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Old article, but look at the players...
My speculation: Will a Slim stake save GTE from the short ravages of Murdoch?:
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Mexican Heir To Keep Reins At Televisa
By JULIA PRESTON
Emilio Azcarraga Jean, young heir who took over Televisa, Mexico's largest television network, has survived family feuds and management crises to finish refinancing his hold on company without yielding control outside his family; Grupo Televicentro, holding company that controls Televisa, announces that Mexican venture capital firm Sinca Inbursa has purchased 24 percent in stake; Inbursa is part of empire of Carlos Slim Helu, one of wealthiest men in Latin America, who is also chairman of Telefonos de Mexico; Azcarraga Jean, chairman of Grupo Televisa SA, retains 51 percent of holding company while his first cousin Alejandro Burillo increases his stake to 25 percent from 11 percent; months of rumors that Rupert Murdoch would buy in to broadcaster are laid to rest.
Just speculating...
nilremerlin
How about running an ATM for a living? (my bold)
Rabin Ghosh
Friday, April 21, 2006 23:07 IST
Bank offers schemes to individuals, organisations.
MUMBAI: If it is right for pizzas, apparel brands, and computer training institutes, why not for the banks too?
Taking the franchisee model to the next level, state-owned Punjab National Bank has unveiled a scheme whereby it would be possible for an individual to set up and operate an automated teller machine (ATM) - even at his own premises — on a revenue share basis.
Till now, banks would own and operate the ATMS themselves.
Like a typical franchisee model, the scheme would run on a revenue share model sans loyalty fees, since there is no sale of product or service.
"Our ATMs are doing great business across the country. So there’s good benefit to be had for investors," said a PNB official in Delhi.
Such a deployment brings down the cost of an ATM.
According to bankers, cost of setting up an ATM (minus the real estate cost) ranges from Rs 10 - 15 lakh, which includes cost of the machine, connectivity, air conditioner, interiors etc. The running cost for an ATM (minus the lease rentals) ranges from Rs 65-70,000 per month. Lease rentals could range from Rs 10,000 to several lakhs a month depending upon the location and kiosk size.
Hence if the responsibility of setting up of an ATM is passed to an individual, then the bank can save the deployment cost upfront.
The bank saves the capital and the individual now has a new revenue source. And they happily lived ever after?
Not quite. There are several naysayers who point out that with companies like Euronet, FSS, and Efunds setting and taking maintenance responsibilities of a bank’s entire ATM network, such a model might end up increasing the number of interfaces for the bank.
"Can an individual meet the minimum SLA (service level agreement) requirement? Or would the entrepreneur would in turn need to tie up with an ATM service provider," asked a bank official.
Loney Anthony, managing director, Euronet Services India, said they are working on a concept of white branded ATMs, wherein the ATMs would not be branded by a bank and would honour customers of multiple banks.
This would free the user of searching for an ATM of his network. The company hopes to deploy such a network in about a years time, by when the regulatory approvals is expected to arrive.
nilremerlin
Army buys $12M in blimps for Iraq (my bold)
WASHINGTON, July 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army is buying 16 tactical blimps for use in Iraq from a Columbia, Md., company, TCOM, L.P. announced Tuesday.
The deal is worth $12 million, and the unmanned, tethered blimps will be built in Elizabeth City, N.C.
The Tactical Aerostat System operates at about 1,000 feet, providing surveillance and a communications relay system aloft for up to a week at a time.
The contract award is part of the Rapid Aerostat Initial Development system contract the Army has with Raytheon.
The airship's use was demonstrated last fall over Washington, when an A-170 manned blimp hovered over the city for 24 hours. The helium-based blimp can fly for hours even if pierced by small arms fire, according to the Army.
TCOM blimps are also being used by the Marine Airborne Re-Transmission System, a program developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to extend Marine radio communication beyond line-of-sight in Iraq.
The blimp provides an airborne relay for UHF, VHF, SINCGARS and EPLPRS radios, in addition to standard analog radios. The actual relays are contained in a ground system. If the aerostat were shot down, the radios would not be compromised.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-20050705-12360800-bc-us-military-bli....
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/11/jlens-ramps-up-hard-raytheon-wins-13b-contract/index.php
nilremerlin
A blurb from July 7, 2005 (my bold):
"U.S. to Use Blimps in Iraq
Meanwhile, the army announced this week it is buying 16 tactical blimps to use in Iraq. The cost of the unmanned, tethered blimps is estimated at $12 million. The blimps are part of a contract the Army has with Raytheon Corporation. The airship's use was demonstrated last fall over Washington, when an A-170 manned blimp hovered over the city for 24 hours. Blimps have also recently been used to monitor protests such as the demonstrations against the Republican National Convention in New York last year."
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/07/07/1340259
nilremerlin
One of today's military contract awards (my bold):
Northrop Grumman Corp., Electronic Sensors and System Section, Linthicum Heights, Md., is being awarded an $8,667,389 cost plus fixed fee contract to develop a lightweight, low-power density Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for the DARPA Integrated Sensor Structure program. The AESA to be developed is dual band (UHF and X-Band) and bonded to the flexible hull material of the airship. The final deliverable is to Feasibility of Flexible Scanned Array. At this time, $2,800,000 has been obligated. Solicitations began in March 2006 and negotiations were complete in April 2006. This work will be complete by April 2008. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, N.Y., is the contracting activity. (FA8750-06-C-0049)
nilremerlin
Excerpt from my post # 23628:
Three federal contractors — Ericsson Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. — have confirmed that DHS has qualified them to bid on the SBI-Net contract. Industry sources said Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. also have been judged as qualified.
The SBI-Net surveillance technology is expected to cost about $2 billion overall.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/1_1/daily_news/28381-1.html
nilremerlin
ken w: actual monthly short increase is 824,372 shares:
7,435,812 - 6,611,500
nilremerlin
gregmaster: First of all, you really should use the spellcheck.
I play soccer with Mexicans, and with others from all over the world, and I know very well what the World Cup means to them.
I think you're missing the point of the idea. If anything should be initially broadcast via the strat, it should be something getting worldwide attention, and what could possibly be better than the World Cup Games at that particular time as a showpiece for the shareholder meeting (regardless of how many people might be watching it via our tech in Mexico)?...would you prefer a soap opera, or The Simpsons, lol!
Rob Bleckman didn't think it was a bad idea, and it's also what he didn't say that's important. He didn't say it would be impossible because the strat would not be ready for it in time...what's that tell you?
It would also be a plus for us, IMHO, to hook up with Avaya, and to make them aware of our capabilities...maybe even partner with them. Avaya is a very pioneering company, just like us, and I think they'd be glad to have a hand in being associated with our paradigm shift technology.
nilremerlin
e-mail reply from Rob bleckman:
From: rbleckman@globetel.net
To: xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.com
CC:
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 10:43:45 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: shareholder meeting possibility
Dear Mr. xxxxxxxx,
It certainly sounds like a good idea. I don't know if our agreements extend into that realm but I will ask.
Rob
> Dear Mr. Bleckman:
>
> Is there any chance that the following idea could come to fruition at the
> June 21st shareholder meeting?:
> ****************************************************
> "Avaya/Global Crossing/GlobeTel-Monterrey re: 2006 World Cup Games:
>
> Global Crossing Becomes First 'Avaya SIP-Compliant' Global VoIP Provider
>
> Certified interoperability facilitates enterprise adoption of Voice over
> IP.
>
> For Immediate Release: 19-Oct-2005
>
> FLORHAM PARK, N.J., US -
> Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GLBC) today announced that it is the first global
> VoIP provider whose enterprise Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
> solutions portfolio is fully compliant with Avaya's (NYSE: AV) Session
> Initiation Protocol (SIP) telephony solutions.
>
> Avaya provides the infrastructure for FIFA:
>
> http://fifaworldcup.avaya.com/
>
> I think Globetel could act as a service provider for Avaya via Global
> Crossing to provide Monterrey with the first World Cup game broadcast via
> stratellite/WiMAX to the citizens of Monterrey, Mexico, etc. when Mexico
> plays Portugal on June 21st, the day of our GTE shareholder meeting. Why
> else move the SHM to June from August?...all the connections are there in
> place...looks very logical to me.
> JMHO."
> *************************************************************
> I think it would be wonderful for the shareholders if the above proposed
> idea could actually happen. If it's not already in the works, perhaps you
> could bring up the possibility to Tim Huff.
> If you can't reply on this subject, I will understand, and thanks in
> advance.
>
> a loyal shareholder,
> Jim
OK, granted they may not be waiting on it, but the DHS's sluggish mode does buy us time, IMHO.
nilremerlin
Is the DHS waiting on the strat/WiMAX?:
DHS slow to adopt interoperable radio standards
04/18/06
By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer
The Homeland Security Department is not expected to adopt its first standard for interoperable, digital, wireless communications for first responders until the end of 2007 — more than six years after the Sept. 11 attacks, according to a new report from DHS inspector general Richard Skinner.
Since terrorists struck Sept. 11, 2001, Congress has been pressing for urgent action to make radios compatible for first responders. This would enable police, fire, medical and other emergency response officials from various agencies to talk to each other at an incident scene. To do so, radios, networks and their interfaces need to operate with common standards, even when manufactured by different companies.
To date, however, DHS has not issued interoperable communications standards. The agency’s Science & Technology Directorate “has not adopted any standards for interoperable communications equipment,” the report stated.
Instead of developing its own standards, the directorate’s Office for Interoperability and Compatibility is supporting the Project 25 suite of eight standards being developed by the wireless industry.
However, Skinner found shortcomings with the department’s approach.
“The nature of the voluntary, consensus-based process limits the availability and timeliness of standards for adoption by Science & Technology [S&T]. As a result, the efficiency by which S&T adopts standards is hindered,” he wrote. Typically, industry efforts to build standards take five to eight years to come to fruition, the report said.
Only one of those eight anticipated Project 25 standards is finished, and DHS has not adopted it “because it is incomplete and only a single manufacturer builds Project 25 radio infrastructure,” the report said.
Three more Project 25 interface standards are expected by late 2007, and it would be appropriate for DHS to adopt the Project 25 set of standards once that occurs, the report said.
Overall, the department faces numerous challenges in effectively promoting standards for first responders. The inspector general recommended that Science & Technology better track standards activity, determine methods by which standards adoption can be accelerated, establish performance measures and evaluate current equipment lists to ensure that they comply with applicable standards.
What’s more, the department should reference standards in its grants to first responders, and require that all equipment purchased meets the appropriate standards.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/1_1/daily_news/28403-1.html
nilremerlin
Avaya/Global Crossing/GlobeTel-Monterrey re: 2006 World Cup Games:
Global Crossing Becomes First 'Avaya SIP-Compliant' Global VoIP Provider
Certified interoperability facilitates enterprise adoption of Voice over IP.
For Immediate Release: 19-Oct-2005
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., US -
Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GLBC) today announced that it is the first global VoIP provider whose enterprise Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions portfolio is fully compliant with Avaya's (NYSE: AV) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) telephony solutions.
Avaya provides the infrastructure for FIFA:
http://fifaworldcup.avaya.com/
I think Globetel will act as a service provider for Avaya via Global Crossing to provide Monterrey with the first World Cup game broadcast via stratellite/WiMAX to the citizens of Monterrey, Mexico, etc. when Mexico plays Portugal on June 21st, the day of our GTE shareholder meeting. Why else move the SHM to June from August?...all the connections are there in place...looks very logical to me.
JMHO.
nilremerlin
ATMs cushion impact of indefinite SBI strike
Saturday, 08 April , 2006, 08:05
Chennai: Automated Teller Machines (ATM) have come to the rescue of State Bank of India (SBI) customers as the strike by the bank's employees entered the fifth day on Friday. A number of customers are able to withdraw money and also access their accounts through the ATMs of SBI and its partner banks, according to a source.
Anticipating the strike, SBI stacked its 6,000-plus ATMs across the country full of cash, which should take care of the requirements for a week in most of the machines. |Asian expats prefer Singapore|
SBI also roped in nine of its partner banks to help customers withdraw cash through an additional network of 8,000 plus ATMs. | Go to Sify Business Home page |
SBI avails of bilateral ATM sharing services through FSSNeT of the Chennai-based Financial Software & Systems (FSS).
It has ATM transaction sharing arrangements with Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, Dena Bank, Indian Bank, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank and UTI Bank.
No transaction fee
This means that an SBI customer can walk into an ATM of any of these partner banks and withdraw money.
SBI said it would not charge its customers for using the partner banks' ATMs during the strike period. Usually, there is a transaction fee for customers using other banks' ATMs, the source said.
SBI has issued about 22 million ATM cards, and on an average each day 1.4 million transactions happen on its ATMs across the country. The number of transactions was almost the same during the first couple of days of the strike period, the source said.
However, in the last couple of days SBI customers have been using more of partner banks' ATMs to withdraw money.
For instance, on April 6, about 1.30 lakh SBI customers used ATMs of partner banks, and the number was 1.20 lakh on April 5. On April 1, the number was only 40,000, the source said.
An ATM has two or four stacks, and each stack can have 2,000 to 4,000 notes. Usually, the stacks are loaded either to half or one-fourth of capacity, but were fully stacked before the strike, the source said.
FSSNeT, the outsourcing arm of FSS, provides shared ATM transaction sharing services (bilateral and multilateral), ATM and POS (point of sale) driving, authorisation and routing, dispute resolution, settlement and back office services. A high end Tandem/BASE24 switch serves as a central processor to authorise, route and switch the transactions to the respective networks and authorisers.
Banks wishing to share ATM transactions need to have a single connection to FSSNeT, and via this connection, the FSSNeT switch will exchange transactions with other connected banks, the source said.
nilremerlin
and, in addition,
Kaiserslautern is one of the 12 host cities of the 2006 World Cup:
http://www.germany-tourism.de/ENG/culture_and_events/fifa_worldcup_2006_venues_3162.htm
GlobeTel Wireless Announces New Contract to Provide Wireless Networks for Three German Cities
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug 01, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GlobeTel Communications Corp. (AMEX:GTE), today announced that GlobeTel Wireless, a division of GlobeTel Communications Corp., has been awarded a contract to install wireless networks in three German cities.
The contract will provide high-speed wireless networks for internet connectivity starting with the town of Kaiserslautern, and continuing with nearby communities. Kaiserslautern is a city of 100,000 people, located 100 miles South West of Frankfurt. Construction of the project is to begin in August 2005.
GlobeTel Wireless will install these first Wireless Networks in Germany as part of the roll out plan to deploy wireless communication networks to non-DSL communities, in identified geographic markets.
Mr. Leigh Coleman, co-president of GlobeTel Wireless stated: "We have had tremendous confidence in the radio technology that we developed for our Stratellites. This technology allows us to deliver a superior wireless product and thus has created an entirely new business unit for us. We are inundated with opportunities for this technology and see this first contract as just the tip of the iceberg for this new business unit."
Several more networks are expected to be installed over the coming months as part of the plan to roll out networks to approximately 140 non DSL Cities in Germany. Expansion plans call for development in other countries in Europe, Africa, Russia, and other geographic markets.
Further network testing is being carried out in other cities, like Russelsheim where advanced wireless networks including WIFI Phones and other mobile devices are currently being tested.
Timothy Huff, CEO of GlobeTel stated: "I am very pleased with this initial contract. This business unit is off and running at a very rapid pace and we look forward to many more business advancements in the near future. This radio technology has many applications and we are pleased that we can capitalize on this as an added revenue and profit center, in our consolidated business."
About GlobeTel Wireless:
GlobeTel Wireless develops, manufactures, and deploys wireless metropolitan systems. The main products are wireless routers, radios and customer premises equipment. HotZone networks are operational in several cities in Europe and in the United States.
About Sanswire Networks, LLC:
Sanswire Networks is a wholly owned subsidiary of GlobeTel Communications Corp., whose shares are publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol GTE.
A Stratellite(TM) is a high-altitude airship that, when in place in the stratosphere (approximately 65,000 feet), will provide a stationary platform for transmitting various types of wireless communications services currently transmitted from cell towers and satellites. It is not a balloon or a blimp, but a high-altitude airship with a rigid structure.
The Stratellite(TM) is similar to a satellite in concept, but is stationed in the stratosphere rather than in orbit. Existing satellites provide easy "download" capabilities, but because of their high altitude are not practical for commercially viable "two-way" high-speed data communication. The Stratellite(TM) will allow subscribers to easily communicate in "both directions" using readily available wireless devices. http://www.sanswire.com
About GlobeTel Communications Corp.:
GlobeTel Communications Corp. is a diversified Telecommunications and Financial Services Company. GlobeTel operates business units in Stored Value debit cards, as a certified MasterCard processor, the sale of Carrier grade VOIP of Long Distance to major Long Distance re-sellers, VOIP Technology, Wireless radio technology and development, and high altitude airship research and development. These self-contained business units were developed to operate independently of each other. The symbiotic relationship however, provides value to each of the other business units. This strategy offers GlobeTel financial diversity and risk mitigation while striving toward its operating objectives.
Operating on a global basis, GlobeTel has historically focused its business development on markets outside of the United States. Current operations and business relationships exist in Asia, Europe, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Additional information concerning other areas and topics of GlobeTel can be found on our web site at http://www.globetel.net
Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements or statements that may be deemed or construed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "forecast", "project", "intend", "expect", "should", "would", and similar expressions and all statements, which are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance (finance or operating) or achievements to differ from future results, performance (financing and operating) or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The above are more fully discussed in the Company's SEC filings. The performance of the new wireless division cannot be guaranteed, there are references that while management believes are probable, and there are no guarantees as to its success. Any reference within this release that refers, or implies a forward-looking statement, is herewith incorporated into this Safe Harbor language. The full terms of the asset acquisition will be included in the Company's required filing.
SOURCE: GlobeTel Communications Corp.
GlobeTel Communications Corp., Fort Lauderdale
Maria Vasquez, 954-241-0590
investors@globetel.net
nilremerlin
Consider this possibility for our June 21st (summer solstice) shareholder meeting:
The World Cup Soccer games will be happening in Germany June 9th - July 9th, and on June 21st, one of the scheduled games is Mexico vs Portugal...now if we've got Monterrey (and perhaps another Mexican city or two) set up on the ground enough, and/or our airship up over Monterrey, or thereabouts, broadcasting this World Cup game, via our video, etc. capabilities, to an huge demand event audience in Mexico on the day of our shareholding meeting, what a world-class huge event this meeting could be!
http://www.soccertravel.com/world_cup_2006/index.html?gclid=CKnVstjyr4QCFU9oDgodVVnPDw
June 21, 2006 - Columbus, OH, USA
American MLS: Columbus Crew vs. New England Revolution [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Harrisburg, PA, USA
American USL Second Division: Harrisburg City Islanders vs. Charlotte Eagles [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Frankfurt, Germany
FIFA World Cup 2006: Holland vs. Argentina [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Munich, Germany
FIFA World Cup 2006: Ivory Coast vs. Serbia and Montenegro [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Denver, CO, USA
American MLS: Colorado Rapids vs. Chivas USA [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - St. Paul, MN, USA
American USL W-League: Minnesota Thunder vs. Chicago Gaels [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Ottawa, ON, Canada
American USL W-League: Ottawa Fury vs. Vermont Lady Voltage [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Leipzig, Germany
FIFA World Cup 2006: Iran vs. Angola [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany
FIFA World Cup 2006: Portugal vs. Mexico [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Manchester, NH, USA
American USL Second Division: New Hampshire Phantoms vs. Long Island Rough Riders [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - TBD, Serbia and Montenegro
FIFA Women's World Cup 2007: Serbia and Montenegro vs. Italy [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA
American MLS: DC United vs. Chicago Fire [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Seattle, WA, USA
American USL W-League: Seattle Sounders Women vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Women [custom order match]
June 21, 2006 - Washington, PA, USA
American USL Second Division: Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Wilmington Hammerheads [custom order match]
nilremerlin
ryantennis, mide: The June event website still shows Sanswire as on of the 7 companies making up the Colloquim, and one notable of those 7 companies is DirecTV (Murdoch)...might be best to avoid a confrontation or maintain a distance from them, and use the time toward ensuring the strat testing and launch just prior to the SHM:
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=230&lumeetingid=1269&viewcon=other524&id=524
We'll be there next time, with strats in the air...more solid and bigtime.
nilremerlin
stockmjb22: I expect detailed/critical news Thursday, and also Big money/news next week on Wednesday, FWIW. Shorts that don't cover Thursday will have an extra day to bite their nails with the market closed on Friday.
Actions will speak louder than seth's words ever could.
nilremerlin
stockmjb22: waiting to reply to the seth article is a good legal tactic. It gives time to show that damage was done to the stock price consistently as a result of the seth articles, and that evidence is handy to have before proceeding with a slander and libel lawsuit. They baited seth with the "cease and desist", and seth's ego took over, blinding him to the realization of the ultimate consequences of his improprieties.
Pride comes before a fall, lol!
nilremerlin
By now this seth jayson/chris byron game is old hat, and investors are wise to, and are not responding to the attempted panic inducement by their fallacious articles as much as when they first started attacking GlobeTel. AH today may have also been staged.
We'll see how it goes Wednesday, but I don't think there'll be too much of a reaction to the downside...if there is, I'm ready to buy a bargain, 'cause it's my opinion that the banks finish their review by Thursday, and when the subsequent news of the new terms of the Russian deal hits the wires, I want to be fully loaded with cheap shares to ride the fireworks up.
I'm already starting to get clues from the poetry of life...today I made a pick-up from a restaurant called "The Russian Firebird"...real nice place, with very valuable golden eggs on display...and that would also be a good name for the eventual Russian strat, don't you think?!
nilremerlin
DHS releases Secure Border RFP
04/11/06
By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer
The long-awaited request for proposals for Secure Border Initiative-Net was released today by the Homeland Security Department, which is calling the project the “most comprehensive effort in the nation’s history” to gain control of the borders.
The 144-page document:
http://fs1.fbo.gov/EPSData/DHS/Synopses/35419/HSBP1006R0463/HSBP1006R0463SBInet.pdf
outlines the purpose and scope of the border surveillance technology program, which supplements other efforts to control the border and enforce immigration laws.
“Adding agents at the border is insufficient unless we also can give them the technology they need and unless we contain and remove the aliens they catch,” states the work statement drawn up by Customs and Border patrol. Under the contract, the system must detect entries when they occur, identify the entries, classify the level of threat for the entry, and “effectively and efficiently respond to the entry,” the statement said.
The SBI-Net contract will be indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity with performance-based task and delivery orders. It will be for a three-year base period with three one-year options.
The request for proposals was initially scheduled to be released March 31.
At the same time, the department expects to meet a congressional request to prepare an overall strategy for immigration policy enforcement and border security by the end of April. Once the strategy is complete, the agency in June will begin to create an operational plan with supporting metrics, Gregory Giddens, SBI-Net program manager told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on April 6. It should all be done by September, when DHS intends to award the SBI-Net contract, he said.
“We have been charged with creating a strategy … but it does not stop there,” Giddens said. “We have to take that strategy and turn that into programs, and tasks, and metrics and milestones, so that we can have accountability.” Through that, he said, the agency will create a framework “that allows us to, collectively, make well-informed investment and policy decisions.”
The subcommittee is considering the Bush administration’s fiscal 2007 request for $1.3 billion for Secure Border, which includes $100 million for the SBI-Net technology component. The goal of Secure Border is to obtain operational control of the borders with enhanced enforcement, surveillance, more personnel and better integrated operations.
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), who chairs the subcommittee, said he wants to see a strategic plan for Secure Border before approving the funding.
“How do you know that items such as $100 million in technology and $51 million in desert tactical infrastructure are needed, when you have yet to put into place an SBI resource plan or award the primary SBI contract?” Rogers asked. “Without seeing your strategic plan, how do we know that this $1.3 billion is the right investment and not just another money pit? When presented with questions like this, we apply a simple formula: No plan equals no money,” Rogers said.
Rogers also said the government has spent millions on “elaborate border technology that, eventually, has proven to be ineffective and wasteful,” such as the Integrated Surveillance Intelligence System and America Shield Initiative. “How is the SBI not just another three-letter acronym for failure?” he asked.
Rep. Martin Sabo (D-Minn.) wants more strategic information about how Secure Border would operate and how it will avoid the contracting problems of the past.
“Money isn't the only issue. There are complex policy and technical issues here that require expert leadership and well-thought programs on top of significant resources,” Sabo said, adding that the budget request may be “just a drop in the bucket compared to what will be needed.”
Three federal contractors — Ericsson Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. — have confirmed that DHS has qualified them to bid on the SBI-Net contract. Industry sources said Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. also have been judged as qualified.
The SBI-Net surveillance technology is expected to cost about $2 billion overall.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com./news/1_1/daily_news/28381-1.html
nilremerlin
Institutional uPdate: Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio reports holding their GTE position in Q1 (see page 2):
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?mode=&kind=&symbol=GTE&symbol=INTC&symbol=RIM...
nilremerlin
"-- 31 December 2006: Shareholder value must be materially higher by the end of 2006."
At the rate that institutional holdings are increasing quarterly (~2.4% average increase per quarter), institutions will be holding at least 15.7% of GTE O/S by Dec. 31, 2006...that ought to help our shareholder value to be materially higher, among other things.
nilremerlin
Tonight on the Late Show, David Letterman's Top 10 list was about the recent FBI investigation of the NY Post's gossip columnist who received bribes for slanting his column favorably toward a certain company. No wonder I've seen armed guards lately surrounding the News Corp building at 1211 6th Avenue in Manhattan!
Maybe we should notify the FBI that, while they're at it, they should look into Chris Byron's slanting against Globetel in the NY Post to see if there's any bribe money involved there, too. If you suspect this to be so, notify the FBI about it:
https://tips.fbi.gov/
Even if the FBI finds nothing, at least it'll scare the krap out of Chris Byron if he knows he's being investigated.
Strike while the iron is hot!
Me...I have my own way of getting even with Byron...let's just say his book sales are bound to go down, lol! Hittin' him where it hurts!
nilremerlin
Sanswire site is back up, but I don't see anything new or different about it...am I missing something?
http://www.sanswire.com/
nilremerlin
What are you looking at?
04/10/06
By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer
(my bold)
Technology and integration choices dominate Secure Border competition
Beyond cities and highways, miles upon miles into the desert, the U.S.-Mexico border stretches to the horizon over sun-baked land.
“In the desert, there is no power, no towers, no anything,” said Chris Josephs, director of homeland security of the global government solutions group for Cisco Systems Inc., Herndon, Va.
In this harsh environment, several of the largest IT systems integrators in the United States are taking on one of the biggest federal technology projects of the decade: creating Secure Border Initiative-Net, an electronic surveillance system that will cover the U.S.-Mexico border, 2,000 miles long. The other portion will span the 4,000-mile-long northern border with Canada.
IT experts consider Secure Border daunting, mainly because of the scope and complexity of the solutions and integration needed to achieve the project’s goal: Give border patrol agents operational control of U.S. borders.
Establishing an infrastructure of power and communications to support a large-scale surveillance system in such vast and remote areas unquestionably presents challenges.
“Surveillance is easy where there is infrastructure. The hard part is the other 90 percent,” Josephs said.
The agency and contractor will need to make many choices, not only on sensors and video, but also concerning infrastructure support elements such as high or low bandwidth, wired or wireless networks, power lines or alternative power and on-site or off-site data storage.
Prospective prime contractors must aim for infrastructure that is resilient, reliable, scalable, flexible, secure and interoperable with other systems, IT industry executives said.
“The biggest challenge is the infrastructure,” said Glenn McGonnigle, chief executive of VistaScape Security Systems Corp. of Atlanta, makers of automated wide-area surveillance systems. “They will need to move the data over wide-open spaces and mountainous regions.”
Years in the making
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Secure Border in November, but the program’s debut follows several years of anticipation for a predecessor border surveillance program, America’s Shield Initiative, which has been folded into Secure Border. That merged program was to expand upon the border patrol’s $430 million video surveillance system, construction of which started in 1998.
Secure Border is expected to be one of the department’s largest contracts and be worth $2 billion. Ericsson Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., and Raytheon Co. are each putting together a team to compete for the prime contract.
A request for proposals is anticipated within days as of press time, and an award will be made in September.
A chief feature of Secure Border will be sensor and surveillance technology, possibly including advanced video cameras with high-resolution images, infrared viewing, night vision, low-light capabilities and “intelligent” capabilities to detect unusual events.
Detectors for heat, motion and biological and chemical agents likely will be included, and ground radar may play a role. Facial recognition software also could come into play; sensors would be mounted on stationary and moving platforms, such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Power lines, networks and systems will support the sensors and cameras, and that’s where some of the prospective solutions could differ.
One key decision for each team competing will be its blend of wired and wireless infrastructure, Josephs and others said.
Wireless networks are fast and flexible, but few offer adequate bandwidth to support high-resolution video images and streaming video. And they don’t work well in high humidity or in heavily forested and mountainous areas, where radio signals can be blocked.
Although wired networks, laid with fiber-optic cables underground, are an optimal technical solution and can handle large amounts of video and data, they also are expensive and time-consuming to install.
“I’m not sure you need to run wires all around the borders of the United States,” said Gene Blackwell, vice president of Raytheon’s rapid initiative group. “It will be a mix of wireless and wired.”
“It could take two decades to do towers and fiber along the borders,” Josephs said.
Alternatively, wireless networks can effectively transmit video content if it is compressed, Josephs said. “Five years ago, video was very bandwidth-intensive, but now we can minimize its bandwidth consumption,” he said.
Another choice affecting bandwidth and networking will be whether to support video analytics in cameras or in a network. Each approach has its promoters.
By placing the analytical capabilities on a processing chip in a camera, “it will save money, and make the cameras more hardened” and better able to operate independently, said Joe Freeman, president of J.P. Freeman Co. Inc., a consulting and market research firm. That could be especially important, he said, in harsh environments such as the hot, dry desert and the extremely cold northern border regions, where cameras need to be well-protected from the elements, possibly making them more difficult to access.
A remote wireless camera that operates on its own may be more secure from sabotage than a wired, accessible camera attached to a tower, Freeman said.
“What’s to stop someone from climbing up and cutting the access wire?” he asked.
On the plus side
Placing those capabilities in the network instead of in the camera also has advantages, said McGonnigle of VistaScape, which produces video analytic software.
“If the threat profile changes, you can change it on the network instead of changing it on every camera,” he said.
For example, if the analytics are wired to sound an alarm to indicate the movement of vehicles or people on or near the ground, the alarm settings and possibly camera positions may need to be adjusted if border crossers use gliders or parachutes to circumvent the cameras and enter the country.
Another unresolved aspect of the system is whether to include facial recognition capabilities.
“With high-resolution cameras, you get more information, but it slows down the processing,” Freeman said. “But if you’re going to do facial recognition, you need high resolution.”
Storage requirements for the surveillance system would be huge. The amount of storage is indicated by operational needs, which for forensic intelligence may lean toward indefinite. It also depends on the amount of compression and analytics. Intelligent video with analytics, for example, may begin shooting high-resolution footage for storage only after sensors detect an unusual event.
The surveillance videos are designed for 24/7 operation. A standard digital video compression format generates about 13G of data per hour, and even if that is reduced with additional compression or analytics, storage requirements are massive.
“The amount of data is tremendous,” Clara Conti, chief executive of Ipix Inc., a high-resolution video camera maker in Reston, Va. “Fortunately, the government and military are very accustomed to [large] storage requirements.”
About that spectrum
Managing radio spectrum will be another infrastructure challenge. Will the system use public safety, military or commercial spectrum? Must it be spectrum-compatible with the $10 billion Integrated Wireless Network being built by the Homeland Security, Justice and Treasury departments?
IT executives involved in Secure Border said the answers are unclear, though presumably Secure Border will need to coordinate with IWN.
Executives from Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman said there will be difficulties installing and integrating the Secure Border technologies and infrastructures, but there are no significant risks to reaching success.
“It’s a classic systems-engineering problem,” said Jay Dragone, vice president of integrated border security solutions for Lockheed Martin. “I don’t see any really strong technical challenges.”
“We’d like to give representatives in the field the technology they need to get a common operational picture,” said Sidney Fuchs, president of the civilian agencies group for Northrop Grumman IT.
The integrators aren’t starting completely from scratch. The controversial Integrated Surveillance Intelligence System is still in operation, albeit with many imperfections and gaps. A host of federal audits have documented problems, including cameras purchased but not installed and lack of competitive bidding.
The surveillance system will need to blend old and new in mind-bogglingly harsh and vast environments.
“This is almost like the Internet was in the 1980s,” Cisco’s Josephs said.
As are some of the questions.
“How will it look?” he asked. “Who will service it?”
Staff Writer Alice Lipowicz can be reached at alipowicz@postnewsweektech.com.
nilremerlin
Holein1: Here is the link I think you're looking for:
http://globetel-europe.net
Hope this helps.
nilremerlin
This New Event is now missing from the GlobeTel web page:
Upcoming Events
April 22-27, 2006
GlobeTel Wireless Europe will be attending NAB2006, the only global event that covers the entire spectrum of media. This event offers comprehensive business and technology insights and innovations covering every aspect of audio and video content production, management and distribution across all forms of media. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.globetel.net/about/events.html
nilremerlin
some info about the Sanswire site (still down for revamp):
Adminstrative and Technical Contact is Joseph Seroussi, phone 954-241-0590, e-mail jseroussi@globetel.net
I'm not suggesting everyone call and e-mail him, don't want to hinder progress on the site, but maybe ONE of us could contact him to inquire about the sanswire site being down...any volunteers?
nilremerlin
New event on GlobeTel website:
Upcoming Events
April 22-27, 2006
GlobeTel Wireless Europe will be attending NAB2006, the only global event that covers the entire spectrum of media. This event offers comprehensive business and technology insights and innovations covering every aspect of audio and video content production, management and distribution across all forms of media. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
May 8-11, 2006
*Centerline Communications will be attending GTM 2006. The Global Telecommunications Meeting (GTM) has become a cornerstone for networking and growth strategy in the telecommunications industry. Washington D.C.
June 11-15, 2006
Sanswire LLC will be attending 24th AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC) and 4th Annual International Satellite & Communications (ISCe) Conference and Expo - Hilton San Diego Resort, San Diego, California
*Syblle wrote me that Centerline is attending, not exhibiting. Not sure about the other conferences.
http://www.globetel.net/about/events.html
nilremerlin
serious1: I copied it from a post by Cabvineyard on Rocky's board, but Rocky has since deleted that post from his board, so I don't know the link.
nilremerlin
Add Sims to the list of stretchers:
Nortel Helps Build Russian VoIP (April 06, 2006)
By David Sims
TMCnet Contributing Editor
JSC Sibirtelecom, a telecommunications service provider in Siberia, has deployed an IMS-based, next-generation network using Nortel (News - Alert) technology in the city of Novokuznetsk.
The deployment allows Sibirtelecom to provide a range of fixed and mobile voice, data and multimedia services.
The new network meets the requirements of modern NGN communications standards, particularly IMS. Based on IP technologies, the network integrates VoIP softswitches, media gateways and Sibirtelecom's existing digital switched telephone network to expand its subscriber capacity.
The network offers advanced multimedia services such as Internet telephone calls, Internet mobility, video telephony, file exchange, voice mail and integrated universal messaging. The increased capacity also allows more subscribers in the Novokuznetsk city area to make traditional local, international and domestic long-distance voice calls over the existing switched network.
"As the first provider in Siberia to deploy a converged, next-generation network, Sibirtelecom is revolutionizing communications for the region," said Anatoly Nikulin, CEO for JSC Sibirtelecom.
"Nortel was able to enhance our traditional telephony services with the newest multimedia capability on a single network for both consumers and business customers. The new revenue streams and cost-reductions enabled by our next-generation network are integral to Sibirtelecom's leading position in the Siberian market."
Russia's a tough market for wireless. Late last year unknown Florida-based operator GlobeTel made an eyebrow-raising, out-of-nowhere announcement of a $600 million Wi-MAX deal in Russia. GlobeTel CEO Tim Huff has been publicly reticent ever since about the deal, which now appears to have collapsed.
GlobeTel stock shot up 75 percent in a single day in late December after the firm, which describes itself as a “diversified, global telecommunications and financial services company” announced a $600 million “Wi-MAX wireless network” deal for the “30 largest Russian cities,” Motley Fool analyst Seth Jayson reported.
Huff predicted at the time that “Russia will, quickly and at a relatively modest cost, have a wireless infrastructure that will rival any in the industrialized world,” according to Red Herring.
"We are helping reduce Sibirtelecom's operational costs by optimizing its existing network investment while enabling the delivery of new, revenue-generating services," said Sorin Lupu, president Nortel Russia, Eastern Europe and Israel. "It's particularly pleasing that we have been able to use Nortel's network technology and experience to help Sibirtelecom achieve its business goals."
The Sibirtelecom NGN infrastructure, deployed with the support of systems integrator and Nortel channel partner RON-Telecom, includes the Nortel Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitching technology, Media Gateway 15000 carrier-grade gateways, and KEYMILE UMUX 1500 subscriber access equipment that is used to provide 27,000 analog subscriber lines.
It is planned to expand the network capacity to 40,000 analog subscriber lines by the end of 2006. The project also includes the provision of a Multimedia Communication Server 5200 in Novosibirsk city, which will allow Sibirtelecom to provide a common range of expanded multimedia services within the whole federal region of Siberia.
David Sims is contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles please visit David Sims' columnist page.
nilremerlin
This might help to answer a few questions about Delta Aero and Sanswire relationship, etc.:
http://aerobed.fastcomet.info/delta-aero-science-sanswire.php
nilremerlin
Holein1: Yes, I did get the Sanswire site momentarily...a minute later I tried again and couldn't get on...I did get that peek and saw the blank news window, so...
nilremerlin
On the Sanswire site, the news updates box is blank...I'll bet they're adding something like the Space Symposium exhibit news in...maybe something viewable?
http://www.sanswire.com/
nilremerlin
A certain percentage of military contracts goes to companies run by Disabled Veterans, and Delta Aero is such a company. If Delta Aero got a military contract, it could sub-contract work to Sanswire/GlobeTel.
Delta Aero basically increases the chances of GlobeTel getting military contract work, and/or EPA contract work, IMHO.
nilremerlin
Some pix are now up from the 22nd National Space Symposium, where Sanswire is exhibiting:
http://www.nationalspacesymposium.org/gallery/index.php
nilremerlin
Latest news from FSS:
FSS flags off Techno Park at SIPCOT
FSS to begin phase 1 of The FSS Techno Park at SIPCOT Siruseri.
Chennai, March 16th, 2006:
Financial Software & Systems (P) Ltd. (FSS), the leader in electronic payment systems, solutions and services today announced the flagging off of FSS Techno Park in SIPCOT IT Park at Siruseri,The IT Corridor of Chennai. Mr. C.N. Ram, Head - Information Technology, HDFC Bank and Mr. Don McLarty, President, ACI Worldwide Asia/Pacific, were the Chief Guests at the function.
The FSS Techno Park will be on a 10 acre plot and will initially house over 1,000 professionals, with an investment of Rs. 15 ~ 20 crores for the first phase. The facility will be an end to end campus for FSS Software development and payment processing services for domestic and International customers. This facility will include substantial space for a data centre that will house the state of the art systems for transaction processing, switching, and managed services.
FSS already has facilities in Chennai at the Tidel IT Park and in Mumbai with a combined capacity to house 750 personnel. The first phase initiative at the Siruseri Techno Park will start with 1000 personnel, and will be spread over 1,00,000 sq ft and will be gradually increased to cover a total outlay of 3,00,000 sq feet in additional phases. The total outlay over the 24 ~ 30 months period for the facilities is estimated to be around Rs. 55 Crore.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Nagaraj Mylandla Managing Director of FSS said
”The FSS Techno Park located in the IT corridor will be a strategic independent facility that will house all new business initiatives of FSS. The FSS family has grown from a software solutions background to be in the software support services, software development, and now third part processing and managed services. From being a domestic payment entity to a global provider of payment solutions, FSS today offers over 50 bank customers varied payment solutions and services. As a 15th year initiative the campus will be designed keeping in mind deployment of large teams of IT professionals, equipping them with expertise, investing in new technologies and IT infrastructure and 24/7 payment hub ”
“FSS, over 15 years has gathered all the prerequisites to provide superior payment solutions and services to customer banks, manage and monitor nationwide networks of electronic delivery channels.”, he added.
The chief guest Mr. C.N. Ram said “FSS has been the pioneers in payment solutions and technology. Our bank was the first new generation private sector bank to have the BAS424 solution implemented by FSS. Since then both our bank and FSS have grown in products and services. With the Techno Park facility, I am sure FSS would be able to cater to the growing needs of banks in India and overseas”
Said Mr. Don McLarty, chief guest “We have been partnering with FSS for 15 years, and with substantial domain knowledge, they have always moved ahead of market expectations. I am pleased to note their growth from a 6 member team during inception, to over 500 skilled personnel today. FSS growth has been keeping pace with the explosive growth in the Indian payments market. Investing in the Techno Park at this time will meet FSS’s immediate and future needs.
nilremerlin
Starnes: Well said, with the exception of the 37 million investors figure...it's more like 37 thousand investors...later for the millions.
nilremerlin
IR confirmed that Centerline will be attending, not exhibiting, at this event.
http://www.globetel.net/about/events.html
nilremerlin
ray s: thanks for the heads-up on GTM. Globetel website says that Centerline is attending...I wonder if they'll also be exhibiting? Guess that's a good question for IR?!
GTM site says there'll be 40+ exhibitors...doesn't seem like very many, so if Centerline exhibits, they should be well noticed.
I couldn't find an exhibitor list on the GTM site.
Jeff Pulver is the keynote speaker.
nilremerlin