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How about GTE temporarily becoming a partly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon (60/40), during which time it trades on the AMEX/OTCBB (depending on the appeal outcome), until Raytheon spins GTE off onto the Nasdaq? Anyone think that's a possibility?
nilremerlin
AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Europe 2007 Call for Papers
AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Europe 2007
8-9 May 2007
Köln, Germany
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) invites you to submit abstracts of papers to be considered for presentation at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Europe 2007.
AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Europe 2007 will provide an important and timely update on all aspects of the current state of the art across all elements of the sector as seen through European eyes.
Sanswire should be in good shape for this one.
nilremerlin
ray s: this might give you a hint:
http://www.auvsi.org/symposium/
nilremerlin
design333: Confirmed by FRT T&S record:
Design333's buy confirmed (see bold):
1:43:10 PM Trade 0.43 700
1:42:48 PM Trade 0.43 200
1:42:42 PM Ask 0.43 11000
1:42:20 PM Trade 0.43 1500
1:41:36 PM Ask 0.43 11200
1:41:36 PM Trade 0.43 200
1:41:00 PM Ask 0.43 11400
1:41:00 PM Trade 0.43 200
1:39:58 PM Bid 0.42 48100
1:39:56 PM Ask 0.43 11600
1:39:56 PM Trade 0.43 1000
1:39:26 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:39:26 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:39:22 PM Bid 0.42 36100
1:39:22 PM Bid 0.42 34200
1:39:22 PM Bid 0.42 36200
1:39:22 PM Bid 0.42 21100
1:37:58 PM Ask 0.43 12600
1:37:58 PM Trade 0.43 300
1:34:46 PM Bid 0.42 36300
1:32:42 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:31:18 PM Ask 0.43 12900
1:31:18 PM Trade 0.43 100
1:30:40 PM Trade 0.43 100
1:30:36 PM Ask 0.43 13000
1:29:12 PM Ask 0.43 13100
1:29:12 PM Trade 0.43 700
1:28:20 PM Trade 0.43 1000
1:28:16 PM Ask 0.43 13800
1:28:00 PM Trade 0.43 1500
1:27:56 PM Ask 0.43 14800
1:26:54 PM Trade 0.43 2000
1:26:50 PM Ask 0.43 16300
1:26:16 PM Trade 0.43 3000
1:26:12 PM Trade 0.43 2000
1:25:12 PM Ask 0.43 18300
1:25:12 PM Trade 0.43 3100
1:24:40 PM Ask 0.43 21400
1:24:08 PM Trade 0.4299 200
1:22:54 PM Trade 0.42 2000
1:20:24 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:15:04 PM Trade 0.42 300
1:14:48 PM Trade 0.42 4400
1:07:14 PM Trade 0.42 14700
1:06:58 PM Trade 0.42 3300
1:05:02 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:05:02 PM Trade 0.42 100
1:04:58 PM Bid 0.42 34300
1:04:48 PM Ask 0.43 16000
1:04:20 PM Ask 0.44 10000
1:04:16 PM Trade 0.42 60000 design333's buy
1:04:04 PM Trade 0.42 7000
1:04:00 PM Bid 0.42 34400
1:04:00 PM Bid 0.42 27400
1:04:00 PM Bid 0.42 38700
1:03:48 PM Bid 0.42 41400
1:03:48 PM Trade 0.43 500
1:03:00 PM Bid 0.43 500
12:59:24 PM Trade 0.42 300
12:59:20 PM Bid 0.42 41400
12:59:20 PM Bid 0.42 38700
12:58:30 PM Trade 0.42 400
12:53:52 PM Trade 0.42 100
12:52:54 PM Trade 0.42 100
12:52:50 PM Bid 0.42 41700
12:52:50 PM Trade 0.42 200
12:52:12 PM Trade 0.44 6300
12:52:04 PM Ask 0.44 15300
12:51:54 PM Trade 0.43 3000
12:51:52 PM Ask 0.43 100
12:51:52 PM Trade 0.43 700
12:51:38 PM Trade 0.43 100
12:51:22 PM Ask 0.43 3000
12:51:10 PM Ask 0.43 800
12:51:10 PM Trade 0.43 100
12:51:02 PM Ask 0.43 900
12:51:02 PM Trade 0.43 400
12:49:46 PM Bid 0.42 41900
12:49:20 PM Bid 0.42 41700
12:49:20 PM Ask 0.43 1300
12:47:40 PM Bid 0.43 100
12:47:40 PM Bid 0.42 41700
12:47:40 PM Bid 0.42 27400
12:47:40 PM Trade 0.43 100
12:47:34 PM Bid 0.43 200
12:47:34 PM Ask 0.44 15300
12:47:34 PM Ask 0.43 100
12:47:34 PM Ask 0.44 15300
12:47:32 PM Trade 0.43 300
12:47:28 PM Ask 0.43 100
12:45:02 PM Trade 0.43 500
12:45:00 PM Trade 0.43 500
12:45:00 PM Trade 0.43 500
12:44:56 PM Ask 0.43 300
12:41:32 PM Trade 0.43 500
12:41:26 PM Ask 0.43 500
12:40:00 PM Ask 0.43 800
12:40:00 PM Trade 0.43 100
12:39:00 PM Ask 0.43 900
12:39:00 PM Trade 0.43 100
Time & Sales record from FreeRealTime (I also printed it out to retain as a record of evidence).
nilremerlin
design333: You have e-mail. Take heart!
Looks like the hurricane won't stop the AUSVI conference in Florida.
nilremerlin
Why doesn't Seth go after real criminals, like Verizon and
BellSouth, etc.?:
FCC to Ask for Telco Explanation of New Surcharges; BellSouth Drops Charge
Reuters reported that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is planning to ask Verizon Communications and BellSouth to explain why the two companies are charging high-speed Internet customers a new fee that is remarkably similar in amount to the universal service fund (USF) charges that they passed on to customers until it was withdrawn this month. The companies billed the new charge as a "supplier surcharge" and "a regulatory recovery fee", respectively. The FCC will seek to determine if the two telcos have violated truth in billing, which is overseen by the commission. It is expected that AT&T and Qwest Communications will not be asked to provide comment because they have stopped collecting the fee. BellSouth announced that it would drop the surcharge upon hearing of the FCC's possible investigation of the charges.
nilremerlin
Northrop Grumman snares Customs surveillance pilot
08/28/06
By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer
Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a five-year, $33.7 million contract to set up a pilot project for a border security surveillance system that eventually may be integrated into the upcoming Secure Border Initiative Network.
While the award made by the Customs and Border Protection agency is for a pilot project at 40 land ports, it is being billed as an adjunct to the estimated $2 billion SBI-Net comprehensive border surveillance network for the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada, which is scheduled to be awarded by Sept. 30.
Northrop Grumman leads one of five teams competing for that award.
“This pilot program is another investment in DHS’ Secure Border Initiative and an adjunct to the SBI-Net acquisition, responsible for integrating personnel, technology, infrastructure and rapid response capability into a comprehensive border protection system,” Kirk Evans, acting executive director for CBP’s SBI Program Management Office, said in a news release.
“The pilot will be evaluated and based on performance results, may be integrated into the SBInet solution set,” he said.
Evans also confirmed that the SBI-Net award will be made in September. Under the agency’s Border Security Development Program, Northrop Grumman will establish a surveillance system along more than 40 land border ports along the southern border with Mexico. The program already exists at 124 northern points of entry along the U.S.-Canada border.
Northrop Grumman's team for the pilot project includes New Technology Management Inc., Reston, Va.; CLMS LLC, Arlington, Va.; and GRW, Inc., Muskogee, Okla.
The pilot project contract would enhance current capabilities by adding new technologies, including digital imagery, motion detection, and remote monitoring, the press release said.
As part of the contract, Northrop Grumman's Information Technology unit will design and install the surveillance solution, train personnel and design and implement four regional command centers. The solution will include surveillance, communications, video analytics, network and IT components and archiving capabilities, Northrop Grumman said in a press release.
“Border security problems should be addressed with an integrated solution of processes, technology, infrastructure and rapid response capability, which will produce a comprehensive border protection system,” Tom Arnsmeyer, Northrop Grumman vice president and program manager, said in a news release.
Northrop Grumman of Los Angeles has more than 125,000 employees and had annual revenue of $30.7 billion in fiscal 2005. The company ranks No. 2 on Washington Technology’s 2006 Top 100 list of federal IT prime contractors.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/1_1/daily_news/29196-1.html
nilremerlin
Interesting contract award today:
Space Data Corp., Chandler, Ariz., is being awarded a $49,000,000 firm fixed price contract. This contract action will provide near space communication relays for voice and data and performance for command and control for primary and secondary payloads, primary payload version 1 and version 2; including launch system design, launch system components, and launch system supportability. At this time $1,473,798 has been obligated. This work will be complete August 2011. Headquarters Space and Missile Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8818-06-D-0034 and Order Number 0001).
nilremerlin
AUVSI Symposium Floor Plan: Sanswire Booth 537, 20'x10', Hall B (to the right of the food service area):
http://www.auvsi.org/symposium/2006/06FloorPlan.pdf
nilremerlin
Tropical Storm Ernesto
AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2006 will proceed as planned. We are monitoring the situation with regard to Hurricane Ernesto and don't expect it to impact our show. We will continue to follow the forecast closely and will make any necessary adjustments as the situation progresses.
http://www.auvsi.org/symposium/
nilremerlin
FCC Auction Reaches almost $13 Billion after 41 Rounds
Bidding in the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction of advanced wireless services (AWS) came close to $13 billion USD after 12 days and 41 rounds of bidding. The net total of the bids reached $12,821,828,700 with $117,337.200 in new bids in the 41st round. The leading bidders continued to be T-Mobile USA, SpectrumCo, and AWS Wireless. T-Mobile had 119 potentially winning bids (PWBs) for a total of more than $4.1 billion. SpectrumCo, the joint venture of Sprint and four cable companies, had 124 PWBs worth almost $1.9 billion, and AWS, a venture headed by the same team that lead NextWave Telecom in its bidding fiasco, had 133 PWBs worth $88.1 million. Verizon Wireless continued to hold on to four PWBs worth a whopping $2.8 billion. The bidding will continue as long as new bids continue to be made. Estimates are that it will top the $15 billion mark before bidding ends.
nilremerlin
New 144 filed 8/11/06, proposed sell of 28,571 shares of GTE by James Lee:
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?mode=&kind=&symbol=NCTI&symbol=GTE&symbol=&am...
he has from 8/11/06 'til 11/11/06 to sell, if he decides to sell at all.
nilremerlin
New 144 filed 8/11/06, proposed sell of 28,571 shares of GTE by James Lee:
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?mode=&kind=&symbol=NCTI&symbol=GTE&symbol=&am...
he has from 8/11/06 'til 11/11/06 to sell, if he decides to sell at all.
_nilrem
How's this for irony?!:
http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/W/WIRELESS_DIRIGIBLES?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME&...
In your face, Byron, lol!
Thanks to biotechs2sell0 at RB
nilremerlin
Boeing lays out SBI strategy
08/24/06
By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer
The Boeing Co. team competing for the upcoming $2 billion Secure Border Initiative Network surveillance system contract is touting its experience in managing large groundbreaking projects for the government as well as Israeli-based expertise in border security.
Boeing—which is leading one of five teams competing for the Homeland Security Department contract—hopes to capitalize on its experience managing similar one-of-a-kind programs such as the Army’s Future Combat Systems and NASA’s International Space Station, Wayne Esser, capture team leader of the Boeing team, told Washington Technology. Boeing is lead systems integrator for the combat systems and prime contractor for the space station.
“This is a big challenge for DHS, and we at Boeing have the experience and the processes in place to succeed with complex, politically challenging, high-risk programs,” Esser said.
Boeing’s team members include systems integrator Unisys Corp. as well as a Merrimack, N.H. surveillance technology firm, Kollsman Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. of Haifa, Israel.
Elbit, which handles a large portion of Israel’s border security surveillance system, provides “invaluable expertise” to the Boeing team, Esser said. The border solutions deployed in Israel includes integrated sensors, radars, a “smart fence” and cameras as well as sophisticated points of entry, he said. However, not all of Elbit’s expertise in Israel is applicable in SBI-Net because of cultural differences and because of Israel’s desire for a “locked-down” border vs. America’s more open flow of commerce and people, he added.
Boeing will deploy unmanned aerial vehicles as sensor platforms in its SBI-Net proposal but not as a primary source of surveillance. The UAVs to be used are small and can be launched easily for a reconnaissance or surveillance mission, Esser said.
While not including facial recognition technology in its initial SBI-Net proposal, the Boeing’s team’s plan does allow for a specific form of the technology expected to be available in the spring of 2007, Esser said. “We are looking at a technology that is advanced and can pick a face in the crowd.”
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/1_1/daily_news/29182-1.html
nilremerlin
A very interesting contract award today (my bold):
General Atomics Aeronautical System of San Diego, Calif., was awarded August 22 a cost plus fixed-fee contract for $11,466,000 as part of an estimated $23.4 million contract to acquire four extended range multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicles, the associated support equipment and initial spare parts. This work will be completed by Aug. 31, 2007, and will take place at four locations: San Diego, Adelanto and Palmdale, Calif.; and Salt Lake City. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. Army Public Affairs can be reached at (703) 692-2000 (W58RGZ-06-C-0208).
hmmmmmmmmmmmm
nilremerlin
Substitute AMEX for Spider, and GTE for fly:
The Spider and the Fly
An Apologue.
A New Version Of An Old Story.
Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"
"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
by Mary Howitt 1821.
nilremerlin
Anyone see the movie "Alexander"?...in order for the great to become great, they first must suffer...that's what's happening now, GTE is suffering before it becomes great.
nilremerlin
glow_beatle: I agree that AMEX should have warned first, but this whole bit is part of what I e-mailed you about, IMHO, remember?
Nothing now is as it appears to be.
nilremerlin
glow_beatle: Initial announcements are always more general in nature, followed up by later announcements which are always more specific...that's the natural order of things in life...no big deal here...just part of the script!
nilremerlin
glow_beatle: As Jon Lovett would say "Acting!" (if you know what I mean).
nilremerlin
crash: I was unaware of the GlobeTelVoIP URL...thanks for mentioning it...good DD!
nilremerlin
I can't bring up the Centerline website from the "Carrier Services" link on the GlobeTel site...maybe they're revamping that site, too.
nilremerlin
R&D helps crack government market
By Doug Beizer
Staff Writer
Research work can open broader opportunities
One of the most stealthy, lethal and persistent weapon platforms in the Navy’s arsenal is the submarine. But it has one fatal flaw: Communications is virtually impossible when the vessel is submerged and cruising.
“Radio waves do not go through seawater,” said Greg Mooradian, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Apogen Technologies Inc. of McLean, Va. “Submarines, in most cases, have to put a metallic mast above the water to communicate. When the submarine does that, it is not covert, and it is not at speed and depth.”
Researchers at Apogen hope to eliminate that problem by developing technology that lets submarines communicate with planes via blue-green lasers.
The project is an example of how taking on research and development work can be an excellent way for a company to break into or expand its reach in the federal market. Investing and pursuing research and development projects has risks, but developing technology that is highly desired by federal customers can reap large rewards.
From the Defense Department to the Army Corps of Engineers’ Research and Development Center, opportunities to find projects and funding are broad. Federal spending on research and development in 2006 is about $134 billion, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
State governments and universities are also fueling the market. Politicians, industry and academia are working to expand the reputation of Hampton Roads, Va., as a hub for simulation and modeling work, said Jennifer Mullen, spokeswoman for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.
“It’s really something the governor and general assembly have been pouring quite a bit of money into over the past couple of years,” Mullen said.
The university founded the Virginia Modeling Analysis and Simulation Center, a not-for-profit collaborative of Old Dominion’s College of Engineering and Technology focused on research.
The state’s investment in developing the technology is well-founded, based on the success Orlando, Fla.-based Engineering & Computer Simulations Inc. has had in research and development related to modeling and simulation.
ECS has expertise in using video-gaming technology for simulation training solutions, said President Waymon Armstrong. One of its projects is a system to train police to work at vehicle inspection security checkpoints at the U.S. Capitol. The project is affiliated with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
“We started out with a proof of concept, and then we took it to a more advanced proof of concept and prototype,” Armstrong said. “Now we’re trying to get additional funding for that.”
Inconsistent funding is one of the pitfalls of working in the research and development area, Armstrong said. Even after a successful prototype is made, an agency may have trouble getting the funds to go to production.
For the security checkpoint project, ECS teamed with the University of Central Florida of Orlando. Universities bring research expertise to projects as well as inexpensive student labor, he said.
Despite the challenges, research and development has been a boon for Armstrong’s company.
“Every project we’ve successfully signed in Washington was an R&D project that eventually went to production,” he said.
The company’s combat medic training system went from a study to a proof of concept to a prototype. Armstrong expects that product to go to production next year.
The future of the security checkpoint solution is less clear.
“It’s been well received, but now we’re in that no-man’s land of finding additional funding for it,” Armstrong said. “The work that’s been done can be reused for some other applications.”
Those possibly interested in the technology include military bases and sensitive commercial sites, such as chemical plants, refineries and nuclear plants.
Because good technology will almost always find a market, Armstrong recommends working with the federal government on research and development when the opportunity arises.
“At first, it’s intimidating when you look at this bureaucracy, but they are more helpful than you would believe. It shocked us,” Armstrong said. “They know the little guys innovate, and they want to be there and help you succeed.”
For its laser communications technology, Apogen approached Navy officials to see if there was interest in the concept, Apogen’s Mooradian said. After that successful pitch, Apogen received funding to test its Submarine-Enabling Airborne Data Exchange and Enhancement Program (Seadeep). The test at San Clemente Island, Calif., was successful, and another test is in the works between an aircraft and a submarine submerged and at speed.
“What many technologists do is invent a solution, then go looking for a problem,” Mooradian said. “We took it the other way; we spent a lot of time analyzing what the real problem was with the operation of submarines, and it’s very clear if submarines can’t get connected, they are going to go away.”
Even with its research and development work, Apogen responds predominantly to standard requests for proposals for technology work, said Brad Speer, senior vice president of technology research and development. The company has found a lot of competition for a limited number of dollars. Because of that, Apogen has to be judicious about what projects to go after.
With years of experience in working with lasers, Apogen officials felt it was a ripe technology to go after.
“Because technology research and development is a fundamentally different world, you have to approach it differently,” Speer said. “It’s a very competitive world, so you have to get out in front of problems with good ideas. Then you can have a chance of being the company the government picks to go to development with.”
Staff Writer Doug Beizer can be reached at dbeizer@postnewsweektech.com.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/21_16/emerging-tech/29159-1.html
nilremerlin
DoD Approval
The Department of Defense finds the 2006 LandWarNet Conference meets the minimum regulatory standards for attendance by DoD employees. This finding does not constitute a blanket approval or endorsement of attendance. Individual DoD component commands or organizations are responsible for approving attendance of its DoD employees based on mission requirements and DoD regulations.
This is a co-sponsored event and Army participation is not an endorsement of AFCEA or its other events.
Dress
The LandWarNet Conference has significant participation by senior Department of Defense and Army military and civilian leadership, as well as significant commercial industry representation, therefore we should demonstrate a professional appearance. The following appropriate dress guidance is issued for the conference:
ALL PRESENTERS while on stage or presenting and at the Awards Banquet:
- Military: Class A uniform with four-in-hand tie
- Civilian: Business suits with fore in hand tie (equivalent business attire for ladies)
CONFERENCE ATTENDEES:
- Military: Duty Uniform
- All others: Open collared shirts with appropriate business pants (business pants, skirts, or dresses for ladies), business suit with tie, or shirt and tie, as each person desires.
- No Levis or Hawaiian shirts or similar attire should be worn during the conference hours.
The LandWarNet Conference supports the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Attendees with special needs: for advance requests before 16 August 2006, please contact Tina Manns at 520.533.6422 or tina.manns@us.army.mil
I guess it's OK for Bob Jones, etc. to wear the Sanswire Polo shirts...I don't get the "business suit with tie" and no shirt look, however, lol!
nilremerlin
Institutional uPdate: US Bancorp reports selling 10,832 shares of GTE in Q2 (see page 3):
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?mode=&kind=&symbol=NCTI&symbol=GTE&symbol=&am...
Final report for Q2 shows institutions holding 6,972,978 shares, 6.45% of O/S.
nilremerlin
Institutional uPdate: US Bancorp reports selling 10,832 shares of GTE in Q2 (see page 3):
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?mode=&kind=&symbol=NCTI&symbol=GTE&symbol=&am...
Final report for Q2 shows institutions holding 6,972,978 shares, 6.45% of O/S.
nilremerlin
All ears: Industry seeks answers at upcoming Networx summit
By Roseanne Gerin
Staff Writer
When the General Services Administration holds its Networx Transition Summit early next month, industry members expect GSA to tell them what steps it is taking to help federal agencies smoothly switch from the FTS2001 telecommunications contract to the Networx program.
“If this procurement is not done right, there could be massive failure on the transition and administration of the contract,” said Ray Baxter, director of business development at Sprint Nextel Corp.
Sprint Nextel, AT&T Inc., Qwest Communications International Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. are bidding on both the Universal and Enterprise portions of the 10-year, $20 billion Networx program, which will replace FTS2001 for governmentwide telecom products and services. Level 3 Communications Inc. is bidding on the Enterprise part. GSA plans to issue awards for Universal and Enterprise in March and May 2007, respectively.
‘Long, hard, costly’
During the last major telecom contract transition from FTS2000 to FTS2001, many agencies resisted change and put off preparations and decisions to the last minute. The transition was rife with delays and increased telecom costs. That effort took more than 24 months and lost approximately $74 million in savings, according to a Government Accountability Office report issued in June on the adoption of transition planning practices.
The transition was a “long, hard, costly slog,” said John Johnson, GSA’s acting assistant commissioner for Integrated Technology Services. GSA learned it needed more upfront planning, and had to set clearer expectations for the agencies and get them engaged early, he said.
If those steps are taken, “we could perhaps overcome many of the obstacles that we faced during the transition from FTS2000 to FTS2001,” Johnson said.
Johnson was principal representative for the Defense Department on the FTS- 2000/2001 Interagency Management Council and served as Defense Department transition manager for FTS2001, where he directed the switch of the department’s FTS2000 voice, video and data services to FTS2001 and the Defense Information System Network.
As GSA’s former Federal Technology Service assistant commissioner for service development and service delivery, Johnson managed the development of new network service programs and the FTS2001 program’s operations.
Let’s hear it
At the September summit, industry executives will want to hear GSA’s take on how inventories will be handled.
Many agencies are not aware of their leased or purchased inventory, such as telephony equipment, routers or VoIP equipment, Baxter said.
FTS2001 required contractors to maintain inventories of their services, so the information would be available for the next transition, said Tony Bardo, chairman of the Industry Advisory Council’s shared interest group on networks and telecommunications. He also is assistant vice president of government solutions at Hughes Network Systems LLC of Germantown, Md.
However, these preparations won’t cover services, such as wireless, that weren’t part of FTS2001 but are part of Networx, he said.
Guidance on inventory management and validation processes was one area GSA had not yet fully addressed, according to the GAO report. GSA will have a half-hour session on inventory validation at the summit.
Industry also wants to hear about the different strategies that agency users are considering for Networx regarding emergency preparedness, continuity of operations, network redundancy and resilience, support of teleworking initiatives, alternative network technologies and network security services, Bardo said.
Another topic of interest is the assistance and incentives GSA will offer agencies to prepare early for the transition. GSA does not have a general fund to offset the agencies’ costs of transition to Networx as it did for FTS2001, Baxter said.
“Doesn’t [John Johnson] think he needs some kind of transition incentives for agencies, and shouldn’t they be known before that contract award?” said Diana Gowen, Qwest’s senior vice president of government services sales.
GSA and the agencies have agreed on what each is responsible for paying, and have laid out a process where the payments will be made based on transition success, Johnson said.
“As they proceed to transition, they will be reimbursed for some of the costs that we have agreed to pay for,” Johnson said. “They’re also motivated to take advantage of the significant technologies and services that will be available through the Networx program.”
Baxter added that industry wants to hear GSA talk about other assistance it will provide. “Is it purely planning [assistance], or are they going to develop teams to assist?” he said.
The Interagency Management Council, a group of senior federal executives that advises GSA’s administrator on telecommunications matters, has a transition working group that is focused on “making sure this transition happens as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Johnson said.
Industry also wants GSA to discuss the task order competition process, so agency contracting officers give every awardee a fair chance to be considered. GSA will have a 45-minute session about the fair process at the Networx summit.
Gowen said she wondered whether 45 minutes would be adequate time, and whether GSA had given any further thought to how competitions between vendors on the Universal and Enterprise contracts would be done.
Johnson expects a mixed crowd of 600 telecom consultants, industry executives and federal agency officials to attend the transition summit. GSA is holding the summit along with the Interagency Management Council Sept. 6-7 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Reston, Va.
About 65 to 70 government agency transition managers, who participate in bimonthly meetings, will attend the summit, said Karl Krumbholz, GSA’s acting assistant commissioner for service development and service delivery.
The summit will be a chance for them to “summarize and encapsulate all of the activities they need to be aware of” in making the transition work for their agencies, he said.
Krumbholz said the summit is a continuation of transition planning that GSA and the agencies have done for more than two years.
The Networx Transition Summit also will feature panel discussions on the transition’s mechanics and its transformation aspect as well as other sessions, such as transition and the Federal Information Security Management Act and process measurement.
“We’re doing everything we can to learn from the lessons of the past, and to create an environment that will allow us to transition as efficiently as possible to the Networx environment,” Johnson said.
Staff Writer Roseanne Gerin can be reached at rgerin@postnewsweektech.com.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/21_16/federal/29160-1.html
nilremerlin
Gen. James E. Cartwright is one of the speakers at the LandWarNet Conference:
Work Begins On Arming Trident Submarines With Non-Nuclear Weapons
by Pamela Hess
UPI Pentagon Correspondent
Washington (UPI) Apr 04, 2006
U.S. Strategic Command wants to deploy conventional weapons on Trident submarines within two years, the four-star general in charge of U.S. nuclear forces said. The conversion of some nuclear missiles to precision-guided conventional missiles is meant to better deter rogue states like North Korea from launching a ballistic missile, nuclear or otherwise.
During the Cold War, the threat of mutually assured destruction was sufficient to deter the Soviet Union from using nuclear weapons against the United States. USSTRATCOM believes the threat of a nuclear strike may no longer be sufficient to deter a rogue state from launching a missile, because the threat may not be taken seriously. The fallout -- both political and radiological -- from the use of a nuclear bomb makes it an unlikely option.
USSTRATCOM is embracing the notion of "tailored deterrence," that is, having many options to discourage, prevent or counter an attack without crossing the nuclear threshold.
So USSTRATCOM is trying to develop new fast, precise conventional weapons with the capability to strike fleeting, high-value targets, like mobile missile launchers, less than 30 minutes after detection. The capability is intended to have at least three effects.
First, it could dissuade a terrorist group or rogue state from using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons because -- if struck while still on the launch pad -- they would not be effective.
Second, if a WMD missile or other weapon was successfully fired, the United States would be able to respond with precise, deadly force to punish those responsible, while minimizing the effect on the surrounding area.
Third, the capability would likely also be used against underground or other weapons facilities, avoiding the calamitous effects of a nuclear weapon on civilian infrastructure.
The first initiative is to develop a Trident Sea-Launched Ballistic Missile capability by 2009, Gen. James E. Cartwright, commander of U.S. Strategic Command told the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threads and capabilities last week.
"While the department employs expeditionary forces around the globe, it is unlikely we will have forces in every place we need them at the crucial moment when we have an opportunity to stop a WMD-armed threat far from our shores," said Cartwright in prepared testimony.
"The United States has the capability to engage with high-quality conventional forces around the world, given days or perhaps weeks to respond. But ... the need to defeat attacks against the United States may require USSTRATCOM to interdict fleeting targets at global range. We have the delivery capability on alert today, but configured only with nuclear weapons. This choice is not credible against many of the extremist adversaries we will face."
The Pentagon envisions spending up to $500 million to replace up to 100 nuclear Trident missile warheads with conventional warheads. Because submarines can linger for so long in international waters undetected, they could be a continuous presence off a place like North Korea, ready to strike within minutes to prevent, preempt or respond to an attack.
The Navy has more than 300 D5 Trident missiles.
USSTRATCOM and the Air Force are also planning to develop a new land-based long-range strike capability to be fielded in 2018, a goal outlined in the Quadrennial Defense Review released in February. That aircraft would likely be optimized for a conflict with China, the country that was at the center of long-range planning in the QDR.
Exactly what that long-range strike capability will be is unclear -- whether it would be a missile, manned aircraft or unmanned air combat vehicle has not yet been determined. Cartwright told United Press International the choice is between a "prompt" or high-speed capability that can reach a target anywhere in the world quickly, or an "endurance" capability, which would loiter in high-threat areas, ready to launch closer to the target.
If the scales tip toward a long-endurance aircraft, it is likely to dictate an unmanned bomber. The current generation of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles can loiter over an area for more than 24 hours as far as 3,000 miles from its launch site, and are able to travel 14,000 miles without refueling. The Global Hawk UAV flies a pre-programmed route independent of any ground-based pilots.
The Air Force and the CIA have experience arming unmanned aerial vehicles from the Predator drone, a medium-altitude UAV that has been armed with Hellfire missiles. The Predator has a pilot "in the loop" -- directing the aircraft and its cameras, as well as controlling weapons fire. It is likely that an unmanned long-range strike aircraft would also be pilot "in the loop" for safety reasons.
STRATCOM is also studying hypersonic vehicles that can operate on the land, sea or in the air to deliver "prompt, precise conventional warheads." Hypersonic missiles that reach speeds exceeding Mach 4 could hit underground targets buried to a depth of 12 meters without needing nuclear warheads to penetrate the ground, according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
DARPA has a number of hypersonic technology efforts underway, including development work on the Mach 4 HyStrike missile. It has also been pursuing since 2003 a project to develop by 2025 a reusable Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle. The HCV would be capable of autonomously taking off from a conventional military runway and striking targets 9,000 nautical miles away in less than two hours. It could carry a 12,000-pound payload consisting of Common Aero Vehicles, cruise missiles, small diameter bombs or other munitions.
Source: United Press International
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Work_Begins_On_Arming_Trident_Submarines_With_Non_Nuclear_Weapons.ht...
nilremerlin
Here's some of the speakers scheduled for the LandWarNet Conference that our Sanswire personnel will be attending/exhibiting at Aug. 22-24:
http://www.afcea.org/events/landwarnet/speakerinfo.asp
nilremerlin
This link has been simultaneously updated:
http://www.sanswire.net/
nilremerlin
Post a comment (looks like Tim already did):
How many times will the blimp idea get, uh, floated?
Yet another story today about yet another proposal to use blimps or some other kind of high-altitude hovering aircraft as a communications tower -- a cloud-level satellite, if you will. This time the company involved is called Sanswire Networks.
These communi-blimp ideas keep surfacing and never go anywhere. There was a UK company called SkyLINC. There's Platforms Wireless, still apparently a going concern. Japan's SkyNet and U.S.-based SkyTower seem to be defunct. In Europe, HeliNet is apparently gone.
Not sure what happened to Angel Technologies. Back around 2000, they planned a project called HALO to send up aircraft something like the ones Burt Rutan makes to fly around the world without stopping -- except these would be loaded with communications gear and circle above an area at 52,000 feet. Peter Diamandis, founder of the X Prize, was involved. But haven't heard a thing about them in ages. Anyone know?
Anyway, not sure why there is there a class of entrepreneurs who continually believe in the concept of a floating communications hub. If it's such a good idea, why has it failed over and over again?
(Photo of HALO plane by Angel Technologies)
Posted at 09:15 AM/ET, August 21, 2006 in 6. Cool/fun/weird tech | Permalink
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Comments
Perhaps the time is now. Only recently has the technology reached a point where the feasibility of a stratospheric airship made of super lightweight composites, guided by gps,lightweight, thinfilm solar collectors,etc.can make such a vision a reality. The need for such a vehicle by the military, national defense, as well as the populated areas of the planet where communications connectivity is absent ,gives considerable urgency to the endeavor to build such an economical solution to these current and growing problems
Posted by: timothy | Aug 21, 2006 10:27:24 AM
I first worked on a program back in the late 70's. The HASPA was a very high altitude aerostat that was intended to provide surveillance of ocean area to support naval warefare in the cold war. It was the use of a lightweight composite, namely Kevlar, that was the fatal flaw in the design since people didn't appreciate the differences in material.
Posted by: Charles Greer | Aug 21, 2006 12:30:11 PM
The military (Army) would be the place to springboard this technology. First because there is a very definable need (ability to rapidly establish high capacity networks in remote areas and to sustain these for limited timeframes). Perhaps more important is the willingness of the military to try new technologies and pay a premium in the attempt. Look to Washington not VC's for your initial funding (you may hang on to more equity as well).
Posted by: Chris G | Aug 21, 2006 12:43:10 PM
The need for a relatively inexpensive alternative to communications satellites (e.g. Stratollite) is very high in several parts of the world. The USA is not one of them. The Phillipines, Chili, Columbia, Africa, or anywhere that the infrastructure does not exist for cell phone and high speed data wants this technology very much. Hats off to Sanswire for continuing research this technology. With today's materials and technology, it may very well be feasable.
I hope so.
Posted by: Steve W | Aug 21, 2006 1:54:05 PM
Post a comment
Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until the author has approved them. By posting a comment, you affirm that you are 13 years of age or older.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/maney/2006/08/how_many_times_.html
nilremerlin
Short interest for August (published today) is 4,935,739 shares.
July short interest was 4,913,549 shares.
Difference is +22,190 shares.
nilremerlin
Short interest for August (published today) is 4,935,739 shares.
July short interest was 4,913,549 shares.
Difference is +22,190 shares.
nilremerlin
montanar: You wrote:
"So the one in the photo should be one of the five low pressure helium cells that will fit inside the “exoskeleton” of the ultralight carbon composite rigid frame work."
This is an errant conclusion on your part. It has been verified by Rocky via Huff that the one in the photo is the body of Sanswire II. Use common sense. If anything, they would NOT show a picture of one of the 5 low pressure helium cells, as THAT would be a giveaway to the competition.
and
“Unlike the cylindrical shape of a traditional blimp, a Stratellite has a broad, tapered nose like a shark”.
This last stament contradicts the sketch you are referring to in your post: “This is the engineers' drawing of Sanswire II, released with the Sanswire II delay news earlier:”
There is no contradiction. The technology demonstrator is not a Stratellite. Sanswire II is not a Stratellite.
nilremerlin
GDBLO: This is the engineers' drawing of Sanswire II, released with the Sanswire II delay news earlier:
http://www.globetel.net/071706.pdf
Looks very similar to the picture from Sunday's article, don't you think?
nilremerlin
Wrong, it's the body of Sanswire II:
http://rockyinfo.com/message_board2.htm
nilremerlin
symphyl: First, thanks for posting the info that showed up online Thursday.
"I was going to be more concerned if I didn't see their registrations appear and no one show up at the conference, but they did show up online Thursday (other companies had theirs up for at least a week more)."
Actually, they've been registered as exhibitors for a long time now, as have many other exhibitors. Some companies (more usually the smaller companies) wait to post their registration details/confirmation 'til just before the event date, in case they need to opt out or make last minute detail changes.
I've observed this with several other exhibitor lists for several other conferences, and there's consistency with this factor.
FWIW
nilremerlin
siriuslyricher: They were never on the "event calendar" page, and have always been on the "upcoming events" page:
http://www.globetel.net/about/events.html
...and I check both every day.
nilremerlin
AWS Auction Nears $11 Billion Mark after Seven Days
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectrum auction for advanced wireless services (AWS) finished 24 rounds of bidding in its seventh day with total bids standing at $10.9 billion USD. Bidding will commence in the 25th round Friday. The leading bidder to this point, and through most rounds, is T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile has 130 PWBs (potentially winning bids) for a total of $3.7 billion, ahead of Sprint Nextel's SpectrumCo partnership with the four leading cable providers. SpectrumCo has 93 PWBs totaling $1.5 billion. Verizon Wireless's bidding entity Cellco Partnership has just four PWBs but the total for the four is $2.8 billion. Verizon's four licenses cover territories in the Northeast, Southeast, and Great Lakes areas where Verizon needs additional bandwidth. There are 138 eligible bidders remaining of the 168 that started the auction. One of the latest drop outs was James Dolan's Dolan Family Holdings that was bidding on behalf of Cablevision Systems.
from Telecom Daily
nilremerlin