Communications

Lawmakers Seek to Punish Robocallers with Prison Time

New bipartisan legislation aims to help Americans feel it’s safe to answer their phones again.

  • By Brandi Vincent

NASA Makes First Award on GSA’s Massive $50 Billion Telecom Contract

With security authorizations trickling in, the space agency awarded a $10.5 million contract to support its core services.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Installing Chinese 5G Gear is Dangerous—and Probably Inevitable: NATO Center Report

Alliance members should look to mimic Britain, which created an entire government office to scrutinize Huawei’s products for security problems.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

Trump's Top Budget Official Defends 2020 Pay Freeze to Congress

OMB chief pledges to work with agencies to develop performance and mission-based pay plans.

  • By Eric Katz

Pentagon To Explore Potential of 5G — and Its Made-in-China Hazards

Planned experiments will test the emerging wireless technology, even as leaders fret publicly about supply-chain risks.

  • By Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One

Heartland Cities Are Stuck. Washington Can Help Them.

In an unprecedented era of winner-take-all urbanism, left-behind cities need federal help.

  • By Clara Hendrickson, The Atlantic

Security Authorizations Trickle In As Deadlines Near on $50 Billion Telecom Contract

So far, only one vendor on the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract has gotten an authority to operate—an important requirement that could complicate the upcoming transition.

  • By Aaron Boyd

How an App for Gamers Went Mainstream

Discord has become an indispensable tool for internet creators to connect with their fans.

  • By Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic

The U.S.-China Tech War Is Being Fought in Central Europe

The Czech Republic’s complicated relationship with the Chinese giant Huawei offers a lesson in the benefits and pitfalls of courting Beijing.

  • By Philip Heijmans, The Atlantic

A Message to FEMA: Respond to Disasters Differently

Providing money to states faster after disasters, and offering funds before they strike, would make communities safer, governors said.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

What Public Safety Agencies Can Do While Waiting for Next Generation 911

The old system has been the victim of its own success, a software executive argues.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Will Space Force Boost Already-Rising Spending on Satellites?

Defense execs see increased sales as Pentagon upgrades orbiting gear to fend off attacks.

  • By Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One

FaceTime Is Eroding Trust in Tech

Tech paranoiacs have been totally vindicated.

  • By Ian Bogost, The Atlantic

Justice Department Announces Indictments Against Huawei

U.S. officials say Chinese manufacturer flouted Iran sanctions, committed fraud, and stole robots.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

Senators Call For FCC Investigation of Phone Companies Selling Location Data

Your telecom company knows where you are—and it may be selling that information.

  • By Caitlin Fairchild

Homeland Security Delegation Visits Asia for Emerging Tech Ideas

An agency group is going abroad for ideas about 5G, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity.

  • By Frank Konkel

Transportation Is Consolidating Its IT Contracts into a Single Vehicle

The Enterprise IT Shared Services contract will be available departmentwide but task orders will have to flow through the Office of the Chief Information Officer.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Amazon’s Plan to Capture Space Data

Amazon launched a new service that can port data from commercial satellites directly into its cloud.

  • By Frank Konkel

How FEMA Could Help Avoid Another Missile Alert Mishap

State and local authorities are responsible for sending and rescinding alerts but FEMA can—and says it will—require the underlying infrastructure be more user-friendly.

  • By Aaron Boyd

IRS Spent Millions to Set Up Virtual Assistance Centers That No One Is Using

Of the millions of taxpayers looking for help last year, only 2,700 used the Virtual Service Delivery stations.

  • By Aaron Boyd