Thursday, November 19, 2015

Commonwealth countries adopt action plan towards achieving consensus ahead of WRC15

Commonwealth countries adopt action plan towards achieving consensus ahead of WRC-15 - CTO: Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation

Commonwealth countries taking part in the group of nations’ preparatory meeting last week in London ahead of the forthcoming 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) have adopted an action plan towards achieving consensus at the international conference next month.

WRC-15, which will allocate new spectrum for radio communications, including for international mobile telecommunication (IMT) services will take place from 2 to 27 November 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

All regional groupsâ€"whose positions guide the WRC processâ€"include Commonwealth countries among their members. The London meeting which took place on 7 â€" 9 October 2015 was an opportunity for members of these regional groups to better appreciate the views and positions of other regions and help achieve greater consensus.

Chaired by Anil Kaushal, Member of the Board of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India, the meeting elected a Bureau to coordinate the views of Commonwealth countries during the Conference next month. The Bureau includes Dr Edmund Katiti (Uganda) as the WRC Commonwealth Coordinator; representatives from Canada, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, UK and the Caribbean as Vice-Coordinators; and Edmund Fianko (Ghana) as the WRC Commonwealth Rapporteur. Agenda Item Coordinators were also appointed.

Sharing his satisfaction at the end of the three-day meeting, the CTO’s Secretary-General Shola Taylor said he was satisfied that “this meeting has helped to better understand the various positions by different regions, and has also highlighted areas where clarity was still required, and we are grateful to the ITU for its contributions throughout our discussions”.

Key outcomes of the London meeting include:





  • Strong support for identification of additional spectrum for IMT in most parts of the L band;


  • Resolve to protect digital terrestrial television in the UHF band;


  • Future studies on potential use of part of the S band for IMT;


  • Mechanisms to achieve consensus on the lower part of the C band taking into account the growing demand for mobile broadband and the needs of countries like in the Pacific which depend heavily on satellites;


  • Support for future studies for IMT above 6 GHz to accommodate 5G, excluding Ku and Ka satellite bands;


  • A mechanism for further engagement with various regions on the possible use of FSS for unmanned aircraft, taking into account aviation safety concerns;


  • Support for global harmonisation on Earth Stations on Mobile Platforms; and


  • Recognition of the importance and urgent treatment of global flight tracking taking into account studies in the Director’s report.






“For Commonwealth countries, this meeting gave a clearer sense of the likely outcomes of WRC-15, so we encourage our members to be proactive and contribute to deliberations in Geneva as efficient as possible,” Mr Taylor added.

Mario Maniewicz, Deputy to the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau at the ITU gave the participants an overview of preparations for WRC-15, and also provided clarifications on WRC proceedings and rules that will guide the Conference.

Festus Daudu, Chair-Designate of WRC-15 who also took part in the London meeting said discussions were “very productive as they enabled countries represented to better understand all regional positions, and I would like to congratulate the CTO for taking this initiative.”

Private-sector operators such as Inmarsat, Avanti Communications Group, and Google, as well as mobile industry association GSMA also took part in the meeting to express interest in specific spectrum bands in pursuit of advancing global connectivity. The case for safeguarding spectrum resources allocated to broadcasting was made by the BBC who gave a tour of its extensive London production facilities to the participants at the meeting.

Representing the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Kirk Sookram, Executive Officer for Technical Service and Development also shared his satisfaction at the end of the event: “The meeting has given Caribbean participants a great opportunity to understand within a single forum the views of all other regions that have some of their members in the Commonwealth,” he said.

The initiative of the London pre-WRC-15 meeting by the CTO is part of a wider programme of activities to implement a specific mandate of Commonwealth ICT ministers at their meeting held in London in March 2014 to coordinate all ICT matters in the Commonwealth.

Earlier this week, less than a month after assuming office, Mr Taylor had met with Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of the ITU in Geneva to discuss wider collaboration between the two organisations.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Exactly what is a Covert Earpiece?

A covert earpiece is designed to go unnoticed in a person’s ear. Typically, the iconic image of the bodyguard or FBI agent always springs to the forefront of the imagination when the subject of covert earpieces is brought up, but they are often used by live on-air television personalities to take cues and direction from the production team as well. Politicians will also use them when making live speeches to get immediate feedback and change the course of the dialogue if needed.

Not all covert earpieces are designed for two-way communication, but during sensitive surveillance operations or security details a microphone is often used for real-time communication. The presence of a low-profile microphone becomes a necessity in these types of operations to keep the security forces hands-free at all times. They also allow the user to blend into a crowd without using a conspicuous walkie-talkie or other form of hand-held device.

Covert earpieces are designed not to have any visible wiring and to fit neatly inside the ear without being observable to any passers by who may be in the general vicinity. There are even devices made to fit on an ordinary pair of glasses, which amplify sound inside of the wearer’s ear.

An Earpieceonline acoustic tube earpiece has the features of a thin tube that helps to transmit sound. The tube fits snugly behind the ear, while the bud goes inside the ear. The acoustic tube ear piece is commonly paired with a microphone when used in security or covert operations, but there are some civilians who prefer to use it with their personal devices, such as mobile phones and personal audio devices. The ability to efficiently eliminate background noise in loud areas makes them a top choice for use in television and media as well.

The sturdy tubing of the acoustic tube is vital in protecting the delicate wiring involved in the listening device. The ability to protect the most crucial aspects of the earpiece makes the acoustic tube preferable over other devices with exposed wiring and even wireless devices, as the acoustic tube earpieces are known to outlast others. Anyone who will be performing rigorous activity while wearing a covert earpiece will choose the most durable option.

Many earpieces will be connected wirelessly to a handheld device called a main board, usually kept in the pocket or hidden somewhere on the person. Typically, there will be a beeper button on the main board, which sends a beep noise to connected devices when pressed. It can be used to send covert messages and sometimes has other uses, like connecting to Bluetooth with a long press of the button. Covert messages can also be sent by tapping the microphone, usually discreetly placed on the shoulder or wrist.

A neck loop will is also attached to the main board. This loop will transmit sounds wirelessly from the main board to the earpiece. The loop is worn loosely around the neck under the clothing, so it is not noticed in the collar area by anyone in the close proximity.

So, whether you’re a bodyguard on the job or a jogger listening to music, covert earpieces will fit the bill for any covert listening situation.



Reasons For Using Radio Earpiece for Security

Radio earpieces allow people in the security industry to communicate in a covert manner. They ensure other people don’t hear the information they are sharing, to maintain secrecy. Security earpieces come in various models, although there are two major categories: wired and wireless. The two categories come in varying versions to match the varying needs of different security personnel. The following is a close look at benefits of using radio earpiece for security .

Covert communications

Security professionals use radio earpieces to pass confidential information without disclosing it to third parties. The level of discreteness and covertness is determined by the kind of operation in hand so as to increase the chances of completing it successfully. Some of the messages that need to be concealed from third parties include information about;

Chasing criminals: Security agents within the affected geographical area are alerted immediately. This encourages quick action by the security forces and ensures there is no information outflow to third parties.

Emergencies and attacks such as robbery: They need a quick response to restore the situation and save lives. Additionally, only security officers with a radio earpiece are notified to speed up the operations.

Rescue missions: The success of rescue missions is dependent on teamwork and concealed communication. Security officers use radio earpieces to get updates about the mission without tipping the enemy.

Radio can be hidden away

Undercover security agents work to provide reliable information during investigations and cases. With weak links in the security network they need concealed communication equipment to avoid suspicion by the general public. Radio earpieces make this possible because they allow them to hide their radio and communicate effectively. Some of these earpieces are also difficult to notice, especially the wireless ones which are worn inside the ear. Additionally, some look like ordinary earphones making it hard for the public to differentiate them.

Better communication

All security agents need proper communication to protect the contracted clients and property. Clear communication ensures high level of awareness about the surroundings at all times. Earpieces guarantee proper communication regardless of the surrounding environment making it possible for the security agents are able handle noisy areas with ease. Some of the noisy areas and moments that demand use of radio earpiece include shopping centres, when controlling traffic, pubs and events such as concerts, live performances and shows.

They give a professional look

Security guards with proper working gear like communication equipment and uniform look professional and more approachable. Radio earpieces show preparedness and encourage the members of the public to interact with them. They also act as a mental barrier to deter criminals since they denote swift reaction and availability of a backup team.

It is clear that there are many reasons why security agents use radio earpiece for security. The earpieces allow them to communicate clearly regardless of the amount of noise on the surrounding to maintain law and order with ease. Subsequently, security enforcers are able to work behind the scenes to provide security at public areas, office buildings and during large gatherings.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Alonso unfazed by rule changes

Fernando Alonso doesn't believe the changes to the start procedures that will come into effect at Spa will make much of a difference.



As of this weekend's Belgium Grand Prix, the FIA will clamp down on radio communication between drivers and the pitwall and only critical information will be relayed. Teams will also be prevented from changing the clutch bite point once the cars leave the garage ahead of the race.

However, two-time World Champion Alonso isn't expecting any disruption to his usual pre-race strategy.

"It will not be a significant change. I know that there is some talk about this but maybe for next year or the following years will be more different," the Spaniard said.

"What we will have here is just some restrictions in communications with the drivers and the team etc but I think... at least in our team we were not doing any specific communication or strategy during the formation laps etc so it will not change much."

There will be more changes next year as the FIA has issued a technical directive that states engineers will not be able to coach the drivers over the radio on things like tyre degradation and fuel saving.

Although the McLaren driver admits drivers will have to "pay a little more attention", he doesn't think it be a train smash.

"Well, I don't think it will make a huge change because... yeah, we are receiving some information now on the radio about tyres, about fuel or other things on the car but we are perfectly aware of what is happening in the car and what is the best solution for the specific issues that we are facing during the race so if that information is not coming, it will come anyway by instinct and by the reactions of the car," he said.

"So yeah, we will have to pay a little bit more attention to a few things that now we rely a little bit on the radio but it's not a big change and probably it's welcome, all those changes, to have a little bit more to do in the car and feeling a little bit more important."

It's difficult to see why F1 are strangling the communications between drivers and teams, One team does not gain anything over any other by relaying information over the radio, but as Alonso has said in this article on planetf1.com it's not an issue.