM +0000, John Doe wrote:   
      
   |The federal government pays for the system and sponsors are sent   
   |bills for the usage.  Users are government employees (ranging from   
   |Wage Grade to Cabinet Officials), certain scientific and technical   
   |personnel, contractors, and critical infrastructure/industry users   
   |sponsored by the state or federal government.  You are encouraged to   
   |test it annually.   
      
   My memory was usage up to $X/month was free for the user; the (astute)   
   intent was to keep it (and the card holder) tested regularly.   
      
   | Also interesting when State of Florida rebid their Public Safety radio   
   | network they required the radios to be LTE interoperable.  In the   
   | event of a hurricane that takes out their P25 infrastructure, or a   
   | massive local need that exceeds bandwidth, they can switch radios over   
   | to LTE (presumingly FirstNet)   
      
   > Kudos to Florida: I just hope that the hurricane/flood/whatever   
   > doesn't take down the FirstNet sites at the same time it's destroying   
   > ordinary cell towers.   
      
   I'd bet dollars to donuts that FirstNet cell sites are ordinary site and   
   vice versa. All it takes is software to put FN users at the head of the   
   line. Do note that for all the flagwaving and cheering by FirstNet   
   recipients, the FCC has not mandated backup power at cell sites.   
      
      
   >> Having said that you don't see a lot of "walkie talkie" users on first   
   >> net.  It's mostly cell phones, tablets, Mobile routers, EKGs, MDTs,   
   >> Liscense Plate readers, etc.   
   >   
   > Whoa! Have mercy! I'm an analog tech in a digital world!   
   > What are "EKGs?" What are "MDTs?"   
      
   Electrocardiogram: What the TV ER docs/paramedics look at before using   
   the defibrillator.   
      
   Mobile Data Terminal is the computer in the cop car used to look up   
   your license plate before being arrested for having an air freshener   
   hanging from your mirror.   
      
   >> FAA has put a few weather sensors on FirstNet (as TDM transport   
   >> becomes obsolete, and they don't need a 3 Mbps carrier Ethernet   
   >> circuit for ~200 bps of data).   
   >   
   > At that rate, the Morse keys and sounders in the Gamewell boxes might still   
   come in handy! ;-)   
      
   And maybe more dependable....   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)