Communications

We're Using Lasers and Toaster-Sized Satellites to Beam Information Faster through Space

Yes, that's optical communication.

  • By Gottfried Lechner, The Conversation

Pentagon Unveils Which Bases Will House Large-Scale 5G Experiments

The first projects will focus on asset management and sharing across the spectrum.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Improving Citizen Experience in Government Call Centers

It doesn't have to be a long wait.

  • By Patrick Cox

Senator Calls on State Dept. to Investigate Appointees’ Use of Personal Devices for Work

Impeachment hearing revelations highlight a larger security problem, Democrat says.

  • By Courtney Bublé

Congress Reaches Deal to Fight Robocalls

“It’s time to put Americans back in charge of their phones,” lawmakers said.

  • By Brandi Vincent

How Lockheed Martin Is Trying To Link Everything on the Battlefield

Experiment by experiment, the company is weaving aircraft, ground vehicles, satellites, and the rest into a network that will someday give commanders unprecedented decision-support options.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

China Said It’s Developing 6G. What Does That Mean?

While most mobile users operate on 4G, the country announced two working groups focused on advancing 6G.

  • By Brandi Vincent

DISA Previews Big Tech Opportunities for 2020

The Pentagon’s IT shop released a list of next year’s contracting opportunities, including 12 worth more than $100 million.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Agriculture Funds More than $1 Billion in Projects to Boost Rural Infrastructure

The broadband and electric investments aim to benefit more than 1.5 million businesses and residents.

  • By Brandi Vincent

First Small Business Gets Cleared to Accept Task Orders on GSA’s $50B Telecom Contract

The first of three small businesses on the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract got its authority to operate, giving agencies an option outside the big telecom offerors.

  • By Aaron Boyd

5G: Investing in a Smarter Alternative 

The U.S. needs to deepen its commitment to research and development and a diverse supply chain.

  • By Chris Cummiskey

Pentagon to Begin Testing 5G at Four Domestic Installations

The department will release a draft solicitation for the program in November.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Army Partners with UFO Researchers to Study Active Camouflage and Other Sci-Fi Tech

The partnership will explore metamaterials, quantum communications, beamed energy propulsion and other futuristic tech for use on the military’s ground vehicles.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Weapons Makers Unveil A Herd of Robotanks—As the Army Worries about Battlefield Bandwidth

The U.S. Army is determined to field a mid-sized combat robot vehicle, but the prototypes are outstripping the datalinks that would connect them.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

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GSA Certifies Two More Vendors Ahead of Task Order Deadline on $50B Telecom Contract 

Two more authorities to operate bring the total to five, with four more vendors waiting to get certified to get a piece of GSA’s massive Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Agencies Offer Sneak Peeks into Their 5G Plans

From fixing planes before they break to doctors performing surgery in real time from two continents, agency officials are already looking at how faster connections could change their missions.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Wi-Fi System Identifies People Through Walls By Their Walk

A new system uses video of a person walking to identify that person through walls using two WiFi transceivers.

  • By Sonia Fernandez, Futurity

Lawmakers Propose $1 Billion Purge of Chinese Telecom Equipment

The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act would help small and rural providers pay to replace equipment from Huawei, ZTE and other foreign vendors with safer alternatives.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Critical Update: The Hidden Threats of 5G

Nextgov goes inside the technology that will underpin billions of interconnected devices. 

  • By Brandi Vincent

The NSA Is Running a Satellite Hacking Experiment

Low Earth orbit will soon be awash in small satellites, and the national security community is increasingly concerned about their security.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

Lawmakers Call on FCC to Reexamine Licenses for Two Chinese Telecom Firms

Sens. Chuck Schumer and Tom Cotton fear the state-owned companies present national security threats.

  • By Jack Corrigan